What do James M. Cain, George
Eliot, and Saul Bellow have in common? Not much, except that
all are chosen authors for the newly formed Phoenix Book Club
at Phoenix Books, 3957 24th St.
Open to all, the group meets
next on Thursday, April 25, at 7 p.m. to discuss George
Eliot’s Middlemarch: A Study of Provincial Life. Published
in 1874, the complicated story of a young woman in a small
town was written under a pen name by a woman, Marian Evans,
and is considered a classic in English literature.
“That’s one of those books
we’re all supposed to have read,” said Mei Levenson, the
store’s manager. “Because it’s so dense, it’s good to have a
group to help you along.”
Like each selection, the book
was chosen by one of the store’s five employees. Each has
different tastes, which means if someone is not interested in
this month’s book, next month’s book might appeal. May’s
selection is Humboldt’s Gift by Saul Bellow.
“It’s going to reflect the
taste of the people who work here,” Levenson said. “I thought
it would be a great way to get the neighborhood to know us.”
Anyone is welcome to come,
regardless of whether the book has been read. Hearing a
discussion of a book might be a good way for a reader to
decide whether or not it’s worth reading, she said.
The store already hosts two
book clubs organized by members of the community. Bookends is
geared toward children in grades 3 to 5, and there is another
for adults interested in classic literature.
