Welcome or Welcome back to the weekly newsletter where we typically share discussion recaps, upcoming topics, and upcoming events.

I know you’re excited to see what the next book and conversations will be, I am too! As always, our book suggestions come from our members, either through word of mouth, the DMs, or the Bookshelf (in our IG bio). VBC sifted through the suggestions and chose some that had societal relativity, told stories from underrepresented voices, and ones that we thought would spark some really interesting conversation. No matter how you vote, we really can’t lose. Keep reading below for a closer look at the four options we chose.

Logistics for Voting!

• In honor of our new partner, SoCal Vibes Co. on Abbot Kinney! we’re calling this one Mead & Read

• Join us tomorrow from 7-9:30pm (let us know you’re coming HERE).

• Voting will start at 7 and end at 8:30. We’ll announce the winner to close out the event.

• We highly encourage you to vote on the next book, come hang with your community, and get a taste for the type of conversations (and of the meads and ciders) we’re going to have.

• VBC members get 10% off everything and an extra $5 off pitchers.

Registration for the next Circles will open after the next book is decided. Whether you have been a regular since the beginning, have been meaning to make it to an event, or anything in-between: thank you for being a part of this community, we are so happy you’re here. Excited to see where we go next.

Warmly,
Emily

And the Nominees are…

Every VBC cycle starts here. Every conversation, debate, and late-night discussion we’ll spend the next two months on in the circle starts with whatever wins this vote. Here are the options:

📖 The Guest by Emma Cline (2023)

Plot: Stranded in the ultra-wealthy Hamptons after a devastating social misstep, a young grifter spends five desperate days manipulating her way into luxury estates while running from a dangerous past. As the clock ticks down to a massive Labor Day party, her web of deception spirals into a hallucinatory, high-stakes battle for survival where one wrong look could destroy her.

📖 Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe (1958)

Plot: Set in late-19th-century colonial Nigeria, it follows Okonkwo, a proud and influential Igbo leader in the fictional village of Umuofia who watches his village fracture from within as the rigid customs he fiercely protects fail to withstand the arrival of British colonizers. Driven by an intense fear of weakness, his desperate struggle to preserve his culture ultimately pushes him toward a tragic, irreversible fate.

📖 The Memory Police by Yōko Ogawa (1994)

Plot: On an isolated island where objects and the memories of them are systematically erased by an oppressive regime, a young novelist risks everything to hide her editor, one of the few people immune to the forgetting. As the purges intensify and the island’s residents lose parts of their own bodies, she must race to preserve their disappearing world before her own mind is hollowed out completely.

📖 Yellowface by R.F. Kuang (2023)

Plot: When a frustrated white author witnesses her wildly successful Asian-American friend die in a freak accident, she steals her unfinished manuscript and publishes it under a racially ambiguous pen name. As the book becomes a massive breakout hit, her stolen life spirals into a high-stakes nightmare of internet cancellations, cultural appropriation scandals, and a ghost that refuses to stay buried.

• You may recognize this one from the last voting cycle. Brought her back because there was quite a bit of chatter about this plotline.

Hopefully something here resonates with you and you come ready with a favorite in mind. See you tomorrow.

Upcoming VBC Events:

VBC meets every other week on Thursday for a structured discussion about our current book. We call this format “The Circle.”

• Next Circles on TBD Book. Registration will open after the next book is decided.

  • June 18

  • July 2

  • July 16

  • July 30

If the sessions are ever sold out, feel free to email/DM us to be put on the waitlist!

• Mead & Read: Come Pick our Next Book! Register HERE 🍻🏄

  • Like always, we are going to vote on our next book!

  • Join us for Mead & Read at SoCal Vibes on Abbot Kinney on June 4th from 7-9:30pm,

  • Don’t forget to drop any suggestions for the next book HERE, voting choices will be dropped closer to the event.

• VBC After Hours: Craft Night! Register HERE ✂️🧵🖍️

  • We’re making bookmarks!

  • ​Join Venice Book Club and Lost the Plot Events at SABA on Thursday, Jun 2 from 6:30 pm - 9:30 pm for a night of crafting your own bookmarks!

  • $5 for entry and covers the cost of all supplies.

• Community Book Exchange: July 11 📚! Register HERE

  • ​We’re spending the morning at Saba for a simple, open community book exchange. Bring a book you’ve loved (or one you’re ready to pass on) and leave with something new. All left over books will be donated to a place in our community

• We have Reading Nights, Community Book Exchanges, and more on the horizon. Stay tuned for more details.

Previously at VBC:

If you’re curious for the specifics, check out our past newsletters and discussions, find them HERE.

Thanks for reading.
Talk to you soon.

Stay Connected:

• Have thoughts on or questions about this newsletter? Reach out and let us know!

• If you attended a VBC event in the past, we’d love your feedback HERE.

• Have a book suggestion? Let us know HERE!

• IG: @thevenicebookclub

• Tiktok: @thevenicebookclub

• Substack: @thevenicebookclub

• Email: thevenicebookclub@gmail.com

• Register HERE on Luma for all the events and to reserve your spots at the Circles!

Welcome back to the weekly newsletter where we share discussion recap, upcoming topics, and upcoming events. ALSO, happy pre-election week for LA! Don’t forget to fill out your ballot and vote on or by June 2nd. Being a part of a community is showing up for fun local events AND using your voice when we are able. There’s lots of important stuff on there, so be sure to do it. If the admin is a deterrent, HERE is where and how to vote. HERE is what you’re voting on. No excuses now.😘

🎉We finished Fight Club! 🎉What did you all think? I enjoyed the discussions it produced, but still didn’t love it - and that’s ok! Not everything is meant to be for everyone, we’re all made differently. The best way to end this series was with a screening of the movie, thanks to everyone who came to the Fight Club movie night. For everyone who asked, HERE is Jenifer’s recipe of the Vegan Orange cake she made!

Curious about the Next Book?

• Like always, we are going to vote on our next book! We’re calling this one Mead & Read in honor of our newest partner: SoCal Vibes Co. on Abbot Kinney!

• Join us on June 4th from 7-9:30pm (let us know you’re coming HERE).

• We highly encourage you to vote on the next book, come hang with your community, and get a taste for the type of conversations we’re going to have.

• Don’t forget to drop any suggestions for the next book HERE, voting choices will be dropped soon!!!

(Hopefully we’ll see you tonight for another quiet Reading Night at Saba. Details HERE) Whether you have been a regular since the beginning, have been meaning to make it to an event, or anything in-between: thank you for being a part of this community, we are so happy you’re here. Keep reading to check out our upcoming events and for a recap of the last Fight Club discussion.

Warmly,

Emily

P.S. A PSA for my fellow book nerds: you should check out the Little Literary Fair (LITLIT) this June 6 + 7 at SCI-Arc in DTLA. Free and open to the public, in addition to books and presses, LITLIT will feature panel programs, DJ sets from KCHUNG Radio, and food and pours. Check it out HERE.

Here’s What We’ve Been Discussing at the Circle:

*These are just some of the topics we discussed and they have been summarized. If you’re interested in more detail, make your way to the Circle….

Chapters 24-30 + the Whole Book: Themes of Satire, Power, and Challenging the Status Quo

Intro Questions:

• Why is the narrator suddenly afraid of what he created?

• Why can’t he just “cancel” Project Mayhem?

• Have you ever created something and it spiraled into something totally different?

What Came Up:

• We opened the discussion with the question: Why is the narrator suddenly afraid of what he created? People were quick to say that it was his lack of control and loss of self identity. A member made a connection to Frankenstein. The fight clubs/Project Mayhem were the narrator’s monster, and he was responsible for the ideas and actions put into the world.

• The group discussed how fight clubs/Project Mayhem can’t be canceled because it became beyond any versions of Tyler’s control. One person compared it to AI and how it multiples into itself to create something bigger and less human. While the human aspect wakes up and we see that in the narrator, it is far too out of his reach to stop. The fight clubs were in a box and once they spread it became outside the narrator.

• One member went as far to say that the narrator is actually good and not evil. That fight club just got out of hand and it wasn’t the intention for it to spiral into Project Mayhem. Some members had a lot of sympathy for the narrator in that he realizes that he was wrong and tries to correct it, but it was too late. This was a hot take and people thoroughly discussed it.

• One member argued that the book isn’t about good/bad or even right/wrong, but about the dangers of going in and out of a “conscious” or “unconscious” state. The narrator is conscious, while Tyler is unconscious.

• There was a central theme of power discussed among the group. How the narrator/Tyler gained it at the beginning and then lost it at the end. How Tyler was never meant to be a leader and it shows.

• The discussion turned to men and modern society. One member made the argument that, on average, men need power when they lose control, more often than women do. The argument was how leadership shouldn’t be about holding power but actually about upholding other people. Women are more often socialized to feel for others, and arguably make better leaders because of this.

• A point was followed with masculine vs feminine energy, regardless of genders and how people who are hyper masculine seek roles that are in positions to take orders like the army or police while people who have a more feminine energy are less likely to be controlled (ie. artists). However, the argument was brought back to the discussion of deliberately saying men and discussing men rather than a discussion of masculinity so men don’t evade responsibility under patriarchy

• Someone actually took gender out of it and tied it to privilege. Doing so by tying it to Mean Girls’ Regina George. They argued how that is an example of how not all power is masculine, but it is about wealth or status and how if you’re not in spaces or opportunities to see yourself in power and that distances one from that. So the system perpetuates minorities remaining in “mintory” status.

• We talked about how this is really a systemic issue and it doesn’t matter who is at the top as long as the system is fed. How people are always willing to crucify the leader and the system is always going to take people down to uplift others who may perpetuate it better. There was an example about how marketing, a historically female dominated industry, is trying to be rebranded as more masculine with titles like “Brand Engineers” (Yes, seriously. Check it out HERE).

• We discussed how the system can change font or flavor but eventually those people become the system; mean girls, fight club are all just slippery slopes to machiavellianism. One member made the point that people fall in line to authority with the illusion of self interest even with no leader. However, in reality there’s submission to a system designed to hurt them due to the hope or illusion that they could one day be in those positions of power.

First reading: “Tyler and me at the edge of the roof….and I pull the trigger” (p.204-205)

Questions:

• Why do the support groups show up for the narrator, even after he used them?

• What role does Marla play in the story?

• Did Fight Club critique modern society… or become the very thing it hated?

• Who is more lost: the space monkeys or the support group?

What Came Up:

• Why do the support groups show up for the narrator at the end during his suicide attempt, even after he used them? Some said it was because support groups are in touch with their emotions. One person said you can use logic to justify anything but emotionally can justify by being too forgiving.

• One member said that the people in the support group were going to die anyway, so might as well be there for him. They argued that the scene was supposed to be funny.

• Another point was that the support group’s intention was to support where the fight club and Project Mayhem were to disrupt. Though different formats, they were examples of community. Whether you’re talking it out vs fighting it out, they’re both forms of connection and intimacy. Another point was that the people in support groups are dying physically but the people in the fight clubs are dying emotionally. It was argued that Project Mayhem is a form of recovery.

• We started to discuss Marla. Who is she? Does she even go here? The only woman in the story. People said she is both an outlier and definition of both the groups. Some said she is the link, the bridge. Marla is the mirror. Marla is ironically the only person grounded in reality but also always on drugs and escaping. Despite this, someone said that Marla epitomizes grace at the end when she tries to help the narrator. Someone argued that this book was actually meant to be a dark love story and made a connection to the Great Gatsby’s twisted love triangle.

• We then turned to who is more lost: space monkeys or support group? Some argued that space monkeys are more lost because they have no direction, despite having a “job.” The support group may be lost physically because their bodies are failing them. Some argued that they are both lost, both are looking for meaning and finding it through different avenues. Another argument is that the space monkeys have an external loss of control, where they have no autonomy and are getting closer to death while the support groups have made peace with their internal loss and have learned to let go and accept death.

LAST READING: “People write to me in heaven….’we look forward to getting you back’” (p.207-208)

Questions:

• Is Fight Club really satire?

• What part of Tyler’s worldview still feels true by the end of the book?

• Who is most vulnerable to Tyler’s worldview?

• What conversation from this cycle has stayed with you the longest?

What Came Up:

• We really got into whether Fight Club really is a satire. Someone pointed out that the author is a nihilist (someone who believes that life is fundamentally meaningless and that traditional values, morals, and beliefs are baseless constructs), and that really shows the lens in which we should read the book.

