By: Kaycie Kile
WPJ Reporter
The Social Coffee House hasn’t just been filling our cups full this summer; it’s got creativity on tap and has brought forth its next promising public venture—a book club. Last Thursday, June 23rd, the doors locked, and the first official deliberation began. Melody Bonnette, a fellow bookworm and known co-owner and operator of The Social Coffee House (est. 2021), is delighted at the prospect of providing a safe space to unwind and break down future monthly reads!
“Sea of Tranquillity,” by Emily St. John Mandel, a stand-alone science fiction thriller and the first pick of The Social’s book club, is a thought-provoking trek with an unexpected ending. Though not considered the usual page-turner by attending members, it immediately broke the ice, giving way to a deep sharing of perspectives on more taciturn subjects like morality, living in a pandemic, and even the advancement of society and our dependency on technology. How St. John Mandel illustrates and maintains such strong parallels through space and time, and under three hundred pages no less, is impressive and will leave you contemplating well into your evening.
The Social’s club is still laying down a few fundamental bricks and encourages open table discussion for anyone interested in being a part of its developing stages. With ideas already in the works, such as recommendation rotation, themed eats and treats, and maybe even a free library system in the future, the group has gotten off to an imaginative start with the promise of more as it continues to grow. So be sure to mark your calendars for Thursday, July 7th, when the club is set to graze and gab over the next recommended pick, “Can’t Look Away” by Carola Lovering, a suspenseful contemporary romance set in the 21st century, and would be thrilled to have you!
According to the U.S. Department of Education, fifty-four percent of U.S. adults between eighteen and seventy-four years old (that’s 130 million people, give or take) lack proficiency in literacy and comprehension, reading at or below the average sixth-grader. A book club or two probably won’t deal a measurable blow to that total. However, here in Winnfield, it’s an opportunity for a different experience but with the same goals in mind; providing a secure environment where literacy, companionship, and healthy adult interactions can take place outside the home. So whether it’s Overbooked or The Social Coffee House, get out and join one or both of these phenomenal groups providing you with accessibility to a key social and educational tradition. You can expect to be met with the kindest and most memorable folk who will do their best to help expand your tastes, bookshelves, and circles this summer.
