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A live, lively librarian-led book club discussion about a wide range of titles and genres. Register here for EVENING ZOOM or on Tuesday, June 18, for DAYTIME IN PERSON! Registration required.
Don't miss seeing the author in person on Thursday, June 13, at 6:30 p.m.!
ABOUT THE BOOK CLUB
If you like everything bagels, you'll probably like The Everything Book Club. We read the best of fiction and non-fiction, literary novels, mysteries, historical fiction, memoirs and more.
We generally meet on the third week of the month at two convenient times and venues: Evening Zoom on Thursday at 7 p.m. and Daytime in Person at 1 p.m. in the Tower Room on the 2nd floor. Registration is required.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Perfect for Pride month. A startlingly original gay Western about a scrappy orphan who makes her way in turn-of-the century Dodge City, Kansas, no holds barred. This is a tale of double-crossing, treachery, sex work, and outlaws as well as a poignant coming out/coming-of-age story.
"The heart wants what it wants. Saddle up, ride out, and claim it.
It's the spring of 1877 and sixteen-year-old Bridget is already disillusioned. She's exhausted from caring for her ne'er-do-well alcoholic father, but when he's killed by a snakebite as they cross the Kansas prairie, she knows she has only her wits to keep her alive. She arrives penniless in Dodge City, and, thanks to the allure of her bright red hair and country-girl beauty, is soon recruited to work at the Buffalo Queen, the only brothel in town run by women. Bridget takes to brothel life, appreciating the good food, good pay, and good friendships she forms with her fellow "sporting women."
Then Spartan Lee, the legendary female gunfighter in the region, rides into town, and Bridget falls in love. Hard. Before long, though, a series of shocking double-crosses shatter the Buffalo Queen's tenuous peace and safety. Desperate for vengeance and autonomy, Bridget resolves to claim her own destiny.
A thoroughly modern reimagining of the Western genre, "Lucky Red" is a masterfully crafted, propulsive tale of adventure, loyalty, desire, and love."--Penguin Random House
Click on the links to order the book in print or eBook or eAudiobook on Libby/OverDrive. You can also ask for a copy at the circulation desk in the Main Branch.
A national bestseller, "Lucky Red" was named a Best Book of the year by Chicago Public Library, Kirkus Reviews and Library Journal.
“Cravens debuts with an exceptional historical tale of sex work and queer desire on the American frontier. . . . Cravens peppers the thrilling plot with delicious language (Bridget’s clients are ‘a series of hats and mustaches’; Jim’s marriage offer feels ‘wedged in [her] chest, like a piece of furniture that can’t be got through a doorway’), and her sensitive portrayal of Bridget’s uncertainty over her sexuality resonates. This is a knockout.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Cravens smacks the reader in the face with a genderqueer coming-of-age story that culminates in three sex workers tracking down a posse for romantic and financial revenge.”—Booklist (starred review)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Claudia Cravens has a BA in literature from Bard College and participated in Catapult’s yearlong novel generator. "Lucky Red," her first novel, propelled her into the national spotlight. She lives in Brooklyn.
