Welcome to the L.A. Times Book Club, an opportunity to see, hear and interact with world-class authors, celebrities and newsmakers as they discuss their books and tell their stories.
Every month, we share a book club selection, publish stories exploring the topic and invite you to read along. Then we host a community event with the author and invite you to join that, too. Our focus is on stories and storytellers relevant to Southern California and the West, and our mission is to make your newspaper something not just to read but to experience — something that brings us together.
I’m your host and editor Donna Wares, and my goal is to get L.A. reading and talking. So tell me: What stories do you want to share with the city? What authors would you most like to meet? Here’s your chance to help us build something amazing.
On Nov. 18, actress Julie Andrews will discuss “Home Work: A Memoir of My Hollywood Years” in a conversation with Pulitzer Prize-winning Times columnist Mary McNamara.
The event, hosted by the book club and the Times Ideas Exchange, begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown L.A. Get tickets here, and for more information, contact eventinfo@latimes.com.
Read our interview with Andrews and our review of her new memoir.
Up next: The book club is reading “Barking to the Choir” by Homeboy Industries founder Gregory Boyle.
Boyle, a Jesuit priest, joins Times readers on Dec. 16 for a conversation over breakfast with author Hector Tobar about his experiences running the Los Angeles nonprofit. Tours of Homeboy Industries also will be available. Get tickets here.
On Oct. 22, Ronan Farrow discussed surveillance, counter-surveillance and the stories behind “Catch and Kill,” his new book detailing sexual abuse allegations against Harvey Weinstein and other powerful men. Read The Times’ interview with Farrow.
On Oct. 21, best-selling crime writer Michael Connelly talked about “The Night Fire,” two upcoming books and living with the same character for 27 years. Here’s a look at 15 iconic Harry Bosch haunts across L.A., plus 20 essential L.A. crime books, and don’t miss why L.A. is the perpetual dark heart of crime writing.
On Sept. 10, actor and author George Takei talked about “They Called Us Enemy,” a graphic memoir about his childhood years in Japanese American internment camps during World War II. Watch a segment from the event on LA Times Today. For book clubs and school groups, here is a discussion guide.
Author Laila Lalami joined Times reporter Lorraine Ali for a conversation about “The Other Americans, ”a mystery and family saga set in the Southern California desert. Here’s an interview with Lalami and five things to know about “The Other Americans.”
Earlier, we read “The Library Book” by bestselling author Susan Orlean and hosted a community forum where Orlean and readers shared library stories. We also took a deep dive to explore what L.A. is reading right now and showed book lovers how to read for free with library apps.
The L.A. Times Book Club builds on the success of America’s largest literary event, the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, which attracts 150,000 people every April. We want to keep the conversation going year-round.
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Want to share an idea? On Twitter, you can reach us @latimesbooks. Or send an email to bookclub@latimes.com.
The L.A. Times Book Club Facebook group is a chance to share your thoughts and compare notes with fellow book lovers. Please join the discussion there too.