• Others argued it was a dark romance, while some said it was a critique of 90s corporate drone culture. One member said that the author is a Gay Pisces (really, he is!) and this is what led him to be so dramatic and dark.

• We discussed how the book is meant to be written to know the fight clubs are bad, that it is so over the top that it has to be a joke.

• One member said that upon researching the author, Fight Club was not intended to be satire and argued that dubbing it a satire was a marketing ploy to make the plot palatable to mass audiences. The author maintains that it is not political but there is a common thread of class consciousness, a societal rejection, and maybe even a warning? Or nothing at all? What do you think?

• The conversation then went into the deeper meaning of the books and what conversations stayed with people through this series. Members enjoyed discussing:

  • What happens when there is a lack of community.

  • Destroying and creating joy.

  • Failed notion of the societal expectations of hyper independence and picking one up by their bootstraps mentality.

  • Everyone is connected, no one can be blamed for not having a solution.

  • Can’t use tools of oppression to take it down, one’s own creativity is limited. We need community.

  • The system of patriarchy fails everyone involved, even men.

  • Rules: Fight Club is nothing without rules and it is a mirror to society. Gender roles, masculinity/femininity and how authoritarianism functions with rules.

  • How this book is really about compassion and belonging.

    • I love this one, and you can almost feel that Constanza said it<3

Upcoming VBC Events:

VBC meets every other week on Thursday for a structured discussion about our current book. We call this format “The Circle.”

• Next Circles on TBD Book. Registration will open after the next book is decided.

  • June 18

  • July 2

  • July 16

  • July 30

If the sessions are ever sold out, feel free to email/DM us to be put on the waitlist!

• VBC After Hours: Reading Night ⭐

  • We heard you! You want more! We got you. Another quiet Reading Night at Saba! May 28th. RSVP HERE.

  • This one is for the introverts. We’re taking the energy of the Circle and turning the volume down. Saba’s outdoor space is for quiet reading. Inside is for conversation. You can drift freely through both.

  • Just like the Circle, we’re keeping this one analog. No phones or laptops, just shared presence over warm drinks. Check our last one here.

• Mead & Read: Come Pick our Next Book! Register HERE 🍻🏄

  • Like always, we are going to vote on our next book!

  • Join us for Mead & Read at SoCal Vibes on Abbot Kinney on June 4th from 7-9:30pm,

  • Don’t forget to drop any suggestions for the next book HERE, voting choices will be dropped closer to the event.

• VBC After Hours: Craft Night! Register HERE ✂️🧵🖍️

  • We’re making bookmarks!

  • ​Join Venice Book Club and Lost the Plot Events at SABA on Thursday, Jun 2 from 6:30 pm - 9:30 pm for a night of crafting your own bookmarks!

  • $5 for entry and covers the cost of all supplies.

• Community Book Exchange: July 11 📚! Register HERE

  • ​We’re spending the morning at Saba for a simple, open community book exchange. Bring a book you’ve loved (or one you’re ready to pass on) and leave with something new. All left over books will be donated to a place in our community

• We have Reading Nights, Community Book Exchanges, and more on the horizon. Stay tuned for more details.

Previously at VBC:

If you’re curious for the specifics, check out our past newsletters and discussions, find them HERE.

Thanks for reading.
Talk to you soon.

Stay Connected:

• Have thoughts on or questions about this newsletter? Reach out and let us know!

• If you attended a VBC event in the past, we’d love your feedback HERE.

• IG: @thevenicebookclub

• Tiktok: @thevenicebookclub

• Substack: @thevenicebookclub

• Email: thevenicebookclub@gmail.com

• Register HERE on Luma for all the events and to reserve your spots at the Circles!

Welcome back to the weekly newsletter where we share discussion topics and upcoming events. Our last meeting on Fight Club is coming up next on Thursday.

It has been a wild ride and I know I was a bit of a hater at the start (I still am), but I have to admit that the book has stayed with me. It has made me question things and think about things as I go about my day, like do I really need to buy this? (yes) Why am I still scrolling? What dopamine hit am I after? If I knew the end was near, what would I wish I had done? Even though it wasn’t my favorite book, I think it’s a good story when it makes you challenge your perspective or when you can’t stop thinking about it after you’ve finished. I keep going back and forth in my mind about what the author was trying to tell us. Excited to get into it and finish out this discussion with you all.✨🥊

What’s Next?

• Like always, we are going to vote on our next book! We’re calling this one Mead & Read in honor of our newest partner: SoCal Vibes Co. on Abbot Kinney!

• Join us on June 4th from 7-9:30pm (let us know you’re coming HERE).

• We highly encourage you to vote on the next book, come hang with your community, and get a taste for the type of conversations we’re going to have. ALSO there may be some discounts, so come through. 👀

• Don’t forget to drop any suggestions for the next book HERE, voting choices will be dropped closer to the event.

Keep reading to check out our current events and for a sneak peak of the last Fight Club discussion themes and questions. Whether you have been a regular since the beginning, have been meaning to make it to an event, or anything in-between: thank you for being a part of this community, we are so happy you’re here.

Warmly,

Emily🩷

Here’s a Sneak Peak of What’s Upcoming at the Circle:

Chapters 24-30: Themes of Satire, Rock Bottom, and Challenging the Status Quo

Discussion Questions:**

• Is Fight Club really satire?

• Is Fight Club trying to tell us something? Or is it just meant to challenge us?

• At the end in the hospital, The visitors assure “Mr. Durden” that everything is going according to plan, and that they “look forward to getting you back.” What did you make of this? Is this society pulling you back into the race?

• Can Project Mayhem be stopped, or has it progressed beyond the point of no return?

• What part of Tyler’s worldview still feels true by the end of the book?

• Did Fight Club critique modern society… or become the very thing it hated?

• What conversation from this cycle has stayed with you the longest?

**We will be editing this. Feel free to send us any questions you think would be interesting for the group to discuss, if it fits we’ll add.

Upcoming VBC Events:

VBC meets every other week on Thursday for a structured discussion about our current book. We call this format “The Circle.”

• Last Circle on Fight Club. Reserve your spots HERE 🥊

  • May 21 (to ch. 30)

• Next Circle on a TBD Book. Registration will open after the book is decided.

  • June 18

  • July 2

  • July 16

  • July 30

If the sessions are ever sold out, feel free to email/DM us to be put on the waitlist!

• VBC x The KINN Movie Night: Fight Club Edition. Register HERE🍿

  • At VBC, we always say It’s Not About the Book, and on May 23rd from 6:00-9:30pm, it’s actually about the movie.

  • ​Join us at The KINN for a screening of Fight Club. After two months of discussing it together, we will watch it together. Come watch, reflect, and connect with the VBC community.

• VBC After Hours: Reading Night ⭐

  • We heard you! You want more! We got you. Another quiet Reading Night at Saba! May 28th. RSVP HERE.

  • This one is for the introverts. We’re taking the energy of the Circle and turning the volume down. Saba’s outdoor space is for quiet reading. Inside is for conversation. You can drift freely through both.

  • Just like the Circle, we’re keeping this one analog. No phones or laptops, just shared presence over warm drinks. Check our last one here.

• Mead & Read: Come Pick our Next Book! Register HERE 🍻🏄

  • Like always, we are going to vote on our next book!

  • Join us for Mead & Read at SoCal Vibes on Abbot Kinney on June 4th from 7-9:30pm,

  • Don’t forget to drop any suggestions for the next book HERE, voting choices will be dropped closer to the event.

• VBC After Hours: Craft Night! Register HERE ✂️🧵🖍️

  • We’re making bookmarks!

  • ​Join Venice Book Club and Lost the Plot Events at SABA on Thursday, Jun 2 from 6:30 pm - 9:30 pm for a night of crafting your own bookmarks!

  • $5 for entry and covers the cost of all supplies.

• Community Book Exchange: July 11 📚

  • ​We’re spending the morning at Saba for a simple, open community book exchange. Bring a book you’ve loved (or one you’re ready to pass on) and leave with something new. All left over books will be donated to a place in our community

• We have Reading Nights, Community Book Exchanges, and more on the horizon. Stay tuned for more details.

Previously at VBC:

If you’re curious for the specifics, check out our past newsletters and discussions, find them HERE.

Thanks for reading.
Talk to you soon.

Stay Connected:

• Have thoughts on or questions about this newsletter? Reach out and let us know!

• If you attended a VBC event in the past, we’d love your feedback HERE.

• IG: @thevenicebookclub

• Tiktok: @thevenicebookclub

• Substack: @thevenicebookclub

• Email: thevenicebookclub@gmail.com

• Register HERE on Luma for all the events and to reserve your spots at the Circles!

Welcome back to the weekly newsletter where we share discussion updates and upcoming events. Our last meeting on Fight Club is coming up next. Thank you to everyone who contributed their thoughts, we know the topics can get divisive, but I know that I personally have been given the gift of perspective, and I hope you all have too.

Like always, we are going to vote on our next book. Don’t forget to drop any suggestions for the next book HERE, more to come on when and where soon!!

Keep reading to check out our current events and for a recap of the last Circle. Thank you all for being a part of this community, we are so grateful for each and everyone of you.

With Gratitude,
Emily

Here’s What We’ve Been Discussing at the Circle:

Chapters 15-24: Going Unconscious/Seeing Red, Repression, Obsession with Death and Destruction

Pre-Discussion: How is Tyler able to convince people to join Project Mayhem? What kind of worldview is Tyler actually trying to sell people? What makes him so charismatic to these people? Do you think it works?

• We opened the discussion with the simple question: What does Tyler believe in? People had mixed thoughts. Some people argued he thought it was the end so he was doing anything he wanted. Others argued that he really believed that he’s waking people up and helping people escape the rat race of everyday life.

• The discussion turned to the difference between helping or manipulating someone, and people decided that the difference is the intention behind it. When the goal is anarchy, how is that helping? Some said it helped Tyler’s goal, some said maybe it really did help jolt people awake to their true desires.

• The conversation turned to the book. What is it trying to tell us? We talked about how the book is about chaos and control. How the narrator/Tyler (spoiler, sorry!!) doesn’t care about society actually controlling people, he just wants to be the one doing it. It’s ironic because he turned his miserable regimented life into chaos and then back to rules and a highly organized Project Mayhem. The irony is that those fight clubs and Project Mayhem become a copy of a copy of a copy (throwbackkkkk). Something that bounds and controls him. There is so much irony in wanting to get back to our primal nature and then placing rules on it. In reality, nature can never be controlled. Someone said it perfectly, they’re still chains whether they’re gold or iron.

“The mechanic yells out the window….the three space monkeys are quiet in the back seat” (p.143-144)

Questions:

• Why does Tyler believe people need to be broken down before they change?

• What do you think of them calling these car accidents “near life” experiences?

• Why are the men called “space monkeys?”

• What is the mechanic trying to force the narrator to confront?

What Came Up:

• We began by talking about why feeling near death is closest to feeling alive and how Tyler is a larger metaphor. Nothing is “wrong” with him, there is no diagnosis to make. He is suffering with no meaning and he wants that quick fix with support groups, fight clubs, and eventually Project Mayhem.

• Someone pointed out how aesthetically it looks good to cause chaos and the idea of being free is good, but in reality there is a darkness in too much freedom.

• A member tied in a book we had read previously, Siddartha (a book about a man’s spiritual journey of self-discovery) when he went and “suffered” with the Brahmins. We discussed whether being closer to death really does lead to enlightenment and how Project Mayhem’s goal was to blow everything up in order to make you figure out what matters to you. Or was it?

• People said Project Mayhem’s goal was more like breaking you down to manipulate you, similar to frat hazing, cult initiations, or even army training camp exercises. They call those “confidence boosters.”

• Some pushed back and said it was not about manipulation, but specialized training and collective suffering to create a trauma bond, to give it meaning. The discussion came back to control. How joining a fight club or Project Mayhem takes away the need to make decisions for yourself. “Training” makes it black or white, good or bad. All of these training, rules, and end goals of chaos is all the fight for obedience and control.

• We ended with a discussion on why the men working in Project Mayhem were referred to as “space monkeys.” Some said it was because they were sacrifices like the animals sent into space by NASA and Soviets (if you don’t know anything about Laika, this article is informative and heartbreaking).

• Some said Tyler is just suffering from self-hatred and how he can’t see anything clearly because he can’t sleep,hates himself, and he is trying to escape from his pain. What do you think?

