How to Be Book Club - "Morning and Evening" by Jon Fosse

Existential crises are like a persistent rash. There's no cure, but if you're suffering from the Big Questions, maybe the How To Be Book Club can be a cooling ointment. Come hang out in Book Club Bar's back garden one Saturday each month, and join us in discussing works of philosophical fiction, from across different eras and parts of the globe. We'll read the book beforehand (and do us a solid, if you can—get your book from our store), and then gather for casual conversation over drinks. Our usual fanfare will be available--coffee, beer, wine, and cocktails, plus some special brunch offerings! No preparation needed; just bring your book, your sweet self, and your curious mind!

This October—on the tails of our discussion of nihilism last month—we'll be exploring existentialism by reading recent nobel prize winner Jon Fosse's short novel Morning and Evening, with an optional companion text of The Need for Roots by Simone Weil. Fosse and Weil, both late-in-life converts to Christianity from atheism and agnosticism respectively, have endeavored through their writing to substantiate the idea that our lives have meaning. In Morning and Evening, we experience the few mortal moments of a man named Johannes at his birth and death. Warning: It will pry open your heart and leave you vulnerable to the cold winds of futility. Weil's The Need for Roots is a kind of answer to Fosse; she will patch your heart back up by assuring you there are ways you can actively cultivate a meaningful life, namely through personal obligations and community.

This month's pick: by Jon Fosse
Optional companion text: by Simone Weil

What your ticket includes:

• $8 off any drink at the bar

Grab a brunch cocktail at the bar and tell us what you thought of the book! Our informal discussion will be led by BCB bookseller Keri Kelly.

Registration is capped, so please register early if you are planning on attending. Please note: gratuity for the bartenders is not included. Please use your tickets at the beginning of the event.

Host or Publisher Book Club Bar