Explore book clubs, author readings & more.
Do you love to talk about what you’re reading? Join a book club to share your thoughts and hear what others have to say about books that spark discussion, curiosity, and debate! Discover new “Books to Talk About” and join a community of booklovers at NVDPL. Simply read the book and join us at the meeting!
Register online for the time and location that’s most convenient for you to receive meeting instructions and information in advance of the discussion! Join us every month or just for the meetings you prefer. If you miss a meeting but still want to discuss the book, you can also join us at a different time or location. Click here to see all six Books to Talk About book clubs.
Copies of the next book will be available to pick-up from Capilano Library. All books are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Copies are also available in other formats, such as print, ebook, audiobooks, and more. Ask staff to help you find a copy!
2021-2022 Schedule for the Capilano Thursday Afternoon Book Club:
Petra by Shaena Lambert
September 16 at 2:00pm (Online via Zoom)
Inspired by Petra Kelly, the original Green Party leader and political activist who fought for the planet in 1980s Germany, Canadian author Shaena Lambert brings us a captivating new novel about a woman who changed history and transformed environmental politics. Petra is an exploration of love, jealousy, and the power of social change. A woman capable of founding a new and world-changing politics and taking on two superpowers, Petra still must grapple with her own complex nature and a singular and fatal love. Learn more.
Indians on Vacation by Thomas King
October 21 at 2:00pm (Online via Zoom)
Inspired by a handful of old postcards sent by Uncle Leroy nearly a hundred years earlier, Bird and Mimi attempt to trace Mimi’s long-lost uncle and the family medicine bundle he took with him to Europe. By turns witty, sly and poignant, this is the tale of one couple’s holiday trip to Europe, where their wanderings through its famous capitals reveal a complicated history, both personal and political. Learn more.
Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi
November 18 at 2:00pm (In Person & Online via Zoom)
Gifty is a fifth-year candidate in neuroscience at Stanford School of Medicine studying reward-seeking behavior in mice and the neural circuits of depression and addiction. Her brother, Nana, was a gifted high school athlete who died of a heroin overdose after a knee injury left him hooked on OxyContin. Her withdrawn mother is living in her bed. Gifty is determined to discover the scientific basis for the suffering she sees all around her. But even as she turns to the hard sciences to unlock the mystery of her family's loss, she finds herself hungering for her childhood faith and grappling with the evangelical church in which she was raised, whose promise of salvation remains as tantalizing as it is elusive. Will Gifty find her answers in science or religion? Learn more.
Chop Suey Nation by Ann Hui
January 20 at 2:00pm
In this non-fiction book, Vancouver-born Globe and Mail journalist Ann Hui undertakes a road trip from Vancouver Island to Newfoundland in an attempt to discover the origin and enduring popularity of Canadian "chop suey" style Chinese restaurants that seem to exist in every city and even in most tiny towns. During her research, she also discovers hidden history within her own family. Both parts are equally engaging, and full of surprises for both Hui and the reader. Learn more.
And the Birds Rained Down by Jocelyne Saucier
February 17 at 2:00pm
Tom and Charlie have decided to live out the remainder of their lives on their own terms, hidden away in a remote forest in northern Ontario, their only connection to the outside world a couple of pot growers who deliver whatever they can’t eke out for themselves. Their story is intertwined with a young photographer who is seeking stories from survivors of the catastrophic forest fires that swept Northern Ontario early in the century. A meditation on aging and self-determination, And the Birds Rained Down, originally published in French as Il pleuvait des oiseaux, was a 2015 Canada Reads nominee and the winner of the Prix des Cinq Continents de la Francophonie, the first Canadian title to win this honour. The book has since been adapted into a film. Learn more.
The Cold Millions by Jess Walter
March 17 at 2:00pm
A propulsive, richly entertaining novel about the adventure-seeking Dolan brothers, the enemies who threaten them, and the women who reveal to them an unjust world on the brink of upheaval. Set in Spokane, Washington at the beginning of the 20th century, this novel offers a stunning, kaleidoscopic portrait of a nation grappling with the chasm between rich and poor, between harsh realities and simple dreams. Featuring an unforgettable cast of cops and tramps, suffragists and socialists, madams and murderers. Learn more.
How to Pronounce Knife by Souvankham Thammavongsa
April 21 at 2:00pm
The stories that make up How to Pronounce Knife focus on characters struggling to find their bearings in unfamiliar territory, or shuttling between idioms, cultures, and values. Thammavongsa is a master at homing in on pivotal moments - moments of exposure, dislocation, and messy feeling that push us right up against the limits of language. Winner of the Scotiabank Giller Prize (2020) and the National Book Critics Circle Award Nominee for Fiction (2020). Learn more.
This One Looks Like a Boy: My Gender Journey to Life As a Man by Lorimer Shenher
May 19 at 2:00pm
Local author Lorimer Shenher candidly discusses his late-in-life journey of transitioning from female to male. In this memoir, he recounts his childhood in Alberta where he excelled at sports but struggled with his gender identity, his move to Vancouver to join the VPD, and his experiences as the first detective assigned to the case of serial killer Robert Pickton. Shenher’s writing is thoughtful, plain-spoken, and draws the reader in. Learn more.
Location:
Thursday, October 21, 2021 - 2:00pm
Are you in Grade 3 and would like to join a Book Club?
If your answer is yes, then Super Kids Book Club is for you! If you're not in Grade 3 and would like to join the 30 minute book discussion, you are welcome to join other Super Kids.
Book titles and dates:
August 19 - The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary
Septenmber 16 - A Boy called Bat by Elana Arnold
October 21 - El Deafo (graphic novel) by Cece Bell
November 18 - The World according to Humphrey by Betty G. Birney
Register for individual dates you wish to join a book discussion and you'll receive a Zoom link 2 to 3 days before the event.
We're hosting this virtual program on Zoom. What you'll need to attend: A computer with microphone (or headphones) and webcam, or your smartphone/tablet.
Registration required. Register online or call 604-929-3727, ext. 8166 to register.
Location:
Thursday, October 21, 2021 - 4:00pm to 4:30pm
Would your child benefit from practice reading in a comfortable one-on-one environment?
Book buddies is a six-week program that pairs developing readers with teen volunteers to practice reading together and play literacy games. You can sign up for a 30-minute session at Capilano Library. Book buddy participants must be at least 6 years old, and should already be able to read at a basic level.
Please note that this session will take in-person.
Registration required. Register in-person or email Jessie at hawkesj@nvdpl.ca for info.
Location:
Tuesday, October 26, 2021 - 4:00pm to 5:30pm
Book buddies is a one-on-one reading program to help young readers get more comfortable.
We match up developing readers with teen volunteers to read together and play literacy games for 30 minutes each week. Book buddies is available for kids ages 6-11 who already are able to read; participants must have access to the internet for their 30 minute session. In this virtual format, the supervising librarian(s) will be rotating between all nine buddy groups, so each pairing won’t be supervised the entire time. We recommend having a parent sticking around nearby to provide technical support if necessary!
Please note that this session will take place over Zoom. You will need a microphone and speakers, or a headset, in order to take part in the session.
Registration required. Register online to receive a Zoom invite prior to the session. If you have any questions or concerns, please call 604-984-0286, ext. 8144.