“Nobody asked anything…”(p.122)

Questions:

• Why does Project Mayhem require people to stop asking questions?

• At what point does Fight Club stop being about freedom?

• Why does Project Mayhem demand the loss of individuality?

What Came Up:

• We started strong again, why can’t you ask questions in Project Mayhem? Some argued that you can’t be a part of the social unit by questioning authority. This prevents them from seeing the larger picture, and being more easily guided. Even if it’s organized chaos? This sparked disagreements within the group.

• Someone argued that he should have been warned to be careful when fighting a monster to not become a monster. Another said Tyler was being a populist leader and he lost the plot. There was a discussion again of the irony of when you lose the plot, it again becomes a copy of a copy of a copy. Project Mayhem has become a farce of itself.

• We zoomed in on the definition of anarchy itself. A new member said the definition of anarchy is true freedom without hierarchy. Another said it’s a lack of both lawlessness and lawfulness.

• The discussion turned to capitalism, with one member saying capitalist society has been purposefully made to keep us all in line. How this book is really about the counter culture of not being your social identity.

• Some argued about the book being more about class standing than just power existing. People want a way out of their station so we are fed the ideas of American individualism and the American dream from a young age. We discussed how people engage in “aspirational” voting, meaning voting as if you were in a different tax bracket because you wish you were in one, a way of protecting your future self.

• An interesting debate came from one member saying capitalism, racism, and homophobia are a triangle that reinforce each other. Another member pushed back, asking for sources and historical examples that prove this point. People went back and forth, offering context before the common ground emerged and everyone learned something. It is easier than ever to consume, to become so ingrained or indoctrinated. Be careful before you want to just blow everything up.

Upcoming VBC Events:

VBC meets every other week on Thursday for a structured discussion about our current book. We call this format “The Circle.”

• Upcoming Circle’s on Fight Club. Reserve your spots HERE 🥊

  • VBC meets every other week on Thursday for a structured discussion about our current book. We call this format “The Circle.”

  • May 21 (to ch. 30)

    • If the sessions are ever sold out, feel free to email/DM us to be put on the waitlist!

• VBC x The KINN Movie Night: Fight Club Edition. Register HERE🍿

  • At VBC, we always say It’s Not About the Book, and on May 23rd from 6:00-9:30pm, it’s actually about the movie.

  • ​Join us at The KINN for a screening of Fight Club. After two months of discussing it together, we will watch it together. Come watch, reflect, and connect with the VBC community.

• VBC After Hours: Reading Night ⭐

  • We heard you! You want more! We got you. Another quiet Reading Night at Saba! May 28th. RSVP HERE.

  • This one is for the introverts. We’re taking the energy of the Circle and turning the volume down. Saba’s outdoor space is for quiet reading. Inside is for conversation. You can drift freely through both.

  • Just like the Circle, we’re keeping this one analog. No phones or laptops, just shared presence over warm drinks. Check our last one here.

• VBC After Hours: Craft Night! Register HERE ✂️🧵🖍️

  • On June 25th join Venice Book Club and Lost the Plot Events at SABA for a night of crafting your own bookmarks!

  • We’re keeping this one analog again. No phones or laptops. Just crafts, warm drinks, and a shared space.

  • $5 for entry and it covers the cost of all supplies.

• Community Book Exchange: July 11! Register HERE 📚

  • ​We’re spending the morning at SABA for a simple, open community book exchange. Bring a book you’ve loved (or one you’re ready to pass on) and leave with something new. All left over books will be donated to a place in our community

• We have Reading Nights, Community Book Exchanges, and more on the horizon. Stay tuned for more details.

Previously at VBC:

If you’re curious for the specifics, check out our past newsletters and discussions, find them HERE.

Thanks for reading.
Talk to you soon.

Stay Connected:

• Have thoughts on or questions about this newsletter? Reach out and let us know!

• If you attended a VBC event in the past, we’d love your feedback HERE.

• IG: @thevenicebookclub

• Tiktok: @thevenicebookclub

• Substack: @thevenicebookclub

• Email: thevenicebookclub@gmail.com

• Register HERE on Luma for all the events and to reserve your spots at the Circles!

​We are about halfway through 🥊 Fight Club 🥊and it is getting increasingly more chaotic. I’m still not loving it, BUT I am curious to see how it ends.

​Don’t forget to drop any suggestions for the next book HERE and check out our upcoming events, we have a lot of things cooking for you.😘

​Last thing about VBC’s one year anniversary: I’ve talked to so many people about VBC and its impact on their lives this year. The impacts have spanned from something for people to do during the week or weekend, to truly giving them the space to be their true selves, to challenging the way they think about things, to restoring their faith in humanity that people can still talk and connect. That’s always the goal. It’s not about the book, and we’re just getting started. If VBC has impacted you, we’d love to hear about it. DM/email us.✨

​Keep reading for a sneak peak of tomorrow’s Circle. Thank you all for being a part of this community, we are so grateful for each and every one of you!

​With gratitude,

​Emily

​P.S.: If you’re interested in helping VBC with running our events, social media, bringing food/drink (we’ll cover the cost!) to gatherings, and more, fill out our volunteer form HERE. Thanks in advance!

P.P.S: If you attended a VBC event in the past, we’d love your feedback HERE.

​Here’s a Sneak Preview of What’s to Come at this Week’s Circle:

​Chapters 15-24: Going Unconscious/Seeing Red, Repression, Obsession with Death and Destruction

​Discussion Questions:**

• ​What makes Tyler so charismatic, and Project Mayhem so convincing?

• ​Is Tyler helping people, or exploiting them?

• ​Have you ever created something and it spiraled into something totally different?

• ​What modern movements offer people identity, purpose, and enemies?

• ​How does the internet amplify this kind of groupthink?

• ​What do you think about calling the car accident “near life” experiences?

• ​Does being closer to death lead you to enlightenment?

​**We will be editing this. Feel free to send us any questions you think would be interesting for the group to discuss, if it fits we’ll add.

​Upcoming VBC Events:

​Newsletter is always first to know.

• ​Upcoming Circle’s on Fight Club. Reserve your spots HERE 🥊

  • ​VBC meets every other week on Thursday for a structured discussion about our current book. We call this format “The Circle.”

  • ​May 7 (to ch. 24)

  • ​May 21 (to ch. 30)

    • ​If the sessions are ever sold out, feel free to email/DM us to be put on the waitlist!

• ​VBC x The KINN Movie Night: Fight Club Edition. Register HERE🍿

  • ​At VBC, we always say It’s Not About the Book, and on May 23rd from 6:00-9:30pm, it’s actually about the movie.

  • ​​Join us at The KINN for a screening of Fight Club. After two months of discussing it together, we will watch it together. Come watch, reflect, and connect with the VBC community.

• ​VBC After Hours: Reading Night ⭐

  • ​We heard you! You want more! We got you. Another quiet Reading Night at Saba! May 28th. RSVP HERE.

  • ​This one is for the introverts. We’re taking the energy of the Circle and turning the volume down. Saba’s outdoor space is for quiet reading. Inside is for conversation. You can drift freely through both.

  • ​Just like the Circle, we’re keeping this one analog. No phones or laptops, just shared presence over warm drinks. Check our last one here.

• ​VBC After Hours: Craft Night! Register HERE ✂️🧵🖍️

  • ​On June 25th join Venice Book Club and Lost the Plot Events at SABA for a night of crafting your own bookmarks!

  • ​We’re keeping this one analog again. No phones or laptops. Just crafts, warm drinks, and a shared space.

  • ​$5 for entry and it covers the cost of all supplies.

• ​Community Book Exchange: July 11! Register HERE 📚

  • ​​We’re spending the morning at SABA for a simple, open community book exchange. Bring a book you’ve loved (or one you’re ready to pass on) and leave with something new. All left over books will be donated to a place in our community

• ​We have Reading Nights, Community Book Exchanges, and more on the horizon. Stay tuned for more details.

​Previously at VBC:

​If you’re curious for the specifics, check out our past newsletters and discussions, find them HERE.

​Thanks for reading.
Talk to you soon.

​Stay Connected:

• ​Have thoughts on or questions about this newsletter? Reach out and let us know!

• ​If you attended a VBC event in the past, we’d love your feedback HERE.

• ​IG: @thevenicebookclub

• ​Tiktok: @thevenicebookclub

• ​Substack: @thevenicebookclub

• ​Email: thevenicebookclub@gmail.com

• ​Register HERE on Luma for all the events and to reserve your spots at the Circles!

Parks here. Emily was kind enough to pass me the mic for a moment, because May 1st marks one year of VBC.

When we started, it was a few people in a coffee shop wanting something real. A place to process things out loud that usually get shrugged off as too deep, too political, or too much.

Six books later and we’re reading Fight Club. I know we’re not supposed to talk about it. Luckily, VBC has never worked like that.

Because it’s not really about the book. It’s about facing uncomfortable truths in a space warm enough to hold them, and sharp enough to test them. Even when those truths come from a bunch of men punching the shit out of each other in a basement.

It’s been so cool to watch it grow. Not just in numbers, but in culture. People trading stories and lived experience with strangers they may otherwise just pass on the street. Ideas across the circle getting challenged out loud. Not to win, but to see if they hold up under pressure. Somewhere along the way, it became proof that people actually want these talks.

I think people are more ready for community than we give them credit for.

Thanks for building this with us. Come say hi sometime.

- Parks

P.S. Emily here again with some housekeeping:

Thank you to everyone who came to our last meeting, it was quite spicy. Keep reading for a recap below and to see our upcoming events.

• Thank you to everyone who came to our Reading Night last night. We’ll be having more soon so keep an eye out.

• While we are halfway through our current book, don’t forget to drop any suggestions for the next book HERE.

Also, it has officially been a year of VBC and I just want to express my gratitude for what it has given me: friends, genuine connections, perspective, community, purpose, and so much more! I hope it has done the same for you all and that you will continue to grow alongside us. See you at the Circle or an event soon.

With Gratitude,

Emily

Here’s What We’ve Been Discussing at the Circle:

The First Fight

“After a few fights, you’re afraid of a lot less.”
(p.54)

Key Questions:

• Why does the first fight feel strangely meaningful?

• What are they getting here that everyday life isn’t giving them?

• Why do these men carry Fight Club back into daily life?

What Came Up:

• The first fight carried a kind of therapeutic charge. People argued that following the system led him to being empty and unhappy and fighting is clearly a release of pressure has been building for a long time. Others saw it as a form of somatic healing and even a biblical symbol that each fight is purification, a baptism.

• Gender came up, and how fighting is viewed as one of the only masculine accepted ways to express emotions and have physical contact. Ironically a lot of people argued that there is a lot of intimacy in these fights and the gender archetype way to have closeness. In reality fighting is romantic. Some even read the book as erotic, pushing yourself to the limit (hello the burning kiss on the back of the hand- did anyone else feel crazy tension here?). Everything goes back into trying to feel our feelings that takes us back to our most primal and sexual urges.

• Are these fights a forced trauma bonding so that these men can finally feel a sense of belonging? One member never mentions winners or losers. It is more akin to a frat hazing or gang initiation rather than actual fights. They have finally found a place where they are comfortable in a world where needs are met, ironically through being closer to death.

• We ended the first half by discussing the emotion of anger and how this is often the emotion that men are “allowed to feel.” Anger is easier to access because it’s primal. While it may be easier to access, members pointed out that if you’re angry you’re easier to be manipulated. The conversation turned to how American culture is inherently violent and a reminder that anger is a mask. Allowing tenderness, empathy, and kindness are actually more difficult and more powerful. In some ways, these fight clubs are the entry way into tenderness.

Structures, Rules, and Control

“Let me help you. The fourth rule of fight club is one fight at a time.”
(p.98)

Key Questions:

• Why do self-imposed rules feel like freedom, while rules imposed on us don’t?

• Where does community end and conformity begin?

What Came Up:

• We talked about how being “nice” is empty, like you’re just following norms. We differentiated between nice and kind.

• We then juxtaposed a support group and a fight club. Some compared a fight club to a cult or more akin to the manosphere community (if you don’t know what this is, look it up, so sorry to inform you of it’s existence). This is because it preys on men who are feeling lost with no sense of purpose and creates not only a need, but a solution too.

