OCTOBER READ
radical intimacy by sophie k rosa
Hardcover Hotties Book Club
reading with care and curiosity
⟡Meeting Museum⟡
We value Hotties’ ability to choose their own model of participation based on ease, comfort, and means of accessibility. Here in our meeting archives, you will find our collection of recorded discussions from our monthly book club meetings. ❥ To stay up to date, subscribe to our YouTube @hardcoverhotties.
July 2023
"Solaris" by Stanisław Lem
Hardcover Hotties Book Club read Stanisław Lem’s “Solaris” over the month of July 2023 and met on August 6, 2023 over Zoom. As a group, it was our first time exploring the broad and thought-provoking genre of Science Fiction – “Solaris” beautifully encapsulated the wondrous landscape of speculative fiction, exploring such themes as extraterrestrial life, the nature of personhood and personal identity, the role of memory in trauma and grief and the process of scientific inquiry and exploration. This novel chronicles the investigation of an extraterrestrial intelligence embodied in an ocean that covers the surface of the planet Solaris. As the scientists aboard the Solaris station further their attempts for extraterrestrial communication, they are confronted with the materialization of their most personal, and often painful memories. Struggling to make sense of the planet’s communication patterns all while maintaining a grasp of their ever shifting reality, Solaris asks the question: Can we understand the universe around us without first understanding what lies within?
TW: mentions of suicide, racist depictions of Black women
♡ Check out the Meeting Recording Audio Transcript.
♡ Interested in learning more about the author Stanislaw Lem, his personal history and his literary career? Check out our July Author Spotlight.
♡ For music, books, TV, film & social media accounts related to “Solaris” and the wider science fiction genre, check out our July Media Map.
June 2023
"Disidentifications: Queers of Color and the Performance of Politics" by José Esteban Muñoz
Hardcover Hotties Book Club read José Esteban Muñoz’s “Disidentifications: Queers of Color and the Performance of Politics” over June 2023 and met on July 2, 2023 for our second event in partnership with Columbus, Ohio’s very own independent and non-profit Gateway Film Center. Prior to our book club discussion, the book club, members of the film center and quite a few new faces met in the Festival Lounge for Happy Hour and then made our way to the screening room for a viewing of Cheryl Dunye’s The Watermelon Woman (1996). Our discussion took place after the film screening and was streamed on Zoom to accommodate members who were not able to make it in-person. In celebration of Pride Month and the queers of color that pioneered the movement, it was a blessing to spend this month getting to know Muñoz’s work and to allow him to guide us through the world of queer performance. This title explores an archive of salient works by queers of color and examines how these mediums embrace “world-making” that mirrors the fluidity of identity & gender expression. Described as a necessary read for queer artists and supporters of their work, we invite you to explore these topics alongside our own rich discussion of the book and film.
TW: racist depictions of Black people, a large focus on the “mammy” archetype, sexually explicit content
♡ Interested in learning more about the author José Esteban Muñoz, intersectionality and queer futurity? Check out our June Author Spotlight.
♡ For music, books, TV, film & social media accounts related to “Disidentifications,” check out our June Media Map.
May 2023
"Gyo" by Junji Ito
Hardcover Hotties Book Club read Junji Ito’s “Gyo” over May 2023 and met on June 4, 2023 for our first ever event in partnership with Columbus, Ohio’s very own independent and non-profit Gateway Film Center. Prior to our book club discussion, the book club, members of the film center and quite a few new faces met in the Festival Lounge for Happy Hour and then made our way to the screening room for a viewing of Noriaki Yuasa’s The Snake Girl and the Silver-Haired Witch (1968). Our discussion took place after the film screening and was streamed on Zoom to accommodate members who were not able to make it in-person. In celebration of Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Month, we had the opportunity to engage with the rich genre of Japanese horror manga and film. Through Gyo, Junji Ito takes us through the naturalist themes and destruction myths that drive eco-horror, while Noriaki Yuasa’s 1968 film engaged our viewers in a frightening creature-feature inspired by the work of mangaka Kazuo Umezu all through the guise of black-and-white imagery. Our discussion was highly engaging and explored the ways in which Japanese horror reimagines traditional folklore narratives, fear is often culturally bound and the abundant strategies used to terrify the hearts and minds of those who dare open their eyes to the worlds of Junji Ito and Noriaki Yuasa.