Location:
Tuesday, October 26, 2021 - 4:15pm to 4:45pm
Celebrate Library Month with this BC History Series
Join us virtually on Tuesdays this October for presentations by local authors of books about the history of British Columbia. See all events in this series.
Here on the Coast: Reflections From the Rainbelt by Howard White
Tuesday, October 26 at 7:00pm
Here on the Coast is a delightful and humorous collection of fifty stories that capture quintessential life on the West Coast, as well as the unique colour and flavour of the Sunshine Coast specifically. Find a copy.
Bio: Howard White was raised in a series of camps and settlements on the BC coast and never got over it. He is still to be found stuck barnacle-like to the shore at Pender Harbour, BC. He started Raincoast Chronicles and Harbour Publishing in the early 1970s. He has been awarded the Order of BC, the Canadian Historical Association's Career Award for Regional History, the Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour, the Jim Douglas Publisher of the Year Award and a Honorary Doctorate of Laws Degree from the University of Victoria. In 2007, White was made an Officer of the Order of Canada.
Registration required. Register online or call 604-984-0286, ext. 8144.
This meeting will take place on Zoom. What you’ll need: A computer with microphone (or headphones) and webcam for Zoom; or your smartphone/tablet. We will email you the Zoom link in advance of the event.
Location:
Tuesday, October 26, 2021 - 7:00pm to 8:30pm
Do you love to talk about what you’re reading? Join a book club to share your thoughts and hear what others have to say about books that spark discussion, curiosity, and debate! Discover new “Books to Talk About” and join a community of booklovers at NVDPL. Simply read the book and join us at the meeting!
Register online for the time and location that’s most convenient for you to receive meeting instructions and information in advance of the discussion! Join us every month or just for the meetings you prefer. If you miss a meeting but still want to discuss the book, you can also join us at a different time or location. Click here to see all six Books to Talk About book clubs.
Copies of the next book will be available to pick-up from Capilano Library. All books are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Copies are also available in other formats, such as print, ebook, audiobooks, and more. Ask staff to help you find a copy!
2021-2022 Schedule for the Capilano Tuesday Evening Book Club:
This One Looks Like a Boy: My Gender Journey to Life As a Man by Lorimer Shenher
September 28 at 7:30pm (Online via Zoom)
Local author Lorimer Shenher candidly discusses his late-in-life journey of transitioning from female to male. In this memoir, he recounts his childhood in Alberta where he excelled at sports but struggled with his gender identity, his move to Vancouver to join the VPD, and his experiences as the first detective assigned to the case of serial killer Robert Pickton. Shenher’s writing is thoughtful, plain-spoken, and draws the reader in. Learn more.
Petra by Shaena Lambert
October 26 at 7:30pm (Online via Zoom)
Inspired by Petra Kelly, the original Green Party leader and political activist who fought for the planet in 1980s Germany, Canadian author Shaena Lambert brings us a captivating new novel about a woman who changed history and transformed environmental politics. Petra is an exploration of love, jealousy, and the power of social change. A woman capable of founding a new and world-changing politics and taking on two superpowers, Petra still must grapple with her own complex nature and a singular and fatal love. Learn more.
Indians on Vacation by Thomas King
November 23 at 7:30pm (Online via Zoom)
Inspired by a handful of old postcards sent by Uncle Leroy nearly a hundred years earlier, Bird and Mimi attempt to trace Mimi’s long-lost uncle and the family medicine bundle he took with him to Europe. By turns witty, sly and poignant, this is the tale of one couple’s holiday trip to Europe, where their wanderings through its famous capitals reveal a complicated history, both personal and political. Learn more.
Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi
January 25 at 7:30pm
Gifty is a fifth-year candidate in neuroscience at Stanford School of Medicine studying reward-seeking behavior in mice and the neural circuits of depression and addiction. Her brother, Nana, was a gifted high school athlete who died of a heroin overdose after a knee injury left him hooked on OxyContin. Her withdrawn mother is living in her bed. Gifty is determined to discover the scientific basis for the suffering she sees all around her. But even as she turns to the hard sciences to unlock the mystery of her family's loss, she finds herself hungering for her childhood faith and grappling with the evangelical church in which she was raised, whose promise of salvation remains as tantalizing as it is elusive. Will Gifty find her answers in science or religion? Learn more.
Chop Suey Nation by Ann Hui
February 22 at 7:30pm
In this non-fiction book, Vancouver-born Globe and Mail journalist Ann Hui undertakes a road trip from Vancouver Island to Newfoundland in an attempt to discover the origin and enduring popularity of Canadian "chop suey" style Chinese restaurants that seem to exist in every city and even in most tiny towns. During her research, she also discovers hidden history within her own family. Both parts are equally engaging, and full of surprises for both Hui and the reader. Learn more.
And the Birds Rained Down by Jocelyne Saucier
March 22 at 7:30pm
Tom and Charlie have decided to live out the remainder of their lives on their own terms, hidden away in a remote forest in northern Ontario, their only connection to the outside world a couple of pot growers who deliver whatever they can’t eke out for themselves. Their story is intertwined with a young photographer who is seeking stories from survivors of the catastrophic forest fires that swept Northern Ontario early in the century. A meditation on aging and self-determination, And the Birds Rained Down, originally published in French as Il pleuvait des oiseaux, was a 2015 Canada Reads nominee and the winner of the Prix des Cinq Continents de la Francophonie, the first Canadian title to win this honour. The book has since been adapted into a film. Learn more.
The Cold Millions by Jess Walter
April 26 at 7:30pm
A propulsive, richly entertaining novel about the adventure-seeking Dolan brothers, the enemies who threaten them, and the women who reveal to them an unjust world on the brink of upheaval. Set in Spokane, Washington at the beginning of the 20th century, this novel offers a stunning, kaleidoscopic portrait of a nation grappling with the chasm between rich and poor, between harsh realities and simple dreams. Featuring an unforgettable cast of cops and tramps, suffragists and socialists, madams and murderers. Learn more.
How to Pronounce Knife by Souvankham Thammavongsa
May 24 at 7:30pm
The stories that make up How to Pronounce Knife focus on characters struggling to find their bearings in unfamiliar territory, or shuttling between idioms, cultures, and values. Thammavongsa is a master at homing in on pivotal moments - moments of exposure, dislocation, and messy feeling that push us right up against the limits of language. Winner of the Scotiabank Giller Prize (2020) and the National Book Critics Circle Award Nominee for Fiction (2020). Learn more.
Location:
Tuesday, October 26, 2021 - 7:30pm
Are you a book-loving teen who wants to get volunteer hours for improving the library?
Then the Teen Advisory Group is for you! We are a council of enthusiastic, kind teens who meet monthly to make the library a better place. The TAG tackles everything from décor and displays to offering insight on teen collections and library policies. Plus, there’s food!
TAG is for humans grades 8-12. Note: this event takes place in person.
Registration required. Register online or email Jessie at hawkesj@nvdpl.ca for info.
Location:
Wednesday, October 27, 2021 - 6:00pm to 7:00pm
Do you love to talk about what you’re reading? Join a book club to share your thoughts and hear what others have to say about books that spark discussion, curiosity, and debate! Discover new “Books to Talk About” and join a community of booklovers at NVDPL. Simply read the book and join us at the meeting!