• We then discussed the groupthink of these communities and how it is so common throughout history that whoever controls the minds of young men can get them to mobilize, especially in times of war. There is irony here because the fear of having someone over take you and steal your freedom and then you become what you fear, someone pointed to cops as an example of this. Tyler Durden, too.

• The quote “a group of men raised by women” came up. Some felt that this was a jab at the fathers for being absent, others felt this was an inherently misogynistic outlook and places blame on the moms for the things wrong (this is my biggest gripe with the book thus far). A strong point made by one member reframed it entirely: not as a critique of women, but as a gap between men. The argument was that men need other men. Not just as role models, but to show them what not to follow.

• Some pointed out that there can be a resentment that forms on the mom because she can’t give what a dad can. Others made the point that this book is extremely binary in terms of masculine and feminine and very focused on the nuclear family. It ignores the larger village that goes into what creates a person and that everyone has masculine and feminine qualities coexisting at once.

When the Group Expands

“The first rule of this new group is you’re not supposed to talk about it.”
(p.100)

Questions We Left With:

• Why do we default to anger instead of saying what we actually feel?

• What happens when male hunger gets politicized?

• Why do people come to VBC?

Thank you to everyone who participates in our discussions. We really appreciate the honesty and openness you all bring to the discussions. If this raises comments or questions in your mind, respond to this email or comment on the substack post or in the groupchat!

One more note:

Hey beautiful people of the world, Blaise here taking over for a moment. As mentioned, today marks our 1 year anniversary of The Venice Book Club. I just wish to drop my gratitude and appreciation here in a few words.

The Venice Book Club was at once just a dream, a vision, an idea. Everytime I am present within the circle or around the people involved I get reminded of the small seed that was planted, watered, and continues to blossom into what you see today, 1 year later. This has been such a beautiful and wild journey, and I am grateful to walk beside each and every one of you through it.

I hope you find your authenticity, your peace, and always remember that you are enough. And here at The Venice Book Club we hope to remind you of that, to see it clearer than before. This is just the beginning, we’ll be seeing you real soon! ;)

With Love,
Blaise Middleton

Upcoming VBC Events:

VBC meets every other week on Thursday for a structured discussion about our current book. We call this format “The Circle.”

• Upcoming Circle’s on Fight Club. Reserve your spots HERE 🥊

  • May 7 (to ch. 24)

  • May 21 (to ch. 30)

    • If the sessions are ever sold out, feel free to email/DM us to be put on the waitlist!

• VBC x The KINN Movie Night: Fight Club Edition. Register HERE🍿

  • At VBC, we always say It’s Not About the Book, and on May 23rd from 6:00-9:30pm, it’s actually about the movie.

  • ​Join us at The KINN for a screening of Fight Club. After two months of discussing it together, we will watch it together. Come watch, reflect, and connect with the VBC community.

• Community Book Exchange: July 11

  • ​We’re spending the morning at Saba for a simple, open community book exchange. Bring a book you’ve loved (or one you’re ready to pass on) and leave with something new. All left over books will be donated to a place in our community

• We have Reading Nights, Community Book Exchanges, and more on the horizon. Stay tuned for more details.

Previously at VBC:

If you’re curious for the specifics, check out our past newsletters and discussions, find them HERE.

Thanks for reading.
Talk to you soon.

Stay Connected:

• Have thoughts on or questions about this newsletter? Reach out and let us know!

• If you attended a VBC event in the past, we’d love your feedback HERE.

• IG: @thevenicebookclub

• Tiktok: @thevenicebookclub

• Substack: @thevenicebookclub

• Email: thevenicebookclub@gmail.com

Register HERE on Luma for all the events and to reserve your spots at the Circles!

Welcome back to our weekly newsletter where we will update you on current discussion topics and upcoming events. Sorry the newsletter is a day later…. I’m traveling…. the time zone is different… I’m just a girl…. don’t be mad at me…

Whether you are new here, are following along from afar, have been a regular since the beginning, have been meaning to make it to an event, or anything in-between: thank you for being a part of this community; we are so happy you’re here! Also, keep tagging us in pics when you’re reading - we love seeing that!!

We are coming up on our second meeting on Fight Club tomorrow April 23rd (we are at capacity but message us to join the waitlist!). It is a punchy (😉), chaotic, gritty psychological thriller and social satire.

How are you all liking it? I’m still not sure…. *PERSONAL OPINION INCOMING*

• I like the joke: that the narrator and the other fight clubbers are “soft” and their reliance on consumerism makes them feel less like men so they start a fight club to feel like men and to finally feel SOMETHING and it gets out of hand. It’s funny and good social commentary, it is so easy to spot versions of this in real life

• It isn’t the message that I dislike, it’s the way the message is being conveyed: the overt “masculinity”… and dare I say elements of toxic masculinity throughout this book.

• For example, I really don’t like the language of “a generation of men raised by women” (p.50) of it all. Not sure what the authors intentions were, but I feel like that this language was just a way of weaving in some misogyny covered up as “a part of the joke.” That is the dangerous part for me, the part that makes me uninterested, and honestly, roll my eyes.

• I don’t like how the only woman in the book is portrayed.

• I have had this conversation with a few people, and they disagreed! These were just some of the things that have come up for ✨ me.✨I have many more thoughts, but will keep reading to see if I have a change of heart.

Excited to talk to you all more about this and other things in the Circle. Also, if you can’t make it, or are following along from afar, subscribe to the Substack and I will add you to the group chat. VBC’s intention has always been to have interesting, meaningful, and impactful discussions - you definitely don’t have to like the book or agree to do so. But you do have to keep it respectful, should that be VBC’s first rule? Hope to see you at the Circle, in the group chat, or at an event soon!

With the hope that this sparks some thoughts,
Emily🩷

P.S. A CSULB student working on a research project about book buying habits asked if we could take her survey HERE. As a former psych major and current researcher, I empathized with needing people to take your surveys. If you feel so inclined to help, please do so!

Here’s a Sneak Preview of What’s to Come at this Week’s Circle:

Chapters 5-15: Themes of Violence, Masculinity, and “Community”

Discussion Questions:**

• Do people secretly crave structure more than freedom?

• What did you think of the quote “Fight Club is a generation of men raised by women”?

  • Do you think that these sentiments hold any truth?

• What forms of men are there right now?

• Why are anger and violence easier to access than tenderness?

• Is Tyler helping people, or exploiting them?

• What happens when male hunger gets politicized?

• Where is the line between community and conformity?

• Where do alternatives to Fight Club actually exist in the world today?

  • DEBATE TIME (or physical fight, your choice): Is VBC a fight club?

**We will be editing this. Feel free to send us any questions you think would be interesting for the group to discuss, if it fits we’ll add.

My Favorite Quote while reading this section:

“This is why I loved the support groups so much, if people thought you were dying, they gave you their full attention. If this might be the last time they saw you, they really saw you. Everything else about their checkbook balance and radio songs and messy hair went out the window. You had their full attention. People listened instead of just waiting for their turn to speak. And when they spoke, they weren’t telling you a story. When the two of you talked, you were building something, and afterward you were both different than before.” (P. 107, Ch. 14)

Awww, he yearns for real connection. As we all do♥️

Upcoming VBC Events:

VBC meets every other week on Thursday for a structured discussion about our current book. We call this format “The Circle.”

• Upcoming Circle’s on Fight Club. Reserve your spots HERE 🥊

  • April 23 (to ch. 15)

  • May 7 (to ch. 24)

  • May 21 (to ch. 30)

    • If the sessions are ever sold out, feel free to email/DM us to be put on the waitlist!
      

• Another VBC After Hours: Reading Night ⭐

  • We heard you! You want more! We got you. Another quiet Reading Night at Saba! April 30th. RSVP HERE.

  • This one is for the introverts. We’re taking the energy of the Circle and turning the volume down. Saba’s outdoor space is for quiet reading. Inside is for conversation. You can drift freely through both.

  • Just like the Circle, we’re keeping this one analog. No phones or laptops, just shared presence over warm drinks. Check our last one here.
    

• VBC x The KINN Movie Night: Fight Club Edition. Register HERE🍿

  • At VBC, we always say It’s Not About the Book, and on May 23rd from 6:00-9:30pm, it’s actually about the movie.

  • ​Join us at The KINN for a screening of Fight Club. After two months of discussing it together, we will watch it together. Come watch, reflect, and connect with the VBC community.
    

• We have Reading Nights, Community Book Exchanges, and more on the horizon. Stay tuned for more details.

Previously at VBC:

If you’re curious for the specifics, check out our past newsletters and discussions, find them HERE.

Thanks for reading.
Share this with a friend or on your socials and tag us!
Talk to you soon.

Stay Connected:

• Have thoughts on or questions about this newsletter? Reach out and let us know!

• If you attended a VBC event in the past, we’d love your feedback HERE.

• IG: @thevenicebookclub

• Tiktok:@thevenicebookclub

• Substack: @thevenicebookclub

• Email: thevenicebookclub@gmail.com

• Register HERE on Luma for all the events and to reserve your spots at the Circles!

Welcome to our new weekly newsletter where we will discuss current discussion topics and upcoming events. We have a lot of new people and I just want to extend an extra warm welcome: whether you are new here, have been a regular since the beginning, have been meaning to make it to an event, or anything in-between: thank you for being a part of this community; we are so happy you’re here! 🌟

If you like getting a newsletter and want to share more of your thoughts as you read with your fellow members, look out for the group chat!

We had our first session on Fight Club, and while I know this breaks the cardinal rule, we did talk about it and will continue to do so.

I know I said it last time, but this cycle might feel a little uncomfortable. Maybe because of the book, or maybe because of what it brings up. This book is definitely not something I would personally gravitate towards, but I think that is kind of the beauty of VBC. I’m reading the book the community decided on. It pushes me out of my comfort zone, and gives me new perspectives; I hope VBC can do the same for all of you. The goal of VBC has always been to create safe spaces for discussions and connections. Come curious, come open. You never know what you will learn or who you will inspire.

Did you miss the last circle or want to relive the magic? Keep reading to see what was discussed (it was very interesting), as well as our upcoming events. Share them and this newsletter with a friend (or two 😉).

Thanks for reading. See you at the Circle or an event soon!

With joy,

Emily🩷

Here’s What We’ve Been Discussing at the Circle:

Fight Club Circle #1: Chapters 1-5: Theme of Inauthenticity, Disconnection, and Consumerism

Author Bio:

We like to give a short author bio and historical context to the Circle when starting a new book. We know Palahniuk is controversial, we acknowledge that and use that in discussions.

• Chuck Palahniuk grew up in Washington state; his parents’ divorce at 14 and early disillusionment with the “traditional path” heavily shaped his writing.

• He worked various odd jobs and didn’t begin writing until age 30, after struggling to find meaning in conventional success.

• The idea for Fight Club was sparked by a real-life incident: after a brutal fight left Chuck Palahniuk visibly injured, his coworkers’ eerie refusal to acknowledge his bruised face revealed a social tendency to ignore uncomfortable truths, an insight that became central to the novel’s themes.

• His work often critiques consumerism and explores the “alienation of prosperity” in postwar America.

Key Questions:

• What stood out to you in the first few chapters?”

• The narrator says insomnia makes everything feel like a “copy of a copy of a copy?” Where do you think that comes from? Is that personal, or is something producing it?

• First Discussion: p. 38 - 39. “Go ahead and cry… → …this is how I met Marla.”

  • Why does the narrator feel more alive going to support groups for terminal conditions that he doesn’t have than in his actual life? Is the emotion real if it’s borrowed?

  • He says Marla, the other faker in the group, is a mirror. What is she reflecting back to him? Why does her presence ruin the “peace” he found?

  • Does he actually want real connection, or just the feeling of it?

  • Where do we go to feel something when we can’t access it directly?

• Second Discussion: P. 43-44 “Something which was a bomb... > ….detonation.”

  • What actually gets destroyed in the narrator’s house fire?

  • How did he build his sense of self in the first place?

  • Where did he learn to do that?

  • If someone looked at your space, what would they think matters to you?

  • Do we actually choose what we want, or are we taught what to want?

Recap of the Discussion:

• Starting off strong. People loved the prose, the way in which the book is written. It has a brisk and chaotic style, which replicates the narrator’s spiraling and dwindling mental health. They loved how it makes the story feel fast, immersive, and even more engaging than the film.

Modern Culture and Disconnection

• While the narrator is actively seeking help for insomnia and other issues, there’s a clear resistance to true self-reflection, creating a tension between wanting relief and avoiding the root cause.

