[about the club]
Although reading is by nature a solitary habit, there’s no surer way to find a kindred spirit than by connecting over a favorite book, poem or author. And it was precisely a desire for new books and new friends that drove a group of Washington University occupational therapy students to form the Central West Bookends. The group quickly grew as members invited other friends outside their school circle. “We now have people from all different backgrounds and ages ranging from 22 to 30,” founding member Anjali Nigam says.
The women gravitate toward contemporary fiction. “A few of us are hardcore readers, so most of the books we choose are newer because it’s hard to find an older title no one has read,” Nigam says. Conversation comes easily over a potluck meal. “We usually try to keep it in theme with the book,” Nigam explains. “When we read And the Mountains Echoed, which takes place in Afghanistan and Paris, we had pistachios and a cheese platter, and I made my grandma’s lamb kebabs.”
[about the book]
Zadie Smith’s NW, set in northwest London, tells the story of four local 20-somethings trying to build adult lives outside of the impoverished area where they were raised. The novel uses a variety of narrative techniques to reflect on the complexities of modern urban living.
[opinions]
“Though it took some time to get used to, the short ‘chapters’ of email messages, clever observations and other internal dialogues provided a unique insight into the characters. I appreciated the way Smith reminded us that pockets within cities can be distinct, yet people often struggle with similar life situations.”– Anjali Nigam
“Zadie Smith has great insight into the lives of multicultural young women growing up in the controlled chaos of a big city. I felt there were lessons to be learned from the friendships of the female protagonists, complicated as they were.”– Anita Batra
[former favorite]
And the Mountains Echoed, by Khaled Hosseini
[up next]
August : Osage County, by Tracy Letts
Photo: Bill Barrett
Front: Caroline Novell, Jenny Mays, Katie Anderbery, Becky Koenig, Francesca Manzella
Back: Anjali Nigam, Mandy Collins, Sonya Dunsirn, Molly Murphy, Ellen Goldw asser, Anita Batra; Not Pictured: Kristin Will
