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Book Clubs (Adult)
Book Clubs (Adult)
Beans 'n' Books
"The oldest books are still only just out to those who have not read them."
Samuel Butler, novelist & satirical author, 1835-1902
Sit 'n' sip while our staff talk about their favourite books and authors. Each month we explore a different theme.
Registration is required; call the library branch hosting the event to pre-register. For programs at Central Library, please call 905.639.3611 ext. 1321.
Locations: Centennial Hall, Central library.
2013 Themes and Titles: Complete List
2012 Themes and Titles: Complete List
BYOB
“No two persons ever read the same book." — Edmund Wilson
Want to join a book club but can’t commit to monthly meetings?
Join other book lovers for a one-time guided discussion around the season’s chosen novel. Read the book come prepared to talk about it. Discussion guides will be posted to the website, and/or will be handed out at registration. Copies of the book will not be provided—bring your own book!
This season we are reading:
In One Person by John Irving.
A compelling novel of desire, secrecy, and sexual identity, 'In One Person' is a story of unfulfilled love—tormented, funny, and affecting—and an impassioned embrace of our sexual differences. Billy, the bisexual narrator and main character of 'In One Person', tells the tragicomic story (lasting more than half a century) of his life as a “sexual suspect,” a phrase first used by John Irving in 1978 in his landmark novel of “terminal cases,” 'The World According to Garp'.
His most political novel since 'The Cider House Rules' and 'A Prayer for Owen Meany', John Irving’s 'In One Person' is a poignant tribute to Billy’s friends and lovers—a theatrical cast of characters who defy category and convention. Not least, 'In One Person' is an intimate and unforgettable portrait of the solitariness of a bisexual man who is dedicated to making himself “worthwhile.” -- Adapted from the publisher's website.
“This searching, deeply affecting novel… reaffirms the centrality of Irving as the voice of social justice and compassion in contemporary American literature. His work has been indispensible over the past four decades, and it will prove more important, more urgently resonant and more prescient, in the decades to come.” —The Globe and Mail
Book Club Kits
We believe that sharing a great book doubles your reading pleasure! We have selected a variety of excellent literary selections that are certain to generate plenty of discussion. Each kit contains twelve books and a book club discussion guide. Use the library catalogue to reserve a kit for your book club today.
View available Book Club Kits to get started!
FAQ
Q. May I use my regular library card to get a Book Club Kit?
A. Book Club Kits require a special card; regular library cards may not be used to place holds on Book Club Kits or to check-out kits.
Q. How do we get our Book Club Kit card?
A. We request that each participating book club choose a representative that agrees to take responsibility for the Book Club Kit on behalf of their group. To get a Book Club Kit card, the club rep will need to visit any Burlington Public Library location with their existing library card and personal identification. Library staff will set up a Book Club Kit card. Please let us know if your book club representative changes.
Q. How many Book Club Kits may be borrowed at a time?
A. You may have up to 2 Book Club Kits on your card at one time.
Q. Where can I pick up a Book Club Kit?
A. Book Club Kits are located on the 3rd floor of the Burlington Central Library. Book Club Kits must be checked out as a complete set.
Q. Can I place a hold on Book Club Kits?
A. You can place a hold on up to 2 kits at a time. Book Club Kits can be sent to your preferred Burlington Public Library location for pick-up.
Q. How long can I keep a Book Club Kit?
A. The loan period for a kit is 6 weeks. Book Club Kits may not be renewed.
Q. Can a Book Club Kit be held for a specific meeting?
A. Due to number of interested book clubs, we cannot take advanced bookings for these kits. Kits are available on a first-come-first-served basis.
Q. Can Book Club Kits be returned in a bookdrop?
A. We regret any inconvenience to you, but we require that you return Book Club Kits to the Check-In Desk at any Burlington Public Library location during open hours. Overdue fines are $1/day per kit, maximum $10.
Q. I can’t remember what was in my Book Club Kit, how do I know what to check for before returning it?
A. The kit's content is listed on a label affixed to the Book Club Kit bag.
Q. Can Book Club members return their own books to the library?
A. The representative who borrows the bag is responsible for returning a complete Book Club Kit.
Q. What if a book is lost?
A. The library will bill your Book Club for any lost or damaged Book Club Kit items.
Q. Does my local library have space for my Book Club to meet?
A. To find out about renting a room at any Burlington Public Library location, please call 905.639.3611, ext 1110.
One Book One Burlington
What if all of Burlington read the same book?
One Book One Burlington
The One Book pick for 2013 is still a mystery!
Come to The Big Reveal
Wednesday, June 19 @ 7pm
Everyone is invited to the Central Park Bandshell (beside Central Library) during the Concert in the Park to find out the answer to Burlington's biggest mystery! Find out whodunwroteit—and be one of the first to read this year's selection (bring your library card - limited Express copies will be available to borrow).
Thank you
Many thanks to our 2013 Community Selection Committee for their enthusiasm and generous donation of time ~ we couldn't do it without you!
- 2012 - The Beauty of Humanity Movement by Camilla Gibb
- 2011 - The Nine Lives of Charlotte Taylor by Sally Armstrong
Online Book Club
Sign up for one or more of the eleven online book clubs available through Burlington Public Library and begin receiving daily excerpts from a different book each week.
Each day we’ll send you a 5-minute excerpt and by the end of the week, you’ll have read 2-3 chapters! New books are featured each week--starting Monday.
Categories include:
Fiction
Our Fiction Book Club features a variety of fiction books. One week you might read a pre-release copy of a Tom Clancy book and the next week a mystery by a first time author. You’ll be amazed at what you discover in this club.
Mystery
Don't miss a single clue. Each week we'll feature a new and exciting mystery book by famous and not-yet-famous authors. You’ll be amazed at what you’ll discover in this book club.
Romance
Candlelight... newfound passion... walks in the rain... a broken heart... rekindled romance... and of course, love-you'll find these and many more tender ingredients in our weekly menu of Romance Books.
Good News
Good news! Enjoy our thought-provoking family-friendly daily selections that inspire, make joyful, occasionally sadden, relate to everyman, and cause one to reflect on our place in the cosmos. Join the club today.
Science Fiction
Imagination fantastic, wonder and otherworlds, time travel and space continuums-you'll find rich samples delivered direct every other week via yesterday's electronic fantasy medium (otherwise known today as email).
Thriller
Action and suspense stories that take you on high speed adventures in which tough, resourceful, but essentially ordinary heroes are pitted against villains determined to destroy them, their country, or the stability of the free world.
Pre-Publication
Be an “insider” in the publishing industry. Our Pre-Publication Club is your backstage pass to start reading books before they're published. Every other week you'll receive an advanced reading copy.
Classics
Revisit a literary classic every other month by joining the Classics Club.
Nonfiction
Our Nonfiction Book Club offers a wide variety of real life stories about people, places and things, with an occasional self-help book. If you prefer reading nonfiction, this is the club for you. Every week, you’ll discover a new book.
Business
Read well; stay sharp; sell smart; market bigger; service better. Glean fresh, new ideas through our weekly Business Book Club picks. Ideas you can put to work immediately.
Audio
Enjoy a daily dose of spoken word with audio books from fiction, nonfiction, self-help, business books and more, all delivered to your email address. Audio Books are delivered every other week. Just sit back and listen, no reading necessary.
Also available... the online book club forum!
Members of Burlington Public Library's Online Book Clubs can now discuss the titles they're reading with other Book Club members--share your thoughts and recommendations with fellow fans.
Discuss these titles in the Online Forum
Upcoming Book Club Programs
Thu
Jun 6
2013
Thu
Jun 6
2013
Tue
Jun 11
2013