• People discussed disconnection and specifically references how the narrator refers to themself as “A Copy of a copy of a copy” which revealed that the narrator is so far removed from their own life and losing a grip on reality due to their insomnia

• There was a point that connected this to modern times of Tiktok and the “brainrot” and “slop” language that permeates through culture. Additionally how “Gen Z Slang” is really slang that is copied from AAVE slang, which often originates with black women/gay communities/other minority groups and how it finds its way into the language of popular culture. It even finds itself on the social media channels of large corporations or other far removed spaces.

• We all then discussed many other things that are really just a copy of a copy and how sometimes even authenticity feels like a copy of a copy of a copy…..

Gender Differences in Emotional Expression

• The discussion turned to gender differences between men and women. Specifically, how men are often socialized to suppress emotion, but anger and subsequently physical violence emerging as some of the only socially acceptable outlets.

• Many men in the group related to the feeling of being mad that he had to take orders from someone that someone described as “couldn’t bench half their weight. ” This was a thought that many of the women claimed to never have. There was pushback, as some pointed out that women also suppress emotions, though it may manifest differently.

• Ultimately, the group framed this not as an inherent gender difference, but as a product of societal expectations around masculinity and gender expression

Support Group, Satire, and Ethics

• After the first passage, the narrator’s choice to attend support groups for illnesses he doesn’t have sparked conversation about why this is the only place he feels alive; whether due to anonymity, emotional release, or a need for genuine connection.

• The narrator discusses how he cries into Big Bob, a massive former body builder who developed breasts due to hormone imbalances as a result of testicular cancer, and his previous steroids use. The group discussed the irony around this “hyper masculine” man, with breasts, sobbing into the arms of another man in a Testicular Cancer Support Group called “Remaining Men Together”. This underscores the book’s satirical edge, it is meant to take things to the ultimate breaking point.

• The group was divided on whether the narrator’s actions were unethical: some viewed it as a desperate attempt to feel something, while others saw it as taking advantage of others’ suffering. Many felt that what he did was not unethical because of how extreme his numbness is and how he is trying to connect to people in such a dire state. Marla was largely seen as a reflection of the narrator himself, with his disdain for her revealing deeper shame about his own behavior and emotional state.

Identifying with Consumerism

• After reading the next passage, ✨Brianna ✨ pointed out, the destruction of the narrator’s possessions in the fire was interpreted as more than material loss, it represented the collapse of an identity he had built through consumerism. The group discussed how he had internalized a hollow version of success, using objects to signal meaning and achievement.

• This led to a deeper question of why his identity was so dependent on external things in the first place. Consumerism emerged as an attempt to fill an internal void, offering the illusion of fulfillment without addressing deeper needs. This was shown as building attachments to things and materials that are meant to mean that one has accomplished something or has “made” it. He was following another person’s definition of success.

• One member, ✨JT✨, paused the discussion to encourage us not to fall into this trap. She reminded us to listen to ourselves, find your own personal meaning in things, and to avoid this trap that so many people fall into. Find beauty and meaning in the journey not the destination. Take this as a reminder to do the same.

Economic Reality vs. Nostalgia

• The group discussed how identity in American culture is often shaped by what we buy. A debate emerged around the idea of a “golden age” of consumerism (1950s, white picket fence vibes) with some arguing it’s largely a product of nostalgia, while others insisted there has been a real material shift over time.

• This turned into a live tension between: “It’s always been this way” vs. “No, something materially changed”. Then there was a reality check from a long time member and mentor to many of us at VBC, ✨Mike ✨shared a concrete example of how it used to be ~$300 per month rent in Venice where today it would ~$3/4k per month for the same place today, but the wages are largely the same.

• Ultimately, the group landed somewhere in the middle, recognizing that both perception and material conditions shape how we understand progress and decline.All in all this was a lively, spirited, and interesting discussion. Thank you to all who participated and shoutout to ✨Parks ✨ for taking notes when I had to leave early (I did make my flight btw😋).

Also, Happy Birthday to one of our co-directors, ✨Blaise,✨ it was so fun to celebrate you at the last book club!

Upcoming VBC Events:

VBC meets every other week on Thursday for a structured discussion about our current book. We call this format “The Circle.”

• Upcoming Circle’s on Fight Club. Reserve your spots HERE.

  • April 23 (to ch. 15)

  • May 7 (to ch. 24)

  • May 21 (to ch. 30)

    • If the sessions are ever sold out, feel free to email/DM us to be put on the waitlist!
      

• Another VBC After Hours: Reading Night

  • We heard you! You want more! We got you. Another quiet Reading Night at Saba! April 30th. RSVP HERE.

  • This one is for the introverts. We’re taking the energy of the circle and turning the volume down. Saba’s outdoor space is for quiet reading. Inside is for conversation. You can drift freely through both.

  • Just like the circle, we’re keeping this one analog. No phones or laptops, just shared presence over warm drinks. Check our last one here.
    

• VBC x The KINN Movie Night: Fight Club Edition. Register HERE

  • At VBC, we always say It’s Not About the Book, and on May 23rd from 6:00-9:30pm, it’s actually about the movie.

  • ​Join us at The KINN for a screening of Fight Club. After two months of discussing it together, we will watch it together. Come watch, reflect, and connect with the VBC community.
    

• We have Reading Nights, Community Book Exchanges, and more on the horizon. Stay tuned for more details.

Previously at VBC:

If you’re curious for the specifics, check out our past newsletters and discussions, find them HERE.

Thanks for reading. Talk to you soon.
Share this with a friend or on your socials and tag us!

Stay Connected:

• Have thoughts on or questions about this newsletter? Reply to this email!

• If you attended a VBC event in the past, we’d love your feedback HERE.

• IG: @thevenicebookclub

• Tiktok:@thevenicebookclub

• Substack: @thevenicebookclub

• Email: thevenicebookclub@gmail.com

• Register HERE on Luma for all the events and to reserve your spots at the circles!

​Welcome to our new weekly newsletter where we will discuss current discussion topics, upcoming events, and some recommendations. Whether you are new here, have been a regular since the beginning, have been meaning to make it to an event, or anything in-between: thank you for being a part of this community; we are so happy you’re here!

​Thank you to everyone who attended our Pizza & Books Social with Prince Street Pizza! We all came together and voted for our next book. The winner is……

​Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk!

​Fight Club is a 1996 gritty psychological thriller and social satire. It uses an unnamed, unreliable narrator to dismantle the hollow promise of consumerism and the crisis of modern masculinity. Through a secret society of bare-knuckle brawls, the story explores a descent into mental illness, where the line between self-improvement and self-destruction completely vanishes. Fun right? We’ll see.

​This cycle might feel a little uncomfortable. Maybe because of the book, or maybeo because of what it brings up.

​Some Themes we will be Discussing:

• ​Masculinity, stripped of performance

• ​Emotion, and where it actually goes

• ​Mental health/numbness in the 21st century

• ​Culture of consumerism and consumer identity

• ​Why people look for something to wake them up

​Some Questions We’ll be asking:

• ​What does it mean to be a man right now… and how does that impact us all?

• ​What happens when life starts to feel flat?

• ​What do you do to feel your feelings?

• ​What do you do with anger?

• ​How much of you is real vs performed?

• ​What is so seductive about Fight Club?

​The goal of VBC has always been to create safe spaces for discussions and connections and we will do just that. Come curious, come open. You never know what you will learn or who you will inspire.

​We know some of you may buy the book to read along with us, we at VBC encourage you to support your local book stores and/or local libraries. Shopping locally keeps your dollars circulating at home, directly fueling the jobs and services that make your neighborhood thrive. It’s the fastest way to invest in your community’s unique character while supporting a neighbor’s dream. See our list of recommendations below.

As always, we at VBC are so grateful and excited to continue to learn alongside you all.

See you at the Circle.

​♥️,
Emily from VBC

​P.S. If you like getting a newsletter and want to share more of your thoughts as you read, should we start a group chat on Substack? Let me know ;)

​Upcoming VBC Events:

​VBC meets every other week on Thursday for a structured discussion about our current book. We call this format “The Circle.”

• ​Upcoming Circle’s on Fight Club. Reserve your spots HERE.

  • ​April 9 (to ch. 5)

  • ​April 23 (to ch. 15)

  • ​May 7 (to ch. 24)

  • ​May 21 (to ch. 30)
    

• ​VBC After Hours Reading Night is back!

  • ​We heard you! You want more! We got you. Another quiet Reading Night at Saba! April 30th.RSVP HERE.

  • ​This one is for the introverts. We’re taking the energy of the circle and turning the volume down. Saba’s outdoor space is for quiet reading. Inside is for conversation. You can drift freely through both.

  • ​Just like the circle, we’re keeping this one analog. No phones or laptops, just shared presence over warm drinks.
    

• ​VBC x The KINN Movie Night: Fight Club Edition. Register HERE

  • ​At VBC, we always say It’s Not About the Book, and on May 23rd from 6:00-9:30pm, it’s actually about the movie.

  • ​​Join us at The KINN for a screening of Fight Club. After two months of discussing it together, we will watch it together. Come watch, reflect, and connect with the VBC community.
    

• ​We have Reading Nights, Community Book Exchanges, and more on the horizon. Stay tuned for details.

​The Inner Circle

​The Inner Circle is a list of VBC’s recommendations for you to engage with from within our community.

• ​Our friend and Spiritual Coach Dan Pfister, is hosting a FREE event at Peak Design on Abbot Kinney TONIGHT April 7th at 6:45 pm called Reconnecting with Aliveness.

  • ​The evening will include a brief guided meditation, fun minigames, and heartfelt discussion to invite you back into your own aliveness. You’ll take away strategies and tools to build on that and share with others after the event. RSVP HERE.

  • ​Connect with him and his work here.
    

• ​Friend of VBC, Sage Local, is having the first of a monthly series, the Sage Market Spring Social on Saturday, April 11 from 10:00 AM - 2:00 pm.

  • ​It is a backyard market focused on local makers/farmers and re-connecting with growing food. It’ll have a dj, giveaways, a raffle with some big prizes, drinks, food for purchase etc. entry is free, they just ask people to register online, HERE.
    

• ​Local Bookstores Recommended by You All:

  • ​Village Well Books & Coffee (Culver City)

  • ​The Ripped Bodice (Culver City)

  • ​Small World Books (Venice <3 and they have a cat!!)

  • ​Undead Bookshop (LA Based, they’re mobile, check out their IG to find them!)

  • ​Good Girl Books Venice (Mar Vista - I got my copy of Fight Club here!)

  • ​Book Soup (West Hollywood)

  • ​The Iliad Bookshop (North Hollywood)

  • ​Diesel (Brentwood)

  • ​Skylight Books (Los Feliz)

  • ​The Last Book Store (Downtown)

  • ​Stories (Silverlake)

​Thank you to everyone who submitted. We know there are more places out there, let us know if we should include any others!

​Have an event, project, or another recommendation you’d like us to shout out? DM or email us to have it included!

​Previously at VBC:

​If you’re curious for the specifics, check out our past newsletters and discussions, find them HERE.

​Thanks for reading. Talk to you soon.

​Stay Connected:

• ​Have thoughts or questions? Reply to this email!

• ​If you attended a VBC event in the past, we’d love your feedback HERE.

• ​IG: @thevenicebookclub

• ​Tiktok:@thevenicebookclub

• ​Substack: @thevenicebookclub

• ​Email: thevenicebookclub@gmail.com

• ​Register HERE on Luma for all the events and to reserve your spots at the circles!

Welcome back to VBC’s weekly newsletter where we will inform you about upcoming events, current discussion topics, and recaps of last discussion. I’m sorry it’s a day later than usual, please forgive me!!<3

We officially ended our series on Wild. It was thoughtful, honest, and deeply engaged. Keep reading for a recap of the final meeting and the final thoughts on it.

The goal of VBC has always been to create spaces for discussion, connection, and maybe even change some hearts and minds in the process. As always, we at VBC are overflowing with gratitude and are excited to continue to learn alongside you all.

Speaking of continuing to learn, our next book will be decided with your help at an event tomorrow, April 2nd with a new partner of ours: Prince Street Pizza! We will be voting on some books our members have suggested (keep reading to find out which ones we’ll be voting on), eating pizza, and getting to know each other. Did I say that the pizza will be buy one get one for members of VBC? Because it’s true! Just mention Venice Book Club to staff at checkout to receive a BOGO slice. Register HERE.