Register online for the time and location that’s most convenient for you to receive meeting instructions and information in advance of the discussion! Join us every month or just for the meetings you prefer. If you miss a meeting but still want to discuss the book, you can also join us at a different time or location. Click here to see all six Books to Talk About book clubs.
Copies of the next book will be available to pick-up from Parkgate Library. All books are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Copies are also available in other formats, such as print, ebook, audiobooks, and more. Ask staff to help you find a copy!
2021-2022 Schedule for the Parkgate Tuesday Afternoon Book Club:
How to Pronounce Knife by Souvankham Thammavongsa
October 5 at 2:30pm
The stories that make up How to Pronounce Knife focus on characters struggling to find their bearings in unfamiliar territory, or shuttling between idioms, cultures, and values. Thammavongsa is a master at homing in on pivotal moments - moments of exposure, dislocation, and messy feeling that push us right up against the limits of language. Winner of the Scotiabank Giller Prize (2020) and the National Book Critics Circle Award Nominee for Fiction (2020). Learn more.
This One Looks Like a Boy: My Gender Journey to Life As a Man by Lorimer Shenher
November 2 at 2:30pm
Local author Lorimer Shenher candidly discusses his late-in-life journey of transitioning from female to male. In this memoir, he recounts his childhood in Alberta where he excelled at sports but struggled with his gender identity, his move to Vancouver to join the VPD, and his experiences as the first detective assigned to the case of serial killer Robert Pickton. Shenher’s writing is thoughtful, plain-spoken, and draws the reader in. Learn more.
Petra by Shaena Lambert
December 7 at 2:30pm
Inspired by Petra Kelly, the original Green Party leader and political activist who fought for the planet in 1980s Germany, Canadian author Shaena Lambert brings us a captivating new novel about a woman who changed history and transformed environmental politics. Petra is an exploration of love, jealousy, and the power of social change. A woman capable of founding a new and world-changing politics and taking on two superpowers, Petra still must grapple with her own complex nature and a singular and fatal love. Learn more.
Indians on Vacation by Thomas King
February 1 at 2:30pm
Inspired by a handful of old postcards sent by Uncle Leroy nearly a hundred years earlier, Bird and Mimi attempt to trace Mimi’s long-lost uncle and the family medicine bundle he took with him to Europe. By turns witty, sly and poignant, this is the tale of one couple’s holiday trip to Europe, where their wanderings through its famous capitals reveal a complicated history, both personal and political. Learn more.
Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi
March 1 at 2:30pm
Gifty is a fifth-year candidate in neuroscience at Stanford School of Medicine studying reward-seeking behavior in mice and the neural circuits of depression and addiction. Her brother, Nana, was a gifted high school athlete who died of a heroin overdose after a knee injury left him hooked on OxyContin. Her withdrawn mother is living in her bed. Gifty is determined to discover the scientific basis for the suffering she sees all around her. But even as she turns to the hard sciences to unlock the mystery of her family's loss, she finds herself hungering for her childhood faith and grappling with the evangelical church in which she was raised, whose promise of salvation remains as tantalizing as it is elusive. Will Gifty find her answers in science or religion? Learn more.
Chop Suey Nation by Ann Hui
April 5 at 2:30pm
In this non-fiction book, Vancouver-born Globe and Mail journalist Ann Hui undertakes a road trip from Vancouver Island to Newfoundland in an attempt to discover the origin and enduring popularity of Canadian "chop suey" style Chinese restaurants that seem to exist in every city and even in most tiny towns. During her research, she also discovers hidden history within her own family. Both parts are equally engaging, and full of surprises for both Hui and the reader. Learn more.
And the Birds Rained Down by Jocelyne Saucier
May 3 at 2:30pm
Tom and Charlie have decided to live out the remainder of their lives on their own terms, hidden away in a remote forest in northern Ontario, their only connection to the outside world a couple of pot growers who deliver whatever they can’t eke out for themselves. Their story is intertwined with a young photographer who is seeking stories from survivors of the catastrophic forest fires that swept Northern Ontario early in the century. A meditation on aging and self-determination, And the Birds Rained Down, originally published in French as Il pleuvait des oiseaux, was a 2015 Canada Reads nominee and the winner of the Prix des Cinq Continents de la Francophonie, the first Canadian title to win this honour. The book has since been adapted into a film. Learn more.
The Cold Millions by Jess Walter
June 7 at 2:30pm
A propulsive, richly entertaining novel about the adventure-seeking Dolan brothers, the enemies who threaten them, and the women who reveal to them an unjust world on the brink of upheaval. Set in Spokane, Washington at the beginning of the 20th century, this novel offers a stunning, kaleidoscopic portrait of a nation grappling with the chasm between rich and poor, between harsh realities and simple dreams. Featuring an unforgettable cast of cops and tramps, suffragists and socialists, madams and murderers. Learn more.
Location:
Tuesday, November 2, 2021 - 2:30pm
Not your average book club! Formerly known as the ARC Book Club, this is a club where we read Advance Reading Copies of soon-to-be-published books and share our reviews! We meet monthly to discuss our books with fellow bibliophiles.
Read & Review Teen Book Club is for grades 7-12. Note: this event takes place in person.
Registration required. Register online or email Jessie at hawkesj@nvdpl.ca for info.
Location:
Tuesday, November 2, 2021 - 4:00pm to 5:00pm
Do you love to talk about what you’re reading? Join a book club to share your thoughts and hear what others have to say about books that spark discussion, curiosity, and debate! Discover new “Books to Talk About” and join a community of booklovers at NVDPL. Simply read the book and join us at the meeting!
Register online for the time and location that’s most convenient for you to receive meeting instructions and information in advance of the discussion! Join us every month or just for the meetings you prefer. If you miss a meeting but still want to discuss the book, you can also join us at a different time or location. Click here to see all six Books to Talk About book clubs.
Copies of the next book will be available to pick-up from Parkgate Library. All books are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Copies are also available in other formats, such as print, ebook, audiobooks, and more. Ask staff to help you find a copy!
2021-2022 Schedule for the Parkgate Wednesday Evening Book Club:
Chop Suey Nation by Ann Hui
October 6 at 7:30pm
In this non-fiction book, Vancouver-born Globe and Mail journalist Ann Hui undertakes a road trip from Vancouver Island to Newfoundland in an attempt to discover the origin and enduring popularity of Canadian "chop suey" style Chinese restaurants that seem to exist in every city and even in most tiny towns. During her research, she also discovers hidden history within her own family. Both parts are equally engaging, and full of surprises for both Hui and the reader. Learn more.
And the Birds Rained Down by Jocelyne Saucier
November 3 at 7:30pm
Tom and Charlie have decided to live out the remainder of their lives on their own terms, hidden away in a remote forest in northern Ontario, their only connection to the outside world a couple of pot growers who deliver whatever they can’t eke out for themselves. Their story is intertwined with a young photographer who is seeking stories from survivors of the catastrophic forest fires that swept Northern Ontario early in the century. A meditation on aging and self-determination, And the Birds Rained Down, originally published in French as Il pleuvait des oiseaux, was a 2015 Canada Reads nominee and the winner of the Prix des Cinq Continents de la Francophonie, the first Canadian title to win this honour. The book has since been adapted into a film. Learn more.