TW: gore, mentions of suicide, interpersonal violence, snakes
♡ Check out the Meeting Recording Audio Transcript.
♡ Interested in learning more about the author Junji Ito and affective horror? Check out our May Author Spotlight.
♡ For music, books, TV, film & social media accounts related to “Gyo,” check out our May Media Map.
April 2023
"Conditional Citizens" by Laila Lalami
The Hardcover Hotties read Laila Lalami’s “Conditional Citizens” over April 2023 and met on May 9, 2023 over Zoom. In celebration of Arab American Heritage Month, we had the opportunity to celebrate the rich cultures and communities that fall into the Arab American identity. Structured as a series of essays, “Conditional Citizens: On Belonging in America” holds a provocative title that rejects the notion that all individuals are equally protected American citizenship and offers poignant analyses on religion, race, nationalism, and more. This was an incredibly enriching discussion about the pitfalls of American citizenship, politicized language around the subject and the plurality of the American immigrant experience.
TW: mentions of hate crimes, sexual assault, terrorism and discrimination
♡ Interested in learning more about the author Marjane Satrapi and the power of graphic novels? Check out our March Author Spotlight.
♡ For related film, music, books, TV, film, podcasts & social media accounts, as well as resources and articles to check out, head over to our March Media Map.
♡ Check out the Meeting Recording Audio Transcript.
March 2023
"Embroideries" by Marjane Satrapi
The Hardcover Hotties read Marjane Satrapi’s “Embroideries” over March 2023 and met on April 2, 2023 over Zoom. In celebration of Women’s History Month, we had the opportunity to read our first graphic novel with the club written by none other than the French-Iranian cartoonist Marjane Satrapi who first captured the world’s attention with Persepolis, her critically acclaimed autobiographical series in which she recounts her upbringing at the backdrop of the Iranian revolution. In Embroideries (originally published in French as Broderies), we had the opportunity to revisit Satrapi in her early twenties as she attempts to navigate the formalities – or lack thereof – brought upon women in Iran. With plenty of gossip, laughter, and at times, grief, we invite you to step into this intimate portrait of sexual politics in post-revolutionary Iran. This was an incredibly enriching discussion about Iranian culture, the power of storytelling through illustration and the joy of positive gossip.
TW: mentions of grooming, substance abuse, portrayals of misogyny
♡ Interested in learning more about the author Marjane Satrapi and the power of graphic novels? Check out our March Author Spotlight.
♡ For related film, music, books, TV, film, podcasts & social media accounts, as well as resources and articles to check out, head over to our March Media Map.
♡ Check out the Meeting Recording Audio Transcript.
February 2023
"Parable of the Sower" by Octavia Butler
This month, we wanted to take a break from all the nonfiction we have been reading together and delve into a thrilling & enriching fiction book with y’all! We invite you to join us in exploring the fantastical world that Octavia E. Butler gifted to us in her Parable series, beginning with Parable of the Sower. In this novel, Butler imagines a post-apocalyptic future in which humans are left to deal with the effects of climate change and social inequality. The Hotties met on March 5th at 5PM to discuss the saliency of the themes presented by this revolutionary author! ☆
♡ Interested in learning more about the author Octavia Butler and Afrofuturism? Check out our February Author Spotlight.
♡ For related film, music, books, TV, film, podcasts & social media accounts, as well as resources and articles to check out, head over to our February Media Map.
♡ For discussion topics, relevant themes & media recommendations related to “Parable of the Sower,” check out our February Meeting Recap.
♡ Check out the Meeting Recording Audio Transcript.