Whether you have been a regular since the beginning, have been meaning to make it to an event, or anything in-between: thank you for being a part of this community. We are so happy you’re here. Like always, we welcome your thoughts and we hope you get involved (see the end of the newsletter for ways to connect)! Keep reading for recaps from the last discussion on Wild, the book list we will be voting on, and our upcoming events along with some recommendations from within the VBC community.

Hope to see you all soon.

With excitement,
Emily from VBC

Here’s What We Discussed at the Circle:

Chapters 8-21: Themes of Redemption, Transformation, Completion and Closure.

Key Discussion Questions:

• What changes in Cheryl in this passage?

• Can you own something you did wrong without needing to keep punishing yourself for it?

• Have you ever been the villain in someone else’s story, and known you were still right?

• Did Cheryl actually change, or does she just understand herself differently now?

• Have you ever believed someone didn’t deserve redemption?

• Do you ever really shed your old self, or is it always a part of you?

• What’s the difference between being redeemed… and deciding you don’t need redemption?

Key takeaways:

• The discussion began with a comparison of our last book, Siddhartha by Herman Hesse (A 1922 novel that follows a young Indian Brahmin, Siddhartha, on a spiritual quest for enlightenment during the time of the Buddha. He abandons his privileged life, trying asceticism, worldly pleasures, and immense wealth, finally finding true peace through wisdom, patience, and learning from a river) to Wild by Cheryl Strayed, (A 2021 memoir about hiking the PCT alone in 1995 to heal from grief, drug use, and divorce. Starting with zero experience, she faces extreme physical, mental, and environmental challenges, ultimately finding redemption and self-acceptance on the arduous journey).

• While I know it sounds like a strange comparison given the vast differences in genre, style, author, time, setting, etc., but we did do this intentionally. We wanted to illuminate how stories really transcend time and context. In short, both protagonists were lost and struggling to find themselves at any cost. People had some strong opinions, such as Cheryl was polarizing, self sabotaging, and an unreliable narrator, and Siddartha was a self aggravating nepotism baby. Funnily enough, there was widespread dislike of both characters.

  • Shout out ✨Jennifer✨ for catching this, raising this question, and inspiring a group discussion!

• There was a discussion of how they were both a bit self absorbed and hurt a lot of people in the process of finding themselves. Some members felt that, at the end of the day, both are such human stories and on some level everyone can relate to wanting to blow up their life and unfortunately having to go on a journey to put the pieces back together.

• This led to an interesting discussion on whether it is a privilege to explore yourself and go on a physical journey to find yourself, like the PCT or even just float around and explore it. Some were bothered by people for that reason, one even said they both “reeked of unawareness.” Some examples were that Cheryl and Siddartha had a safety net of relationships and wealth. Can you have privilege and not know any better?

• Others said Cheryl wasn’t really privileged, pointing to her lack of family, her childhood trauma, and her often relying on a $20 bill in her resupply box. Towards the end it, while still polarizing people, seemed to warm up to both characters, because they had been there in some way and said that looking back it’s easier to see how you feel about it.

Ok enough chit chat, on to the discussion:

Passage we started with: “What if I forgave myself? I thought. What if I forgave myself even though I’d done something I shouldn’t have? What if I was a liar and a cheat and there was no excuse for what I’d done other than because it was what I wanted and needed to do? What if I was sorry, but if I could go back in time I wouldn’t do anything differently than I had done? What if I’d actually wanted to fuck every one of those men? What if heroin taught me something? What if yes was the right answer instead of no? What if what made me do all those things everyone thought I shouldn’t have done was what also had got me here? What if I was never redeemed? What if I already was?” p.311-312

• At this point in the story, people felt that Cheryl is finally changing. When she finally discusses forgiving herself. The question of “what changed?” was raised. Many said it was her coping skills, some said it was her ability to actually allow and acknowledge forgiveness.

• Others however, felt a little cynical. Maybe this plot point of self-forgiveness on a beautiful lake after having sex with a beautiful man just made narrative sense and improved the story. Was it invented? Could this hike and this time away truly give her what she needed? Or was it what she could make send if in her mind? Was it just good writing? We discussed it.

• Some felt that with hindsight, that she could have given it meaning when reflecting on it. People equated this to times in their lives when they didn’t know how important it was until distance had passed. Time can make anything make sense and can give anything meaning.

• We discussed what redemption means. The hardest thing isn’t just forgiveness. One member compared the stages of forgiveness to stages of grief and asked the question, does forgiveness end with redemption? According to Cheryl, yes, and a lot felt that they were intertwined and that they agreed.

• Others felt that being free from bondage of your past was the true redemption. The feeling that it was a true testament of survival, that however you got there and when it’s over you just have to climb out of it. Survival and redemption ultimately look different to everyone.

• Others referenced the popular book Power of Now (🪺) and how the author discusses “removing the pain-body” and how Cheryl is a perfect example of this.

• Some say that to change you have to leave your old tools and carve a new path. Cheryl’s identity is changing, she is no longer “junk.” She is changing and regaining a sense of self free of others’ reliance or opinions. Shame appears so often through the eyes of others and that this was the first time I was looking at herself through her own eyes and not someone else’s.

• Sometimes being self indulgent is necessary for growth. Need to allow yourself to grow and be who you are now not as a child. Bring who you are with no judgment. Cheryl is very open about how she was a mess.

• Shout out to ✨JT ✨who reminded us that this story is not just about grief, but joy in discovery and implored us to find that joy and allow ourselves it.

• I hope that this series can leave some of these lessons and reminders that were discussed that these meetings with you all:

  • Stay curious about yourself, to learn, and to grow.

  • Choose yourself and allow yourself to find joy even when it’s messy.

  • Pushing yourself to the brink is not the only way to earn redemption, but sometimes it is very necessary.

  • Redemption might not be found externally, it may be the simple idea of accepting and loving oneself.

  • The concluding thoughts were about how this was a true hero’s journey. While Cheryl told it through a physical journey, the journey was really about a relationship with herself. Learning to love and be loved. What it means to heal and, a reminder and a call back to our first book The Alchemist, that the answers are always within you.

Huge thank you to everyone who contributed to these discussions. You are all so insightful, smart, multifaceted, illuminating, funny, witty, and so many more adjectives! I truly can’t wait to see where the discussions go next.

Upcoming VBC Events:

• As mentioned above, our next book will be decided with your help at an event on April 2nd with a new partner of ours: Prince Street Pizza! Register HERE

  • Venice Book Club isn’t really about the book, that’s just the entry point. We use books as a mirror to discuss how we think, what we believe, and maybe even what we’re avoiding. The way we do that is simple. We sit in a circle, read together, and talk. So tomorrow isn’t just about picking a book, it’s about deciding what kind of conversation we want to step into next.
    
    

  • We will be voting on the following books (suggested by VBC members!):

• Fight Club: Chuck Palahniuk’s debut novel from 1996, is a satirical and postmodern work about an unnamed, insomniac narrator who finds an escape from his mundane, consumerist life through a secret, underground fight club with the charismatic Tyler Durden, which evolves into a larger anti-establishment movement. Is modern masculinity broken?

• Yellowface: A 2023 satirical novel by R.F. Kuang follows struggling white author June Hayward as she steals and publishes the manuscript of her recently deceased Chinese-American rival, Athena Liu, rebranding herself as “Juniper Song” to capitalize on the work, which details the experiences of Chinese laborers in WWI. Who gets to tell a story?

• The Power: By Naomi Alderman is a speculative fiction novel where teenage girls develop the ability to generate and discharge electricity, causing immense pain or death, which drastically upends global gender dynamics and power structures. The story follows several characters as this new ability emerges, exploring how society, politics, and personal lives are transformed as women gain a physical advantage, forcing a re-evaluation of gender roles and power imbalances. The book, a bestseller and winner of the Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction, is known for its provocative exploration of gender, power, and societal norms. What happens when women hold all the power?

• Parable of the Sower: By Octavia E. Butler is an acclaimed dystopian novel written in 1993 following Lauren Olamina, who escapes her destroyed, climate-ravaged California gated community to travel north, developing a new religion called Earthseed (”God is Change”). What are you willing to build in a broken world?

• VBC After Hours is back!

  • We heard you! You want more! We got you. Another Reading Night at Saba! April 30th. RSVP here.

• We have Reading Nights, Community Book Exchanges, and more on the horizon. Stay tuned for more details.

The Inner Circle: Recommendations from VBC!

The Inner Circle is a list of VBC’s recommendations for you to engage with from within our community.

• Our friend and Spiritual Coach Dan Pfister, is hosting a FREE event at Peak Design on Abbot Kinney on April 7th called Reconnecting with Aliveness.

  • The evening will include a brief guided meditation, fun minigames, and heartfelt discussion to invite you back into your own aliveness. You’ll take away strategies and tools to build on that and share with others after the event. RSVP here.

  • Connect with him and his work here.
    
    

• Saba’s Third Space Thursdays! (except VBC Thursdays of course😚)

  • Huge thank you to Saba for always hosting us. I recommend you all to check out their Third Space Thursday events, where they really focus on an analog evening
    to connect with others. Find them at their Insta HERE and their Partiful HERE.
    
    

• What some of us are reading:

  • Chelsea is reading The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali

  • Izzie is reading Total Meditation by Deepak Chopra

  • Molly is reading Just Kids by Patti Smith

  • Khushi is reading If I Survive by Jonathan Escoffery - and she got this at a VBC event, love that!

  • Annika is reading East of Eden by John Steinbeck

  • Chloe is reading Dawnshard by Brandon Sanderson

  • Constanza is reading Mythic Worlds, Modern Words: On the Art of James Joyce by Joseph Campbell

  • Mark is reading The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab

  • Sarah shared that she’s reading smut? Has anyone heard of this book and can shed some light here? 🙈

Have an event or project you’d like us to shout out? DM or email us to have it included!

Previously at VBC:

When discussing Wild, we’ve explored grief, resilience, what it means to keep going when you feel unprepared, Self Sabotage, Perseverance, Grit, Behavior Patterns. The conversations have only gotten deeper. If you’re curious for the specifics, check out our past newsletters and discussions, find them HERE.

Thanks for reading. Talk to you soon.

Stay Connected:

• Have thoughts on or questions about this newsletter? Reply to this email!

• If you attended a VBC event in the past, we’d love your feedback HERE.

• IG: @thevenicebookclub

• Tiktok:@thevenicebookclub

• Substack: @thevenicebookclub

• Email: thevenicebookclub@gmail.com

• Register here on Luma for all the events and to reserve your spots at the circles!

Welcome back to VBC’s weekly newsletter where we will inform you about upcoming events and current discussion topics.

Thank you to everyone who made it to our reading night last week. It was wonderful spending time with everyone and sharing that space. We will definitely be hosting more of those, so stay tuned. If you attended a VBC event in the past, we’d love your feedback HERE.

We’re nearing the end of our series on Wild, and, like I said last week, it’s been one of our strongest series yet. Thoughtful, honest, and deeply engaged. The goal has always been to create spaces for discussion, connection, and maybe even change some hearts and minds in the process. As always, we at VBC are overflowing with gratitude and cannot wait to keep learning alongside you all.

I know everyone is curious to know what direction we’re going in for our next book – we are too. Our next book will be decided with your help at an event on April 2nd with a new partner of ours: Prince Street Pizza! We will be voting on some books our members have suggested, eating pizza, and getting to know each other. Did I say that the pizza will be buy one get one for members of VBC? Because it’s true! Just mention Venice Book Club to staff at checkout to receive a BOGO slice. Register HERE.

Whether you have been a regular since the beginning, have been meaning to make it to an event, or anything in-between: thank you for being a part of this community. We are so happy you’re here. Like always, we welcome your thoughts and we hope you get involved (see the end of the newsletter for ways to connect)! Keep reading for a preview of this week’s circle, some VBC recommendations, and our upcoming events.

Hope to see you all soon.

With gratitude,
Emily from VBC

Here’s a Sneak Preview of What’s to Come at this Week’s Circle:**

Chapters 8-21: Themes of Redemption, Transformation, Completion and Closure.

Discussion Questions:**

• What is your reaction to Cheryl losing her boots at this point in the book compared to your initial reaction in the prologue?

• How did Cheryl’s response to having no water differ from her responses to other stressful events earlier in her journey?

• Do you ever really “shed” your old self or is it always a part of you?