The Cold Millions by Jess Walter
December 1 at 7:30pm
A propulsive, richly entertaining novel about the adventure-seeking Dolan brothers, the enemies who threaten them, and the women who reveal to them an unjust world on the brink of upheaval. Set in Spokane, Washington at the beginning of the 20th century, this novel offers a stunning, kaleidoscopic portrait of a nation grappling with the chasm between rich and poor, between harsh realities and simple dreams. Featuring an unforgettable cast of cops and tramps, suffragists and socialists, madams and murderers. Learn more.
How to Pronounce Knife by Souvankham Thammavongsa
February 2 at 7:30pm
The stories that make up How to Pronounce Knife focus on characters struggling to find their bearings in unfamiliar territory, or shuttling between idioms, cultures, and values. Thammavongsa is a master at homing in on pivotal moments - moments of exposure, dislocation, and messy feeling that push us right up against the limits of language. Winner of the Scotiabank Giller Prize (2020) and the National Book Critics Circle Award Nominee for Fiction (2020). Learn more.
This One Looks Like a Boy: My Gender Journey to Life As a Man by Lorimer Shenher
March 2 at 7:30pm
Local author Lorimer Shenher candidly discusses his late-in-life journey of transitioning from female to male. In this memoir, he recounts his childhood in Alberta where he excelled at sports but struggled with his gender identity, his move to Vancouver to join the VPD, and his experiences as the first detective assigned to the case of serial killer Robert Pickton. Shenher’s writing is thoughtful, plain-spoken, and draws the reader in. Learn more.
Petra by Shaena Lambert
April 6 at 7:30pm
Inspired by Petra Kelly, the original Green Party leader and political activist who fought for the planet in 1980s Germany, Canadian author Shaena Lambert brings us a captivating new novel about a woman who changed history and transformed environmental politics. Petra is an exploration of love, jealousy, and the power of social change. A woman capable of founding a new and world-changing politics and taking on two superpowers, Petra still must grapple with her own complex nature and a singular and fatal love. Learn more.
Indians on Vacation by Thomas King
May 4 at 7:30pm
Inspired by a handful of old postcards sent by Uncle Leroy nearly a hundred years earlier, Bird and Mimi attempt to trace Mimi’s long-lost uncle and the family medicine bundle he took with him to Europe. By turns witty, sly and poignant, this is the tale of one couple’s holiday trip to Europe, where their wanderings through its famous capitals reveal a complicated history, both personal and political. Learn more.
Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi
June 1 at 7:30pm
Gifty is a fifth-year candidate in neuroscience at Stanford School of Medicine studying reward-seeking behavior in mice and the neural circuits of depression and addiction. Her brother, Nana, was a gifted high school athlete who died of a heroin overdose after a knee injury left him hooked on OxyContin. Her withdrawn mother is living in her bed. Gifty is determined to discover the scientific basis for the suffering she sees all around her. But even as she turns to the hard sciences to unlock the mystery of her family's loss, she finds herself hungering for her childhood faith and grappling with the evangelical church in which she was raised, whose promise of salvation remains as tantalizing as it is elusive. Will Gifty find her answers in science or religion? Learn more.
Location:
Wednesday, November 3, 2021 - 7:30pm
Looking for a book club with a digital twist? Join us at Libby Book Club! We pick top reads from the Libby app by OverDrive and discuss them every month on Zoom.
Register online to receive meeting instructions and information in advance of the discussion. Join us every month, or just for the meetings you prefer. Copies of these titles are available as both eBooks and audiobooks in Libby. Contact info@nvdpl.ca if you need help getting a copy.
2021-2022 Schedule for Libby Book Club:
The Year of the Runaways by Sunjeev Sahota (September 9 at 10:30am)
The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery (October 7 at 10:30am)
The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee (November 4 at 10:30am)
The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery (December 2 at 10:30am)
The Year of Less by Cait Flanders (January 6 at 10:30am)
The Art Forger by B.A. Shapiro (February 3 at 10:30am)
The Center of Everything by Jamie Harrison (March 3 at 10:30am)
All Systems Red by Martha Wells (April 7 at 10:30am)
The Queen's Gambit by Walter Tevis (May 5 at 10:30am)
Everything Inside by Edwidge Danticaat (June 2 at 10:30am)
We're hosting this virtual program on Zoom. Register online to receive a link to join the meeting. What you'll need to attend: A computer with microphone (or headphones) and webcam, or your smartphone/tablet.
Location:
Thursday, November 4, 2021 - 10:30am to 11:30am
Not your average book club! Formerly known as the ARC Book Club, this is a club where we read Advance Reading Copies of soon-to-be-published books and share our reviews! We meet monthly to discuss our books with fellow bibliophiles.
Read & Review Teen Book Club is for grades 7-12. Note: this event takes place in person.
Registration required. Register online or email Jessie at hawkesj@nvdpl.ca for info.
Location:
Thursday, November 4, 2021 - 4:00pm to 5:00pm
Thank you for your interest in this program. Please note it is now full.
Kids! Get your hands on the newest book and read it first!
Advance Reading Copies are books that haven’t even been published yet. In this club, you will have the chance to read and review brand new books that haven’t even hit the shelves! You’ll get an exclusive sneak peek at unpublished books and choose one to take home and review. At each meeting, we’ll discuss the books we’ve read.
Books will be available for pick up at Lynn Valley, Capilano and Parkgate libraries.
For information, call Danielle at 604-984-0286, ext. 8184.
This meeting will take place on Zoom. What you’ll need: A computer with microphone (or headphones) and webcam for Zoom; or your smartphone/tablet. We will email you the Zoom link in advance of the event.
Location:
Thursday, November 4, 2021 - 4:00pm to 4:45pm
Have you read everything on your TBR (to-be-read) pile?! Do you love to read but never seem to have time for it? Get cozy, grab a book, and enjoy a night in!
Carve out some time for yourself, get into your comfy clothes, grab your favourite beverage, and settle in for a cozy night of reading in the comfort of your own home.
Contest alert! Connect with us on social media @nvdpl to show us what you’re reading when you Stay Home and Read! Each month we’re giving away a Stay Home and Read prize pack valued at $25!
To enter:
- Read at home on November 6.
- Follow NVDPL on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
- Post a picture to your preferred social media channel and tag the library to be entered into the draw.
Need suggestions on what to read next?
Try out Personal Picks! Tell us what you like to read and our expert staff will provide personalized picks, just for you. Get started at www.nvdpl.ca/takeout or email info@nvdpl.ca
Location:
Saturday, November 6, 2021 - 7:00pm
Do you love to talk about what you’re reading? Join a book club to share your thoughts and hear what others have to say about books that spark discussion, curiosity, and debate! Discover new “Books to Talk About” and join a community of booklovers at NVDPL. Simply read the book and join us at the meeting!
Register online for the time and location that’s most convenient for you to receive meeting instructions and information in advance of the discussion! Join us every month or just for the meetings you prefer. If you miss a meeting but still want to discuss the book, you can also join us at a different time or location. Click here to see all six Books to Talk About book clubs.
Copies of the next book will be available to pick-up from Lynn Valley Library. All books are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Copies are also available in other formats, such as print, ebook, audiobooks, and more. Ask staff to help you find a copy!
