Whenever, wherever, you and books are meant to be together.
That’s what the Kansas City Public Library wants you to realize. The library in Kansas City, Missouri, is starting a “Whenever Book Club” for readers who love books but hate deadlines, The Pitch reports.
“Book Discussions online, any time, with no face time required!” the library says in an appeal to Zoom-weary readers. “Join our community of readers to discuss books and reading without the need to commit to a meeting time.”
The club will feature one book every two to three months, with Matt Ruff’s Lovecraft Country as its first selection. (If you forget to read the book, you can always pull a George Costanza and watch the massively popular HBO adaptation of the novel.)
There won’t be any in-person book club meetings, and the library says that you can “participate anywhere you have Internet access and on days and times that are convenient to you.”
The library explains, “The moderator will pose questions to the book club, share relevant articles and facilitate conversation about topics in the book. Members will be encouraged to post and share as well.”
The library teased future selections that the club might read, including Julia Alvarez’s Afterlife, Trent Dalton’s Boy Swallows Universe, and Paulette Jiles’ News of the World.
There’s no charge to join the club, but members will have to spring for their own wine. (Or whatever it is they drink in Kansas City.)
Michael Schaub is a Texas-based journalist and regular contributor to NPR.