January 2023
"The Will to Change" by bell hooks
Some of you may remember reading activist & writer bell hook’s “All About Love” last year for our Valentine's Day meeting… Well, we were excited to announce that we will be reading another book by our beloved author this month - "The Will to Change: Men, Masculinity, and Love." In this book, bell hooks takes an intersectional approach to “show men how to express the emotions that are a fundamental part of who they are - whatever their age, marital status, ethnicity, or sexual orientation.” There is so much that we can all learn from her work, so the Hotties met for discussion on Sunday, February 5 ♡
♡ Interested in learning more about the author bell hooks and her practice of Centering Love? Check out our January Author Spotlight.
♡ For related film, music, books, TV, film, podcasts & social media accounts, as well as resources and articles to check out, head over to our January Media Map.
♡ For discussion topics, relevant themes & media recommendations related to “The Will to Change,” check out our January Meeting Recap.
♡ Check out the Meeting Recording Audio Transcript.
December 2022
"Year of the Tiger" by Alice Wong
In this memoir, Alice Wong details her unique experience with systemic ableism as a disabled Asian American woman through words, images, recipes, and objects. Wong asks readers to work towards a world where we view access as love and prioritize the experiences of disabled people of color. The Hotties met on January 8th at 5PM EST on Zoom to discuss our plans for disability advocacy and what we can all learn from listening to our “big cat” energy!
♡ Interested in learning more about the author Alice Wong? Check out our December Author Spotlight.
♡ For related film, music, books, TV, film, podcasts & social media accounts, as well as resources and articles to check out, head over to our December Media Map.
♡ For discussion topics, relevant themes & media recommendations related to “Year of the Tiger,” check out our December Meeting Recap and Sandy Ho’s Official Year of the Tiger Discussion Guide.
♡ Check out the Meeting Recording Audio Transcript.
November 2022
"Braiding Sweetgrass" by Robin Wall Kimmerer
In this book, the Potawatomi professor focuses on the role of Indigenous knowledge in both Western and Native American relationships with land and botany. We encourage you to reflect on your own relationship with land and investigate the sources of ecological knowledge you have come to know. The Hotties met on Sunday, December 4th at 5pm to discuss Kimmerer’s book.
♡ Interested in learning more about the author Robin Wall Kimmerer? Check out our November Author Spotlight.
♡ For related film, music, books, TV, film, podcasts & social media accounts, as well as resources and articles to check out, head over to our November Media Map.
♡ Check out the Meeting Recording Audio Transcript.
♡ For discussion topics, relevant themes & media recommendations related to “Braiding Sweetgrass,” check out our November Meeting Recap.
October 2022
"Sigh, Gone" by Phuc Tran
In this memoir, Tran details his experience growing up as a Vietnamese immigrant in largely White spaces, his struggle for acceptance, and how art & creativity provided refuge. We invite you to reflect on your own childhood experiences, what you needed then, and how you are feeding that aspect of yourself now. The Hotties came prepared to discuss their thoughts or listen in at Kafe Kerouac on Sunday, November 6th at 5PM.
♡ Interested in learning more about the author Phuc Tran? Check out our October Author Spotlight.
♡ For related film, music, books, TV, film, podcasts & social media accounts, as well as resources and articles to check out, head over to our October Media Map.
♡ For discussion topics, relevant themes & media recommendations related to “Sigh, Gone: A Misfit’s Memoir of Great Books, Punk Rock & the Fight to Fit in,” check out our October Meeting Recap.
September 2022
"The Undocumented Americans" by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio
In their book, Villavicencio rejects the idea of the unquestionably grateful immigrant by exploring how her undocumented status has impacted her life and the lives of millions living in the margins in the United States. In the words of Villavicencio, writing about immigration “requires you to be a little bit crazy. And you certainly cannot be enamored by America, not still. That disqualifies you.” We invite you to question your own relationship to America as we explored this charged title together on Sunday October 2nd at 5PM ★
♡ Interested in learning more about the author Karla Cornejo Villavicencio? Check out our September Author Spotlight.
♡ For related film, music, books, TV, film, podcasts & social media accounts, as well as resources and articles to check out, head over to our September Media Map.
♡ For discussion topics, relevant themes & media recommendations related to “The Undocumented Americans,” check out our September Meeting Recap.