2021-2022 Schedule for the Lynn Valley Wednesday Afternoon Book Club:
The Cold Millions by Jess Walter
October 13 at 2:30pm
A propulsive, richly entertaining novel about the adventure-seeking Dolan brothers, the enemies who threaten them, and the women who reveal to them an unjust world on the brink of upheaval. Set in Spokane, Washington at the beginning of the 20th century, this novel offers a stunning, kaleidoscopic portrait of a nation grappling with the chasm between rich and poor, between harsh realities and simple dreams. Featuring an unforgettable cast of cops and tramps, suffragists and socialists, madams and murderers. Learn more.
How to Pronounce Knife by Souvankham Thammavongsa
November 10 at 2:30pm
The stories that make up How to Pronounce Knife focus on characters struggling to find their bearings in unfamiliar territory, or shuttling between idioms, cultures, and values. Thammavongsa is a master at homing in on pivotal moments - moments of exposure, dislocation, and messy feeling that push us right up against the limits of language. Winner of the Scotiabank Giller Prize (2020) and the National Book Critics Circle Award Nominee for Fiction (2020). Learn more.
This One Looks Like a Boy: My Gender Journey to Life As a Man by Lorimer Shenher
January 12 at 2:30pm
Local author Lorimer Shenher candidly discusses his late-in-life journey of transitioning from female to male. In this memoir, he recounts his childhood in Alberta where he excelled at sports but struggled with his gender identity, his move to Vancouver to join the VPD, and his experiences as the first detective assigned to the case of serial killer Robert Pickton. Shenher’s writing is thoughtful, plain-spoken, and draws the reader in. Learn more.
Petra by Shaena Lambert
February 9 at 2:30pm
Inspired by Petra Kelly, the original Green Party leader and political activist who fought for the planet in 1980s Germany, Canadian author Shaena Lambert brings us a captivating new novel about a woman who changed history and transformed environmental politics. Petra is an exploration of love, jealousy, and the power of social change. A woman capable of founding a new and world-changing politics and taking on two superpowers, Petra still must grapple with her own complex nature and a singular and fatal love. Learn more.
Indians on Vacation by Thomas King
March 9 at 2:30pm
Inspired by a handful of old postcards sent by Uncle Leroy nearly a hundred years earlier, Bird and Mimi attempt to trace Mimi’s long-lost uncle and the family medicine bundle he took with him to Europe. By turns witty, sly and poignant, this is the tale of one couple’s holiday trip to Europe, where their wanderings through its famous capitals reveal a complicated history, both personal and political. Learn more.
Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi
April 13 at 2:30pm
Gifty is a fifth-year candidate in neuroscience at Stanford School of Medicine studying reward-seeking behavior in mice and the neural circuits of depression and addiction. Her brother, Nana, was a gifted high school athlete who died of a heroin overdose after a knee injury left him hooked on OxyContin. Her withdrawn mother is living in her bed. Gifty is determined to discover the scientific basis for the suffering she sees all around her. But even as she turns to the hard sciences to unlock the mystery of her family's loss, she finds herself hungering for her childhood faith and grappling with the evangelical church in which she was raised, whose promise of salvation remains as tantalizing as it is elusive. Will Gifty find her answers in science or religion? Learn more.
Chop Suey Nation by Ann Hui
May 11 at 2:30pm
In this non-fiction book, Vancouver-born Globe and Mail journalist Ann Hui undertakes a road trip from Vancouver Island to Newfoundland in an attempt to discover the origin and enduring popularity of Canadian "chop suey" style Chinese restaurants that seem to exist in every city and even in most tiny towns. During her research, she also discovers hidden history within her own family. Both parts are equally engaging, and full of surprises for both Hui and the reader. Learn more.
And the Birds Rained Down by Jocelyne Saucier
June 8 at 2:30pm
Tom and Charlie have decided to live out the remainder of their lives on their own terms, hidden away in a remote forest in northern Ontario, their only connection to the outside world a couple of pot growers who deliver whatever they can’t eke out for themselves. Their story is intertwined with a young photographer who is seeking stories from survivors of the catastrophic forest fires that swept Northern Ontario early in the century. A meditation on aging and self-determination, And the Birds Rained Down, originally published in French as Il pleuvait des oiseaux, was a 2015 Canada Reads nominee and the winner of the Prix des Cinq Continents de la Francophonie, the first Canadian title to win this honour. The book has since been adapted into a film. Learn more.
Location:
Wednesday, November 10, 2021 - 2:30pm
Rainbow Reads is a monthly book club where we read YA books featuring LGBTQIA+ characters.
Our selections will be from various genres and will cover a range of topics, including coming out, aligning cultural expectations with queerness, family relationships, queer joy, and romance! Come to our book club to relax, snack & discuss great books among friends.
Rainbow Reads is for teens grades 8-12. Note: this event takes place in person.
Registration required. Register online or email Jessie at hawkesj@nvdpl.ca for info.
Location:
Wednesday, November 10, 2021 - 4:00pm to 5:00pm
Do you love to talk about what you’re reading? Join a book club to share your thoughts and hear what others have to say about books that spark discussion, curiosity, and debate! Discover new “Books to Talk About” and join a community of booklovers at NVDPL. Simply read the book and join us at the meeting!
Register online for the time and location that’s most convenient for you to receive meeting instructions and information in advance of the discussion! Join us every month or just for the meetings you prefer. If you miss a meeting but still want to discuss the book, you can also join us at a different time or location. Click here to see all six Books to Talk About book clubs.
Copies of the next book will be available to pick-up from Lynn Valley Library. All books are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Copies are also available in other formats, such as print, ebook, audiobooks, and more. Ask staff to help you find a copy!
2021-2022 Schedule for the Lynn Valley Thursday Evening Book Club:
Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi
October 14 at 7:30pm
Gifty is a fifth-year candidate in neuroscience at Stanford School of Medicine studying reward-seeking behavior in mice and the neural circuits of depression and addiction. Her brother, Nana, was a gifted high school athlete who died of a heroin overdose after a knee injury left him hooked on OxyContin. Her withdrawn mother is living in her bed. Gifty is determined to discover the scientific basis for the suffering she sees all around her. But even as she turns to the hard sciences to unlock the mystery of her family's loss, she finds herself hungering for her childhood faith and grappling with the evangelical church in which she was raised, whose promise of salvation remains as tantalizing as it is elusive. Will Gifty find her answers in science or religion? Learn more.
Chop Suey Nation by Ann Hui
November 18 at 7:30pm
In this non-fiction book, Vancouver-born Globe and Mail journalist Ann Hui undertakes a road trip from Vancouver Island to Newfoundland in an attempt to discover the origin and enduring popularity of Canadian "chop suey" style Chinese restaurants that seem to exist in every city and even in most tiny towns. During her research, she also discovers hidden history within her own family. Both parts are equally engaging, and full of surprises for both Hui and the reader. Learn more.
And the Birds Rained Down by Jocelyne Saucier
January 13 at 7:30pm
Tom and Charlie have decided to live out the remainder of their lives on their own terms, hidden away in a remote forest in northern Ontario, their only connection to the outside world a couple of pot growers who deliver whatever they can’t eke out for themselves. Their story is intertwined with a young photographer who is seeking stories from survivors of the catastrophic forest fires that swept Northern Ontario early in the century. A meditation on aging and self-determination, And the Birds Rained Down, originally published in French as Il pleuvait des oiseaux, was a 2015 Canada Reads nominee and the winner of the Prix des Cinq Continents de la Francophonie, the first Canadian title to win this honour. The book has since been adapted into a film. Learn more.
