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First Fridays Book Discussion In-Person

'First Fridays Book Club' will be held via Zoom. Our August title is  The Book of Delights by  Ross Gay.

Copies are available as an e-title or for curbside pick-up. russelllibrary.org

A $5.00 yoga class will be offered via Zoom at 5:45-6:45. Sign-up at http://www.ramaluna.com

Ross Gay’s The Book of Delights is a genre-defying book of essays—some as short as a paragraph; some as long as five pages—that record the small joys that occurred in one year, from birthday to birthday, and that we often overlook in our busy lives. His is a meditation on delight that takes a clear-eyed view of the complexities, even the terrors, in his life, including living in America as a black man; the ecological and psychic violence of our consumer culture; the loss of those he loves. Among Gay’s funny, poetic, philosophical delights: the way Botan Rice Candy wrappers melt in your mouth, the volunteer crossing guard with a pronounced tremor whom he imagines as a kind of boat-woman escorting pedestrians across the River Styx, a friend’s unabashed use of air quotes, pickup basketball games, the silent nod of acknowledgment between black people. And more than any other subject, Gay celebrates the beauty of the natural world—his garden, the flowers in the sidewalk, the birds, the bees, the mushrooms, the trees.

This is not a book of how-to or inspiration, though it could be read that way. Fans of Roxane Gay, Maggie Nelson, and Kiese Laymon will revel in Gay’s voice, and his insights. The Book of Delights is about our connection to the world, to each other, and the rewards that come from a life closely observed. Gay’s pieces serve as a powerful and necessary reminder that we can, and should, stake out a space in our lives for delight.  


We are excited to partner with Rachel Payne and the RaMa Luna Center for Yoga and Well Being, which is located at 282 Main Street Ext in Middletown, on the third floor of the Palmer Eye Care building, next to the Historic Sanseer Mill and CVS.

Facilitated by Christy Billings of Russell Library, Information Services and Adult Learning Department. Questions? cbillings@russelllibrary.org. Rachel Payne (860) 800-5862 at RaMa Luna, www.ramaluna.com.

Date:
Friday, August 7, 2020 Show more dates
Time:
7:00pm - 8:00pm
Time Zone:
Eastern Time - US & Canada (change)
Location:
Other 2
Categories:
  Book Group  
Registration has closed.

The $5.00 yoga class is held separately from the library event. It begins at 5:45 PM -6:45 PM with the book discussion beginning at 7:00 PM.  No cost for the book discussion.

No set-up. Held offsite.

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The Russell Library, as a public place, reserves the right to photograph and record groups and individuals using library services and attending library programs, and to publish those photographs and videos publicly in its newsletter and on social media outlets.

Accommodation Statement

If you require special accommodations for any library sponsored event please call 860-347-2528 or email dmarques@russelllibrary.org at least ten (10) days prior to the scheduled meeting.