Southern Gables Book Club Selection for January

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The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead

When Elwood Curtis, a black boy growing up in 1960s Tallahassee, is unfairly sentenced to a juvenile reformatory called the Nickel Academy, he finds himself trapped in a grotesque chamber of horrors. Elwood’s only salvation is his friendship with fellow “delinquent” Turner, which deepens despite Turner’s conviction that Elwood is hopelessly naive, that the world is crooked, and that the only way to survive is to scheme and avoid trouble. As life at the Academy becomes ever more perilous, the tension between Elwood’s ideals and Turner’s skepticism leads to a decision whose repercussions will echo down the decades.

Based on the real story of a reform school that operated for one hundred and eleven years and warped the lives of thousands of children, The Nickel Boys is a devastating, driven narrative that showcases a great American novelist writing at the height of his powers.

— from the publisher

Wednesday, January 14 – Southern Gables Book Club

The Book Club meets every other month on the second Wednesday, with rotating hosts. The book for January 14 is The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead. Get the book soon, and start reading so you can join the discussion!

Call or text Carolyn Wolfrum at 303-915-5503 to find out the location of the January meeting and get on her email list for future Book Club meetings.

Future selections

March 11 – Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell, 2008. Nonfiction – Sociology/psychology. Good for debate: privilege vs merit
May 13 – City of Thieves by David Benioff, 2009. Historical Fiction. Great mix of tension & levity; moral questions under duress; engaging adventure.

We hope to see you at the January discussion! You can call or text Carolyn Wolfrum at 303-915-5503 to reserve your spot.

Bookshelf photo at top of article by Christin Hume on Unsplash