The Cold Millions by Jess Walter
February 10 at 7:30pm
A propulsive, richly entertaining novel about the adventure-seeking Dolan brothers, the enemies who threaten them, and the women who reveal to them an unjust world on the brink of upheaval. Set in Spokane, Washington at the beginning of the 20th century, this novel offers a stunning, kaleidoscopic portrait of a nation grappling with the chasm between rich and poor, between harsh realities and simple dreams. Featuring an unforgettable cast of cops and tramps, suffragists and socialists, madams and murderers. Learn more.
How to Pronounce Knife by Souvankham Thammavongsa
March 10 at 7:30pm
The stories that make up How to Pronounce Knife focus on characters struggling to find their bearings in unfamiliar territory, or shuttling between idioms, cultures, and values. Thammavongsa is a master at homing in on pivotal moments - moments of exposure, dislocation, and messy feeling that push us right up against the limits of language. Winner of the Scotiabank Giller Prize (2020) and the National Book Critics Circle Award Nominee for Fiction (2020). Learn more.
This One Looks Like a Boy: My Gender Journey to Life As a Man by Lorimer Shenher
April 14 at 7:30pm
Local author Lorimer Shenher candidly discusses his late-in-life journey of transitioning from female to male. In this memoir, he recounts his childhood in Alberta where he excelled at sports but struggled with his gender identity, his move to Vancouver to join the VPD, and his experiences as the first detective assigned to the case of serial killer Robert Pickton. Shenher’s writing is thoughtful, plain-spoken, and draws the reader in. Learn more.
Petra by Shaena Lambert
May 12 at 7:30pm
Inspired by Petra Kelly, the original Green Party leader and political activist who fought for the planet in 1980s Germany, Canadian author Shaena Lambert brings us a captivating new novel about a woman who changed history and transformed environmental politics. Petra is an exploration of love, jealousy, and the power of social change. A woman capable of founding a new and world-changing politics and taking on two superpowers, Petra still must grapple with her own complex nature and a singular and fatal love. Learn more.
Indians on Vacation by Thomas King
June 9 at 7:30pm
Inspired by a handful of old postcards sent by Uncle Leroy nearly a hundred years earlier, Bird and Mimi attempt to trace Mimi’s long-lost uncle and the family medicine bundle he took with him to Europe. By turns witty, sly and poignant, this is the tale of one couple’s holiday trip to Europe, where their wanderings through its famous capitals reveal a complicated history, both personal and political. Learn more.
Location:
Thursday, November 11, 2021 - 7:30pm
Do you love to talk about what you’re reading? Join a book club to share your thoughts and hear what others have to say about books that spark discussion, curiosity, and debate! Discover new “Books to Talk About” and join a community of booklovers at NVDPL. Simply read the book and join us at the meeting!
Register online for the time and location that’s most convenient for you to receive meeting instructions and information in advance of the discussion! Join us every month or just for the meetings you prefer. If you miss a meeting but still want to discuss the book, you can also join us at a different time or location. Click here to see all six Books to Talk About book clubs.
Copies of the next book will be available to pick-up from Capilano Library. All books are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Copies are also available in other formats, such as print, ebook, audiobooks, and more. Ask staff to help you find a copy!
2021-2022 Schedule for the Capilano Thursday Afternoon Book Club:
Petra by Shaena Lambert
September 16 at 2:00pm (Online via Zoom)
Inspired by Petra Kelly, the original Green Party leader and political activist who fought for the planet in 1980s Germany, Canadian author Shaena Lambert brings us a captivating new novel about a woman who changed history and transformed environmental politics. Petra is an exploration of love, jealousy, and the power of social change. A woman capable of founding a new and world-changing politics and taking on two superpowers, Petra still must grapple with her own complex nature and a singular and fatal love. Learn more.
Indians on Vacation by Thomas King
October 21 at 2:00pm (Online via Zoom)
Inspired by a handful of old postcards sent by Uncle Leroy nearly a hundred years earlier, Bird and Mimi attempt to trace Mimi’s long-lost uncle and the family medicine bundle he took with him to Europe. By turns witty, sly and poignant, this is the tale of one couple’s holiday trip to Europe, where their wanderings through its famous capitals reveal a complicated history, both personal and political. Learn more.
Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi
November 18 at 2:00pm (In Person & Online via Zoom)
Gifty is a fifth-year candidate in neuroscience at Stanford School of Medicine studying reward-seeking behavior in mice and the neural circuits of depression and addiction. Her brother, Nana, was a gifted high school athlete who died of a heroin overdose after a knee injury left him hooked on OxyContin. Her withdrawn mother is living in her bed. Gifty is determined to discover the scientific basis for the suffering she sees all around her. But even as she turns to the hard sciences to unlock the mystery of her family's loss, she finds herself hungering for her childhood faith and grappling with the evangelical church in which she was raised, whose promise of salvation remains as tantalizing as it is elusive. Will Gifty find her answers in science or religion? Learn more.
Chop Suey Nation by Ann Hui
January 20 at 2:00pm
In this non-fiction book, Vancouver-born Globe and Mail journalist Ann Hui undertakes a road trip from Vancouver Island to Newfoundland in an attempt to discover the origin and enduring popularity of Canadian "chop suey" style Chinese restaurants that seem to exist in every city and even in most tiny towns. During her research, she also discovers hidden history within her own family. Both parts are equally engaging, and full of surprises for both Hui and the reader. Learn more.
And the Birds Rained Down by Jocelyne Saucier
February 17 at 2:00pm
Tom and Charlie have decided to live out the remainder of their lives on their own terms, hidden away in a remote forest in northern Ontario, their only connection to the outside world a couple of pot growers who deliver whatever they can’t eke out for themselves. Their story is intertwined with a young photographer who is seeking stories from survivors of the catastrophic forest fires that swept Northern Ontario early in the century. A meditation on aging and self-determination, And the Birds Rained Down, originally published in French as Il pleuvait des oiseaux, was a 2015 Canada Reads nominee and the winner of the Prix des Cinq Continents de la Francophonie, the first Canadian title to win this honour. The book has since been adapted into a film. Learn more.
The Cold Millions by Jess Walter
March 17 at 2:00pm
A propulsive, richly entertaining novel about the adventure-seeking Dolan brothers, the enemies who threaten them, and the women who reveal to them an unjust world on the brink of upheaval. Set in Spokane, Washington at the beginning of the 20th century, this novel offers a stunning, kaleidoscopic portrait of a nation grappling with the chasm between rich and poor, between harsh realities and simple dreams. Featuring an unforgettable cast of cops and tramps, suffragists and socialists, madams and murderers. Learn more.
How to Pronounce Knife by Souvankham Thammavongsa
April 21 at 2:00pm
The stories that make up How to Pronounce Knife focus on characters struggling to find their bearings in unfamiliar territory, or shuttling between idioms, cultures, and values. Thammavongsa is a master at homing in on pivotal moments - moments of exposure, dislocation, and messy feeling that push us right up against the limits of language. Winner of the Scotiabank Giller Prize (2020) and the National Book Critics Circle Award Nominee for Fiction (2020). Learn more.
