The Cosmos Book Club is really a gathering of self-identifying Asian ladies and gender non-binary people to see, talk about, and support Asian diaspora literature by ladies and gender non-binary authors. The team fulfills almost every other to engage in thoughtful discussions around identity, politics, and life experiences month. Through viewing and discussion we make an effort to enhance our knowledge of complex problems and reinforce the other person in the neighborhood.
Growing up in america general public school system, we seldom encountered stories that reflected our experiences or compared to our families. The publications we had been taught to appreciate were primarily lent through the Western canon. We knew there clearly was more available to you for all of us and had been determined to co-create a community-led guide club to learn, share and celebrate it.
By reading and analyzing works of Asian females and gender authors that are non-binary we try to enhance our comprehension of complex dilemmas, nourish our wellbeing, and reaffirm one another. We welcome all who would like to indulge in these discussions that are meaningful.
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The Cosmos Book Club #10: Miracle Creek with Angie Kim
The Cosmos Book Club is reading Miracle Creek for our tenth gathering on Wednesday, November 6. At this written book club I will be accompanied by author Angie Kim for a Q&A after our team talks.
Into the little town of Miracle Creek, Virginia, a hyperbaric air chamber operated by the immigrant household is scheduled on fire. The murder trial that unfolds in Miracle Creek is completely gripping, begging visitors to ask themselves—how far would they’re going to guard their loved ones? Could you keep their secrets or expose their lies, if the effects can affect your own also future? In this first novel, previous test attorney Angie Kim expertly paints the stress in the courtroom combined with the fraught complexities of life for immigrants.
Partner with all the written Book Club!
Will you be a meals, drink, or venue sponsor who really wants to achieve a residential district of Asian millennial and Gen-Z visitors and article writers? A writer or publisher who would like to straight reach an engaged and active market? Speak to us at hello@jointhecosmos.com.
Previous partners: Penguin Random Home, Little The Books, Asian American Writers’ Workshop, Boba Men, and Yooeating
Previous authors: Jia Tolentino, Crystal Hana Kim, Lisa Ko, Sona Charaipotra, Nicole Chung and much more!
Last Book Clubs
The Cosmos Book Club #9: Trick Mirror by Jia TolentinoSEPTEMBER 18, 2019
A packed house of thirty women split into four groups for discussion of Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion before an intimate Q&A with author Jia Tolentino for our ninth book club.
The internet holds and reminisced about the better times of internet (remember Neopets? ), all the ways we try to optimize to be ideal women through “beauty work”, and the search for spirituality whether it be through faith, drugs, or somewhere in between during our discussion we grappled with the power. Mostly we attempted our best to distinguish exactly what we think we want versus just exactly just what our society and culture dictates we have to wish, similar to Jia does through the essay collection.
Afterwards, Carolyn hosted a Q&A with Jia to inquire of her in regards to the need for authenticity (“someone last week explained my brand that is personal was and I became like, bang me, ” Jia interjected), the essential difference between good critique and viewpoint, additionally the internet content she finds solace in (nationwide Parks and jellyfish cams). When inquired about how she fields haters and trolls, she emphasized truly wanting to be a person that is good fretting about one’s self-image and being liked on the net.
The Cosmos Book Club #8: Severance by Ling MaAUGUST 5, 2019
Severance ended up being therefore delightfully not the same as past publications we have look over, from its apocalyptic/sci-fi plot points to author Ling Ma’s numerous recommendations to consumer items and brands.
During our conversation we seriously considered just how Candace’s shortage of the permanent home keeps her immune to Shen Fever. A lot of us had been amazed by all of the intricacies and horrors of guide manufacturing, made much more ironic by the publications being Bibles and just how also creation of a distinguished text that is holy greatly affected by capitalism. Overall we distributed to one another funny anecdotes and existential ideas, certainly not reaching tangible answers into the difficult life questions but knowing while we figure it out that we can laugh about and relate to each other through community.
The Cosmos Book Club # 7: by Crystal Hana KimAPRIL 8, 2019 if you leave me
At our book that is seventh club we welcomed twenty five ladies into the AAWW area for meals, conversation, and a Q&A and book signing with Crystal Hana Kim, writer of in the event that you keep me personally.
We began the night time with food from Yooeating, a food that is korean-american up featuring brand brand new assumes on Korean house cooking. The menu had been prompted because of the protagonist Haemi’s favorite meals when you look at the novel—gosari, sweet potato blended with rice, anchovies, pig’s foot, and home-brewed makgeolli.
After introductions, we divided in to three groups that are small guide conversation. During our conversation we mused over whether we might choose Kyunghwan or Jisoo (or neither), the selling point of bad guys, Korea’s obsession with very first loves, together with notion that is gendered of” characters. We additionally recognized the methods by which war can influence us, including exactly how Haemi holds onto her familiar hanboks as a indication of convenience amid the unpredictability of war.
We welcomed Crystal right after and jumped into a Q&A session to inquire about our many pushing questions. We discovered that in the event that you keep me personally initially began as connected tales during Crystal’s MFA system. Crystal shared anecdotes she learned all about her household included in research, emphasizing the resilience one develops during wartime. Whenever asked on maintaining a sustainable innovative procedure, she suggested finding a task you love and rely on, whether or not no body else does.
Community Book SwapMARCH 24, 2019
For the very first community guide swap, we gathered in Carolyletter’s house throughout the afternoon and snacked on dumplings, cupcakes, lard bread, cheese, donuts, wine & way more.
Attendees brought over seventy books of literary fiction, memoirs, essays, business/psychology, science fiction, dream and much more. A number of the very first publications to go had been efficiency Store lady by Sayaka Murata and Boy, Snow, Bird by Helen Oyememi. We saw several of our Cosmos that is previous Book reads too, including whatever you Can Ever understand by Nicole Chung and a lot of Beginnings and Endings!
Each woman ended up with at least three books to take home, excited to read their new picks after multiple rounds of choosing her top book pick essential hyperlink.
The Cosmos Book Club #6: the very best we’re able to Do by Thi BuiFEBRUARY 19, 2019
At our sixth gathering, facilitator Rosa brought forth a fantastic icebreaker concept to attract away a scene in our future visual novel memoirs. As people trickled in, we each surely got to work busting out our stick figure that is best drawing abilities to depict scenes from our youth on index cards, snacking on ch? gio along with lemon dessert and strawberries generously brought by our people. After completing our artwork, we each introduced ourselves along side our stories that are personal.
Our conversation veered profoundly to the personal—from sharing driving a car we hold in having and increasing kiddies to the resentments we hold toward our moms and dads. The greatest we’re able to Do dives deeply into Thi’s genealogy and very own worries, plus it was cathartic for all of us to truly have the area and time for you explore exactly the same.