One of CPL's many gems is the Harsh Readers Circle, a book club devoted to reading and discussing African American literature that meets on the third Saturday of each month at Woodson Regional Library.
We recently announced our 2016-17 reading list and meeting schedule, which includes selections from Ta-Nehisi Coates, James McBride and other noteworthy authors.
At our July 16 meeting, we'll discuss A Chosen Exile by Allyson Hobbs.
Because the book club reviews and discusses African American fiction and nonfiction, it's named after CPL's Vivian G. Harsh Research Collection, the largest archival collection of African American history and literature in the Midwest. The Harsh collection started as the Special Negro Collection at Hall Branch in the early 1930s.
The Harsh Readers Circle is modeled on early book reviews held at Hall Branch. Our book club, then consisting of seven women, first met in July 1985 to discuss Do Lord Remember Me by Julius Lester.
More than 30 years later, we're still going strong. If you'd like an interesting, stimulating venue to read and discuss African American literature, join the Harsh Readers Circle!