• What does Cheryl actually gain by refusing to rewrite her past?

• Is it possible to take full responsibility for what you did without feeling like you’re stuck apologizing for it?

• What’s the difference between being redeemed and deciding you don’t need redemption?

• Have you ever been the villain in someone else’s story, and known you were still right?

**we will be adding to this. Feel free to send us any questions you think would be fun or interesting for the group to discuss, if it fits we’ll add it.

Parks’ Favorite Quote while reading this section:

“What if I forgave myself? I thought. What if I forgave myself even though I’d done something I shouldn’t have? What if I was a liar and a cheat and there was no excuse for what I’d done other than because it was what I wanted and needed to do? What if I was sorry, but if I could go back in time I wouldn’t do anything differently than I had done? What if I’d actually wanted to fuck every one of those men? What if heroin taught me something? What if yes was the right answer instead of no? What if what made me do all those things everyone thought I shouldn’t have done was what also had got me here? What if I was never redeemed? What if I already was?”

Upcoming VBC Events:

• WILD MOVIE NIGHT AT THE KINN!

  • At VBC, we always say It’s not about the book, and on March 28th from 6-9pm, it’s actually about the movie.

  • ​If you’ve made it to one of our discussions on Wild, join us at The KINN for a cozy screening of the movie. After two months of discussing it together, we’re bringing it to the screen. Come watch, reflect, and connect with the VBC community. Register HERE.
    
    

• Like mentioned above, our next book will be decided with your help at an event on April 2nd with a new partner of ours: Prince Street Pizza! Register HERE

  • This one is for the extroverts. The event is meant to be a social gathering where you can come and we’ll vote on our next book together. Prince Street is going to be running a VBC special: BOGO pizza.

  • Bring friends, come hangout with your neighbors, the VBC community, enjoy some pizza, and maybe even join a book club.

  • Can’t make the event? No worries, add a book to our “Bookshelf” for future consideration here and anytime at the link in our IG bio.

• We have more Reading Nights and Community Book Exchanges on the horizon. Stay tuned for more details.

The Inner Circle: Recommendations from VBC!

The Inner Circle is a list of VBC’s recommendations for you to engage with from within our community.

• Our friend and Spiritual Coach Dan Pfister, is hosting a FREE event at Peak Design on Abbot Kinney on April 7th called Reconnecting with Aliveness.

  • The evening will include a brief guided meditation, fun minigames, and heartfelt discussion to invite you back into your own aliveness. You’ll take away strategies and tools to build on that and share with others after the event. RSVP here.

  • Connect with him and his work here.

• A Friend of VBC member suggested for everyone to check out The Wild Flower Hotline.

  • Call the number for the best locations for viewing spring wildflowers in Southern and Central California - it is updated weekly.

  • Happy Spring!!🌸

• What some of us are reading (besides Wild):

  • Emily is reading Many Lives, Many Masters by Brian Weiss

  • Kelly is reading Circe by Madeline Miller

  • Izzie is reading It Begins with You by Jillian Turecki

  • JT is reading The Artists Way by Julia Cameron

  • Justin is reading The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

Have an event or project you’d like us to shout out? DM or email us to have it included!

Previously at VBC:

When discussing Wild, we’ve explored grief, resilience, what it means to keep going when you feel unprepared, Self Sabotage, Perseverance, Grit, Behavior Patterns. The conversations have only gotten deeper. If you’re curious for the specifics, check out our past newsletters HERE.

Thanks for reading. Talk to you soon.

Stay Connected:

• Have thoughts or questions about this newsletter? Reply to this email!

• IG: @thevenicebookclub

• Tiktok:@thevenicebookclub

• Substack: @thevenicebookclub

• Email: thevenicebookclub@gmail.com

• Register here on Luma for all the events and to reserve your spots at the circles!

Welcome back to VBC’s weekly newsletter where we will inform you about upcoming events, current discussion topics, and recaps of last discussion.

We’re nearing the end of Wild, and it’s been one of our strongest series yet. Thoughtful, honest, and deeply engaged. The goal has always been to create spaces for discussion, connection, and maybe even change some hearts and minds in the process. As always, we at VBC are overflowing with gratitude and cannot wait to keep learning alongside you all.

I know what you’re thinking, “BUT EMILY, WHAT IS VBC GOING TO READ NEXT????” No need to panic! The next book will be decided with your help at an event on April 2nd with a new partner of ours: Prince Street Pizza! We will be voting on some books our members have suggested, eating pizza, avoiding the hard talks of the Circle (for now!), and getting to know each other. We can’t wait to see what you all want to read! Did I say that the pizza will be buy one get one for members of VBC? Because it’s true! Just mention Venice Book Club to staff at checkout to receive a BOGO slice. Register HERE.

Like I always say: whether you have been a regular since the beginning, have been meaning to make it to an event, or anything in-between: thank you for being a part of this community. We are so happy you’re here. Like always, we welcome your thoughts and we hope you get involved!

Keep reading for recaps from our past discussions, this one is particularly juicy, our upcoming events, and some recommendations from within the VBC community.

With love,
Emily

Here’s What We’ve Been Discussing at the Circle:

Circle #3: Chapters 7-11: Theme of Self Sabotage, Turning Points, and Pain that Hurts the Right Way.

Key Questions:

• What moment(s) in the passages of Cheryl dabbing with heroin is the real turning point of no return?

• What story does Cheryl tell herself that allows her to keep going?

• Why do you think people sometimes move toward things they know will hurt them?

• What does self-sabotage give Joe and Cheryl?

• Can self-sabotage ever be useful?

• Have you ever recognized yourself in a pattern while you were still inside of it?

• Why do you think Cheryl insists she loves Paul even while signing the divorce papers?

• What has changed in Cheryl at the moment where she realizes she “was still the woman with the hole in her heart, but the hole had gotten ever so infinitesimally smaller” ?

• Have you ever had a hole in your heart? Does it get smaller or do you grow around it?

Key takeaways:

• Members came out swinging for this group – it was full of great discussion and sharp points.

• Before even diving into the passages, the group started out strong with most people agreeing that self sabotage can be useful if it pushes you forward or maybe doesn’t slow you down. People pointed to perfectionism, avoidance, and living lives that don’t serve you as different forms of self sabotage.

• There was a debate on the difference between an unconscious vs conscious choice to self sabotage as many pointed out that we don’t realize the harm we’re causing until we look back on it.

• Some saw it as a controlled burn: Cheryl was destroying the old version of herself to make room for something new. Others thought that because she didn’t die doing heroin or on the PCT, because she lived to tell the tale, that it became a heroic story arc. Some cited it as luck. Some were just annoyed by her. The question is: what payoff is worth altering your life for?

• Another question was raised, what’s the line of sabotage vs preservation? There’s obviously a difference between redownloading Hinge vs shooting up heroin, and we talked about both. But either there is something almost safe in your bad behaviors. Is the devil you know better than the devil you don’t?

• The conversation turned to semantics. Some people felt that the group was using self harm and self sabotage interchangeably when they are different. One member pointed out that we shouldn’t get lost in the words of it all because we intuitively know what it means. Others pushed back that semantics are crucial for framing.

• Most people felt there was a clear turning point when Cheryl said “I get to be junk” as a justification for her decisions. Did her sense of grief turn into a loss of self and therefore lack of care? Or was the pain so much that she just wanted to feel something else? Both? Neither? Some argued it was a form of self harm to feel something that wasn’t grief, others felt it was a sort of relief from the pain of grief.

• When discussing the end of Cheryl’s marriage to Paul, we discussed the actual moment described when they are signing divorce papers. Cheryl tells the notary that she loves Paul and that the divorce is all her fault. This moment was seen as a reckoning with how she’s perceived. Somehow, after everything, she is still worried about this.

• We discussed how the end of a relationship does not equal failure. People reflected on times when they knew they needed to leave but may not have.

• Most found her to be codependent and that this led her to abuse both sex and drugs. I pointed out an interview where Cheryl called herself a “dabbler” and said how she was not an addict. This led back into the self sabotage vs self harm debate: was she leaving to ruin her life or to hurt herself? Some said both, some said neither.

• Heroin was juxtaposed with her relationship. People pointed out how she had to physically leave from both relationships to truly escape them. We discuss how she never says she leaves heroin, she leaves Joe. There was another debate of active quitting vs. passive letting go or setting something free.

• As we reach the halfway point of the PCT with Cheryl, we read a passage where she seems to finally feel the hole in her heart grow “infinitesimally smaller”, like she is finally okay with being alive. Once we got past the word infinitesimally, the group touched on grief again and the different holes they have in their hearts. Some reflected on how the holes change or hold different forms, whether the hole changes or you do. One member said that you look at the hole or grief from different angles and it affects you differently as time goes on, but it never goes away. Many said that they didn’t want it to go away, that that pain keeps the memory and the love alive.

• We talked about the difference between grief from a breakup and grief from loss. While one fades, the other stays with you.

Throughout the whole night, debates were hot, opinions were expressed, and people were NOT afraid to disagree or push back. Grief and memories were shared, people stayed respectful, and conversation was lively and ever so insightful. Thank you again to everyone who contributed.

Upcoming VBC Events:

VBC meets every other week on Thursday for a structured discussion about our current book. We call this format “The Circle.”

• We’re about to finish Wild by Cheryl Strayed! Our last Circle on this book will be:

  • March 26 (Chapters 8-21)

  • Register here on Luma for all the details and to reserve your spot!

• Our next event is a Reading Night at Saba Coffee Shop on March 19th from 6:30-9:30, link here to register!

  • This one is for the introverts. We know the circle can get intense, so this event is meant to be a lowkey, analog social where you can read quietly or socialize.

  • If you’re curious about VBC and looking for a low-stakes entry-point, this event is for you.

• MOVIE NIGHT AT THE KINN!

  • At VBC, we always say It’s not about the book, and on March 28th from 6-9pm, it’s actually about the movie.

  • ​Join us at The KINN for a cozy screening of Wild. After two months of discussing it together, we’re bringing it to the screen. Come watch, reflect, and connect with the VBC community. Register HERE.

• Like mentioned above, our next book will be decided with your help at an event on April 2nd with a new partner of ours: Prince Street Pizza! Register HERE

  • This one is for the extroverts. The event is meant to be a social gathering where you can come and we’ll vote on our next book together. Prince Street is going to be running a VBC special: BOGO pizza.

  • Bring friends, come hangout with your neighbors, the VBC community, enjoy some pizza, and maybe even join a book club. More details coming soon!

• Can’t make the event? No worries, add a book to our “Bookshelf” for future consideration here and anytime at the link in our IG bio.

The Inner Circle: Recommendations from VBC!

The Inner Circle is a list of VBC’s recommendations for you to engage with from within our community.

• Our friend and Spiritual Coach Dan Pfister, is hosting a FREE event at Peak Design on Abbot Kinney on April 7th called Reconnecting with Aliveness.

  • The evening will include a brief guided meditation, fun minigames, and heartfelt discussion to invite you back into your own aliveness. You’ll take away strategies and tools to build on that and share with others after the event. RSVP here.

  • Connect with him and his work here.

• Carlos Vasquez, is the Founder & CEO of HTB Consulting Group, an Executive Coach & Keynote Speaker, a Podcast Host, Author and a friend of VBC. He is hosting a super interesting event Wednesday, March 18 at the KINN about Human-Centered Leadership In The Age Of AI. Get your tickets here.

  • Connect with him and his work here.

• A VBC member shared a unique Monarch Restoration Volunteer Opportunity that allows participants a chance to help restore fire impacted wild spaces for a newly established monarch butterfly population in the Santa Monica Mountains. Check it out here.

• What some of us are reading (besides Wild):

  • Parks is reading Vigil by George Saunders

  • Emily is reading Happy Place by Emily Henry

  • Blaise is reading Guide to Investing by Robert Kiyosaki

  • Milo is reading Theo of Golden by Allen Levi

  • Timber is reading The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoevsky

Have an event or project you’d like us to shout out? DM or email us to have it included!

Previously at VBC:

We’ve explored grief, resilience, and what it means to keep going when you feel unprepared. The conversations have only gotten deeper. If you’re curious for the specifics, check out our past newsletters for more information.

Thanks for reading. Talk to you next week.

Stay Connected:

• Have thoughts or questions about this newsletter? Reply to this email!

