Announcing The Erie Reader Book Club
In partnership with Werner Books and welcoming to all Reader readers
BEGINNING SUNDAY, APR. 28
It comes as no surprise that the folks at the Erie Reader have become pretty big fans of the folks at Werner Books & Coffee (owners Kyle Churman and Lauren Shoemaker were both represented in 2023's 40 Under 40 Class and their business won multiple Best of Erie categories in 2023, including Best Local Bookstore). It was, therefore, a logical next step for the Reader and Werner to collaborate, and we're doing so starting in April as we launch the Erie Reader Book Club, giving us an opportunity to engage with our Reader readers outside of the pages of our publication.
Each month a book will be chosen by the group that corresponds with that month's issue theme and will be announced at the beginning of the publication cycle. The club will meet on the last Sunday of each month at 3 p.m. at Werner Books and Coffee. The discussion will be led by our insightful book reviewer Ally Kutz and our managing editor Erin Phillips. Everyone who would like to attend is welcome: those who are fans of the Reader, those who write, edit, or create art for the Reader, or those who simply enjoy reading a great book and discussing it with thoughtful, interesting people. It will be a casual discussion with some predetermined discussion topics, but we will ultimately go where the book leads us.
For April, our Earth Day issue, and the inaugural book club meeting, the selection is Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler. This book, written by the first published Black female science fiction writer, takes place on a post-apocalyptic Earth that has been heavily affected by climate change and social inequality. Although the book was written in the early '90s, it actually takes place in the year 2024, making it particularly poignant in terms of the current climate disaster and devastating social inequality we're actually experiencing today.
Keep an eye on our social media platforms for more information on discussion topics, event information, and updates. Copies of the book are available to purchase at Werner Books. We hope you'll join us this month and beyond.
3 p.m. // Werner Books and Coffee, 3608 Liberty St. // Free to attend (cost of book not included) // Follow the Facebook event for details