This One Looks Like a Boy: My Gender Journey to Life As a Man by Lorimer Shenher
May 19 at 2:00pm
Local author Lorimer Shenher candidly discusses his late-in-life journey of transitioning from female to male. In this memoir, he recounts his childhood in Alberta where he excelled at sports but struggled with his gender identity, his move to Vancouver to join the VPD, and his experiences as the first detective assigned to the case of serial killer Robert Pickton. Shenher’s writing is thoughtful, plain-spoken, and draws the reader in. Learn more.
Location:
Thursday, November 18, 2021 - 2:00pm
Are you in Grade 3 and would like to join a Book Club?
If your answer is yes, then Super Kids Book Club is for you! If you're not in Grade 3 and would like to join the 30 minute book discussion, you are welcome to join other Super Kids.
Book titles and dates:
August 19 - The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary
Septenmber 16 - A Boy called Bat by Elana Arnold
October 21 - El Deafo (graphic novel) by Cece Bell
November 18 - The World according to Humphrey by Betty G. Birney
Register for individual dates you wish to join a book discussion and you'll receive a Zoom link 2 to 3 days before the event.
We're hosting this virtual program on Zoom. What you'll need to attend: A computer with microphone (or headphones) and webcam, or your smartphone/tablet.
Registration required. Register online or call 604-929-3727, ext. 8166 to register.
Location:
Thursday, November 18, 2021 - 4:00pm to 4:30pm
Do you love to talk about what you’re reading? Join a book club to share your thoughts and hear what others have to say about books that spark discussion, curiosity, and debate! Discover new “Books to Talk About” and join a community of booklovers at NVDPL. Simply read the book and join us at the meeting!
Register online for the time and location that’s most convenient for you to receive meeting instructions and information in advance of the discussion! Join us every month or just for the meetings you prefer. If you miss a meeting but still want to discuss the book, you can also join us at a different time or location. Click here to see all six Books to Talk About book clubs.
Copies of the next book will be available to pick-up from Capilano Library. All books are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Copies are also available in other formats, such as print, ebook, audiobooks, and more. Ask staff to help you find a copy!
2021-2022 Schedule for the Capilano Tuesday Evening Book Club:
This One Looks Like a Boy: My Gender Journey to Life As a Man by Lorimer Shenher
September 28 at 7:30pm (Online via Zoom)
Local author Lorimer Shenher candidly discusses his late-in-life journey of transitioning from female to male. In this memoir, he recounts his childhood in Alberta where he excelled at sports but struggled with his gender identity, his move to Vancouver to join the VPD, and his experiences as the first detective assigned to the case of serial killer Robert Pickton. Shenher’s writing is thoughtful, plain-spoken, and draws the reader in. Learn more.
Petra by Shaena Lambert
October 26 at 7:30pm (Online via Zoom)
Inspired by Petra Kelly, the original Green Party leader and political activist who fought for the planet in 1980s Germany, Canadian author Shaena Lambert brings us a captivating new novel about a woman who changed history and transformed environmental politics. Petra is an exploration of love, jealousy, and the power of social change. A woman capable of founding a new and world-changing politics and taking on two superpowers, Petra still must grapple with her own complex nature and a singular and fatal love. Learn more.
Indians on Vacation by Thomas King
November 23 at 7:30pm (Online via Zoom)
Inspired by a handful of old postcards sent by Uncle Leroy nearly a hundred years earlier, Bird and Mimi attempt to trace Mimi’s long-lost uncle and the family medicine bundle he took with him to Europe. By turns witty, sly and poignant, this is the tale of one couple’s holiday trip to Europe, where their wanderings through its famous capitals reveal a complicated history, both personal and political. Learn more.
Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi
January 25 at 7:30pm
Gifty is a fifth-year candidate in neuroscience at Stanford School of Medicine studying reward-seeking behavior in mice and the neural circuits of depression and addiction. Her brother, Nana, was a gifted high school athlete who died of a heroin overdose after a knee injury left him hooked on OxyContin. Her withdrawn mother is living in her bed. Gifty is determined to discover the scientific basis for the suffering she sees all around her. But even as she turns to the hard sciences to unlock the mystery of her family's loss, she finds herself hungering for her childhood faith and grappling with the evangelical church in which she was raised, whose promise of salvation remains as tantalizing as it is elusive. Will Gifty find her answers in science or religion? Learn more.
Chop Suey Nation by Ann Hui
February 22 at 7:30pm
In this non-fiction book, Vancouver-born Globe and Mail journalist Ann Hui undertakes a road trip from Vancouver Island to Newfoundland in an attempt to discover the origin and enduring popularity of Canadian "chop suey" style Chinese restaurants that seem to exist in every city and even in most tiny towns. During her research, she also discovers hidden history within her own family. Both parts are equally engaging, and full of surprises for both Hui and the reader. Learn more.
And the Birds Rained Down by Jocelyne Saucier
March 22 at 7:30pm
Tom and Charlie have decided to live out the remainder of their lives on their own terms, hidden away in a remote forest in northern Ontario, their only connection to the outside world a couple of pot growers who deliver whatever they can’t eke out for themselves. Their story is intertwined with a young photographer who is seeking stories from survivors of the catastrophic forest fires that swept Northern Ontario early in the century. A meditation on aging and self-determination, And the Birds Rained Down, originally published in French as Il pleuvait des oiseaux, was a 2015 Canada Reads nominee and the winner of the Prix des Cinq Continents de la Francophonie, the first Canadian title to win this honour. The book has since been adapted into a film. Learn more.
The Cold Millions by Jess Walter
April 26 at 7:30pm
A propulsive, richly entertaining novel about the adventure-seeking Dolan brothers, the enemies who threaten them, and the women who reveal to them an unjust world on the brink of upheaval. Set in Spokane, Washington at the beginning of the 20th century, this novel offers a stunning, kaleidoscopic portrait of a nation grappling with the chasm between rich and poor, between harsh realities and simple dreams. Featuring an unforgettable cast of cops and tramps, suffragists and socialists, madams and murderers. Learn more.
How to Pronounce Knife by Souvankham Thammavongsa
May 24 at 7:30pm
The stories that make up How to Pronounce Knife focus on characters struggling to find their bearings in unfamiliar territory, or shuttling between idioms, cultures, and values. Thammavongsa is a master at homing in on pivotal moments - moments of exposure, dislocation, and messy feeling that push us right up against the limits of language. Winner of the Scotiabank Giller Prize (2020) and the National Book Critics Circle Award Nominee for Fiction (2020). Learn more.
Location:
Tuesday, November 23, 2021 - 7:30pm
Are you a book-loving teen who wants to get volunteer hours for improving the library?
Then the Teen Advisory Group is for you! We are a council of enthusiastic, kind teens who meet monthly to make the library a better place. The TAG tackles everything from décor and displays to offering insight on teen collections and library policies. Plus, there’s food!
TAG is for humans grades 8-12. Note: this event takes place in person.
Registration required. Register online or email Jessie at hawkesj@nvdpl.ca for info.
Location:
Wednesday, November 24, 2021 - 6:00pm to 7:00pm
Do you love to talk about what you’re reading? Join a book club to share your thoughts and hear what others have to say about books that spark discussion, curiosity, and debate! Discover new “Books to Talk About” and join a community of booklovers at NVDPL. Simply read the book and join us at the meeting!