• IG: @thevenicebookclub

• Tiktok:@thevenicebookclub

• Substack: @thevenicebookclub

• Email: thevenicebookclub@gmail.com

• Register here on Luma for all the events and to reserve your spots at the circles!

Welcome back to VBC’s weekly newsletter where we will inform you about upcoming events and current discussion topics. Whether you have been a regular since the beginning, have been meaning to make it to an event, or anything in-between: thank you for being a part of this community. We are so happy you’re here. Like always, we welcome your thoughts and we hope you get involved!

• If you have any questions or suggestions:

  • DM us on instagram @thevenicebookclub (also follow us while you’re there), or

  • Email us at thevenicebookclub@gmail.com, or

  • Reply to this email!

• If you like getting a newsletter and want to share more of your thoughts as you read, follow us on Substack. Should we start a group chat on substack? Let me know ;)

• Register here on Luma for all the events and to reserve your spots at the circles!

Keep reading for a preview of this week’s circle, upcoming events, and recap from the previous Circles on this book. Hope to see you all soon.

- Emily from VBC

Here’s a Sneak Preview of What’s to Come at this Weeks Circle:**

Chapters 7-11: Theme of Self Sabotage, Perseverance, Grit, Behavior Patterns

• What moment(s) in these passages is the real turning point of no return?

• What story does Cheryl tell herself that allows her to keep going?

• Why do you think people sometimes move toward things they know will hurt them?

• What does self-sabotage give Joe and Cheryl?

• Have you ever recognized yourself in a pattern while you were still inside of it?

• Have you ever had a hole in your heart? Does it get smaller or do you grow around it?

• Can self sabotage ever be useful?

**we will be adding to this. Also, feel free to send us any questions you think it would be fun for the group to discuss, if it fits we’ll add it.

My Favorite Quote while reading this section (no context makes it better):

“I went to Monster and took out the cigarette in the faux-glass case that Jimmy Carter had given me earlier that day. I didn’t smoke, but I broke the case open anyway, sat on top of the picnic table, and lit the cigarette. I’d been on the PCT for a little more than a month. It seemed like a long time and also it seemed like my trip had just begun, like I was only now digging into whatever it was I was out here to do. Like I was still the woman with the hole in her heart, but the hole had gotten ever so infinitesimally smaller. I took a drag and blew the smoke from my mouth, remembering how I’d felt more alone than anyone in the whole wide world that morning after Jimmy Carter drove away. Maybe I was more alone than anyone in the whole wide world. Maybe that was okay.”

Upcoming Events:

• VBC meets every other week on Thursday for a structured discussion about our current book. We call this format “The Circle.”

• We’re halfway through reading Wild by Cheryl Strayed! Our next two Circles are:

  • March 12 (Chapters 7-11)

  • March 26 (Chapters 8-21)

  • Register here on Luma for all the details and to reserve your spots!

• Our next event is a Reading Night at Saba Coffee Shop on March 19th from 6:30-9:30, link here to register!

  • This one is for the introverts. We know the circle can get intense, so this event is meant to be a lowkey, analog social where you can read quietly or socialize.

  • If you’re curious about VBC and looking for a low-stakes entry-point, this event is for you.

• Our next book will be decided with your help at an event on April 2nd with a new partner of ours: Prince Street Pizza!

  • This one is for the extroverts. The event is meant to be a social gathering where you can come and we’ll vote on our next book together. Prince Street is going to be running a VBC special: BOGO pizza.

  • Bring friends, come hangout with your neighbors, the VBC community, enjoy some pizza, and maybe even join a book club. More details coming soon!

• Can’t make the event? No worries, add a book to our “Bookshelf” for future consideration here and anytime at the link in our IG bio.

What We’ve Been Discussing at the Previous Circles:

Circle 1: Theme of Grief, Loss, and New Beginnings
Discussed: Prologue and Chapters 1-3

Key Questions Discussed:

• Why start the book with losing a boot?

• Does this scene feel brave, reckless, or both?

• Have you ever had a small event reveal a much larger fracture?

• Why does Cheryl say her journey had many beginnings?

• Have you ever committed to something and then immediately regretted it? Is regret part of initiation?

• What version of herself is Cheryl walking away from?

• Have you ever walked away from a version of yourself?

Key takeaways from the group:

• There was a deep connection with grief and vulnerability within the group. Some of the long time members called back to when we discussed Tuesdays with Morrie and how there was a similar sadness that they reflected on.

• Members felt very connected to Cheryl as they have all felt grief and processed it differently. The group discussed how truly heart breaking it would be to experience something and, for lack of a better words, “her crashout was valid.”

• There was a debate about whether one healing journey is more valid than another, with people referring back to our previous book, Siddartha, as that discussed a journey of self discovery although he was not recovering from loss, but rather coping with being chronically unfound.

• People opened up and shared personal stories of grief, loss, and recovery. To maintain the sanctity of the safe space of the Circle, we’re just going to leave it there.

Circle 2: Theme of Strength, Overcoming Obstacles, Grit

Discussed: Chapters 3-6

Key Questions Discussed:

• How well prepared was Cheryl for this hike? Where in your life have you overpacked because you didn’t trust yourself?

• Have you ever felt wildly unprepared, and still gone anyway?

• What role do other people play in whether we quit?

• Have you ever stayed in something because someone treated you like you were capable?

• What version of herself does Greg see that Cheryl can’t yet see?

• What version of yourself do you see?

Key Takeaways from the Group:

• The group expressed deep sympathy and, for some, empathy with what Cheryl was feeling after the loss of her mother: her family separating due to grief, her infidelity and subsequent dissolution of her marriage, and her stint with drugs.

• These deep feelings of sorrow and sympathy, were coupled by simultaneous frustration with how ill-prepared she was. People were generally unhappy with Cheryl’s reckless approach to the PCT. They found it to be in her nature as a character to have never done something like this. Some were charmed, others were frustrated.

• There was a sentiment that while she had all the “things” she needed, she was still very ill-equipped to embark on this journey. People mentioned specifically the weight of her backpack and how she could not even lift it as a glaring example. However, others felt that her grit and desire and sheer will was better than any preparation a seasoned backpacker could bring on the trail. This led to a discussion of times when those in the circle faced similar challenges, felt ill-prepared and still went, or when they were at their wits end and threw caution to the wind.

• There was a lot of discussion around her self sabotaging nature. The group debated whether this hike was a part of that or a last ditch effort to save herself from the version of her that was going down a path of full self destruction, with more drug use and promiscuous behavior. Some said nature was healing and pointed to how Cheryl constantly associates her mother with nature and this was a way to get back to that person. Some said this seemed like she didn’t care enough about herself to think that much further into the future and her attitude was very much, if she died out there, so be it!

• Towards the end of the night, we discussed Cheryl wanting to quit and how an interaction with a stranger, Greg, kept her on the path. This led to a discussion on the impacts of strangers on our lives. One member even recounted a story of how encouragement of a stranger’s years changed her outlook and it still resonates with her today. This was the final thought of the night as a group: be that kind stranger, you never know what someone is really going through.

That’s all for now. Talk soon.

Reminder:

• If you have any questions or suggestions:

  • DM us on instagram @thevenicebookclub (also follow us while you’re there), or

  • Email us at thevenicebookclub@gmail.com, or

  • Reply to this email!

• If you like getting a newsletter and want more or to share more of your thoughts as you read, follow us on Substack. Should we start a group chat on substack? Let me know ;)

  Leave a comment

Welcome to our new weekly newsletter where we will discuss upcoming events and current discussion topics. Whether you have been a regular since the beginning, have been meaning to make it to an event, or anything in-between: thank you for being a part of this community, we are so happy you’re here. We also welcome your thoughts. If you have any questions or suggestions, DM (also follow us while you’re there) us on instagram (@thevenicebookclub) or email us at thevenicebookclub@gmail.com.

Upcoming Events:

• VBC meets every other week on Thursday for a structured discussion about our current book. We call this format “The Circle.”

• We’re halfway through reading Wild by Cheryl Strayed! Our next two Circles are:

  • March 12 (Chapters 7-11)

  • March 26 (Chapters 8-21)

  • Register here on Luma for all the details and to reserve your spots!

• Our next event is a Reading Night at Saba Coffee Shop on March 19th from 6:30-9:30, link here to register!

  • This one is for the introverts. The event is meant to be a lowkey, analog social where you can read quietly or socialize.

• Our next book will be decided with your help at an event on April 2nd with a new partner of ours: Prince Street Pizza!

  • This one is for the extroverts. The event is meant to be a social gathering where you can come and we’ll vote on our next book together. Prince Street is going to be running a VBC special: BOGO pizza.

  • Bring friends, come hangout with your neighbors, the VBC community, enjoy some pizza, and maybe even join a book club. More details coming soon.

• Can’t make the event? No worries, add a book to our “Bookshelf” for future consideration here and anytime at the link in our IG bio.

Keep reading for some high level recaps and takeaways from discussions at the Circle (and follow us on Substack for some more recaps like this). Again, we’re so grateful for each and every one of you and please reach out to us with any questions, suggestions, or responses to the book or recap.

Hope to see you soon.

- Emily and the VBC Team

Here’s What We’ve Been Discussing at the Circle:

Circle 1: Theme of Grief, Loss, and New Beginnings
Discussed: Prologue and Chapters 1-3

Key Questions Discussed:

• Why start the book with losing a boot?

• Does this scene feel brave, reckless, or both?

• Have you ever had a small event reveal a much larger fracture?

• Why does Cheryl say her journey had many beginnings?

• Have you ever committed to something and then immediately regretted it? Is regret part of initiation?

• What version of herself is Cheryl walking away from?

• Have you ever walked away from a version of yourself?

Key takeaways from the group:

• There was a deep connection with grief and vulnerability within the group. Some of the long time members called back to when we discussed Tuesdays with Morrie and how there was a similar sadness that they reflected on.

• Members felt very connected to Cheryl as they have all felt grief and processed it differently. The group discussed how truly heart breaking it would be to experience something and, for lack of a better words, “her crashout was valid.”

• There was a debate about whether one healing journey is more valid than another, with people referring back to our previous book, Siddartha, as that discussed a journey of self discovery although he was not recovering from loss, but rather coping with being chronically unfound.

• People opened up and shared personal stories of grief, loss, and recovery. To maintain the sanctity of the safe space of the Circle, we’re just going to leave it there.

Circle 2: Theme of Strength, Overcoming Obstacles, Grit

Discussed: Chapters 3-6

Key Questions Discussed:

• How well prepared was Cheryl for this hike? Where in your life have you overpacked because you didn’t trust yourself?

• Have you ever felt wildly unprepared, and still gone anyway?

• What role do other people play in whether we quit?

• Have you ever stayed in something because someone treated you like you were capable?

• What version of herself does Greg see that Cheryl can’t yet see?

• What version of yourself do you see?

Key Takeaways from the Group:

• The group expressed deep sympathy and, for some, empathy with what Cheryl was feeling after the loss of her mother: her family separating due to grief, her infidelity and subsequent dissolution of her marriage, and her stint with drugs.

• These deep feelings of sorrow and sympathy, were coupled by simultaneous frustration with how ill-prepared she was.. People were generally unhappy with Cheryl’s reckless approach to the PCT. They found it to be in her nature as a character to have never done something like this. Some were charmed, others were frustrated.

• There was a sentiment that while she had all the “things” she needed, she was still very ill-equipped to embark on this journey. People mentioned specifically the weight of her backpack and how she could not even lift it as a glaring example. However, others felt that her grit and desire and sheer will was better than any preparation a seasoned backpacker could bring on the trail. This led to a discussion of times when those in the circle faced similar challenges, felt ill-prepared and still went, or when they were at their wits end and threw caution to the wind.

• There was a lot of discussion around her self sabotaging nature. The group debated whether this hike was a part of that or a last stitch effort to save herself from the version of her that was going down a path of full self destruction, with more drug use and promiscuous behavior. Some said nature was healing and pointed to how Cheryl constantly associates her mother with nature and this was a way to get back to that person. Some said this seemed like she didn’t care enough about herself to think that much further into the future and her attitude was very much, if she died out there, so be it!

• Towards the end of the night, we discussed Cheryl wanting to quit and how an interaction with a stranger, Greg, kept her on the path. This led to a discussion on the impacts of strangers on our lives. One member even recounted a story of how encouragement of a stranger’s years changed her outlook and it still resonates with her today . This was the final thought of the night as a group: be that kind stranger, you never know what someone is really going through.