Register online for the time and location that’s most convenient for you to receive meeting instructions and information in advance of the discussion! Join us every month or just for the meetings you prefer. If you miss a meeting but still want to discuss the book, you can also join us at a different time or location. Click here to see all six Books to Talk About book clubs.
Copies of the next book will be available to pick-up from Parkgate Library. All books are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Copies are also available in other formats, such as print, ebook, audiobooks, and more. Ask staff to help you find a copy!
2021-2022 Schedule for the Parkgate Wednesday Evening Book Club:
Chop Suey Nation by Ann Hui
October 6 at 7:30pm
In this non-fiction book, Vancouver-born Globe and Mail journalist Ann Hui undertakes a road trip from Vancouver Island to Newfoundland in an attempt to discover the origin and enduring popularity of Canadian "chop suey" style Chinese restaurants that seem to exist in every city and even in most tiny towns. During her research, she also discovers hidden history within her own family. Both parts are equally engaging, and full of surprises for both Hui and the reader. Learn more.
And the Birds Rained Down by Jocelyne Saucier
November 3 at 7:30pm
Tom and Charlie have decided to live out the remainder of their lives on their own terms, hidden away in a remote forest in northern Ontario, their only connection to the outside world a couple of pot growers who deliver whatever they can’t eke out for themselves. Their story is intertwined with a young photographer who is seeking stories from survivors of the catastrophic forest fires that swept Northern Ontario early in the century. A meditation on aging and self-determination, And the Birds Rained Down, originally published in French as Il pleuvait des oiseaux, was a 2015 Canada Reads nominee and the winner of the Prix des Cinq Continents de la Francophonie, the first Canadian title to win this honour. The book has since been adapted into a film. Learn more.
The Cold Millions by Jess Walter
December 1 at 7:30pm
A propulsive, richly entertaining novel about the adventure-seeking Dolan brothers, the enemies who threaten them, and the women who reveal to them an unjust world on the brink of upheaval. Set in Spokane, Washington at the beginning of the 20th century, this novel offers a stunning, kaleidoscopic portrait of a nation grappling with the chasm between rich and poor, between harsh realities and simple dreams. Featuring an unforgettable cast of cops and tramps, suffragists and socialists, madams and murderers. Learn more.
How to Pronounce Knife by Souvankham Thammavongsa
February 2 at 7:30pm
The stories that make up How to Pronounce Knife focus on characters struggling to find their bearings in unfamiliar territory, or shuttling between idioms, cultures, and values. Thammavongsa is a master at homing in on pivotal moments - moments of exposure, dislocation, and messy feeling that push us right up against the limits of language. Winner of the Scotiabank Giller Prize (2020) and the National Book Critics Circle Award Nominee for Fiction (2020). Learn more.
This One Looks Like a Boy: My Gender Journey to Life As a Man by Lorimer Shenher
March 2 at 7:30pm
Local author Lorimer Shenher candidly discusses his late-in-life journey of transitioning from female to male. In this memoir, he recounts his childhood in Alberta where he excelled at sports but struggled with his gender identity, his move to Vancouver to join the VPD, and his experiences as the first detective assigned to the case of serial killer Robert Pickton. Shenher’s writing is thoughtful, plain-spoken, and draws the reader in. Learn more.
Petra by Shaena Lambert
April 6 at 7:30pm
Inspired by Petra Kelly, the original Green Party leader and political activist who fought for the planet in 1980s Germany, Canadian author Shaena Lambert brings us a captivating new novel about a woman who changed history and transformed environmental politics. Petra is an exploration of love, jealousy, and the power of social change. A woman capable of founding a new and world-changing politics and taking on two superpowers, Petra still must grapple with her own complex nature and a singular and fatal love. Learn more.
Indians on Vacation by Thomas King
May 4 at 7:30pm
Inspired by a handful of old postcards sent by Uncle Leroy nearly a hundred years earlier, Bird and Mimi attempt to trace Mimi’s long-lost uncle and the family medicine bundle he took with him to Europe. By turns witty, sly and poignant, this is the tale of one couple’s holiday trip to Europe, where their wanderings through its famous capitals reveal a complicated history, both personal and political. Learn more.
Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi
June 1 at 7:30pm
Gifty is a fifth-year candidate in neuroscience at Stanford School of Medicine studying reward-seeking behavior in mice and the neural circuits of depression and addiction. Her brother, Nana, was a gifted high school athlete who died of a heroin overdose after a knee injury left him hooked on OxyContin. Her withdrawn mother is living in her bed. Gifty is determined to discover the scientific basis for the suffering she sees all around her. But even as she turns to the hard sciences to unlock the mystery of her family's loss, she finds herself hungering for her childhood faith and grappling with the evangelical church in which she was raised, whose promise of salvation remains as tantalizing as it is elusive. Will Gifty find her answers in science or religion? Learn more.
Location:
Wednesday, December 1, 2021 - 7:30pm
Looking for a book club with a digital twist? Join us at Libby Book Club! We pick top reads from the Libby app by OverDrive and discuss them every month on Zoom.
Register online to receive meeting instructions and information in advance of the discussion. Join us every month, or just for the meetings you prefer. Copies of these titles are available as both eBooks and audiobooks in Libby. Contact info@nvdpl.ca if you need help getting a copy.
2021-2022 Schedule for Libby Book Club:
The Year of the Runaways by Sunjeev Sahota (September 9 at 10:30am)
The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery (October 7 at 10:30am)
The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee (November 4 at 10:30am)
The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery (December 2 at 10:30am)
The Year of Less by Cait Flanders (January 6 at 10:30am)
The Art Forger by B.A. Shapiro (February 3 at 10:30am)
The Center of Everything by Jamie Harrison (March 3 at 10:30am)
All Systems Red by Martha Wells (April 7 at 10:30am)
The Queen's Gambit by Walter Tevis (May 5 at 10:30am)
Everything Inside by Edwidge Danticaat (June 2 at 10:30am)
We're hosting this virtual program on Zoom. Register online to receive a link to join the meeting. What you'll need to attend: A computer with microphone (or headphones) and webcam, or your smartphone/tablet.
Location:
Thursday, December 2, 2021 - 10:30am to 11:30am
Not your average book club! Formerly known as the ARC Book Club, this is a club where we read Advance Reading Copies of soon-to-be-published books and share our reviews! We meet monthly to discuss our books with fellow bibliophiles.
Read & Review Teen Book Club is for grades 7-12. Note: this event takes place in person.
Registration required. Register online or email Jessie at hawkesj@nvdpl.ca for info.
Location:
Thursday, December 2, 2021 - 4:00pm to 5:00pm
Thank you for your interest in this program. Please note it is now full.
Kids! Get your hands on the newest book and read it first!
Advance Reading Copies are books that haven’t even been published yet. In this club, you will have the chance to read and review brand new books that haven’t even hit the shelves! You’ll get an exclusive sneak peek at unpublished books and choose one to take home and review. At each meeting, we’ll discuss the books we’ve read.
Books will be available for pick up at Lynn Valley, Capilano and Parkgate libraries.
For information, call Danielle at 604-984-0286, ext. 8184.
This meeting will take place on Zoom. What you’ll need: A computer with microphone (or headphones) and webcam for Zoom; or your smartphone/tablet. We will email you the Zoom link in advance of the event.
Location:
Thursday, December 2, 2021 - 4:00pm to 4:45pm
