The Banister Book Group meets at the Library Annex at 18 Common St. (next to the library) on the last Wednesday of every month, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Each month, copies of the chosen title are available for pickup at the library.
New members always welcome!
January
Born a Crime
by Trevor Noah
Discussion: Wednesday, January 28, 2026
This is the story of a mischievous young boy who grows into a restless young man as he struggles to find himself in a world where he was never supposed to exist. It is also the story of that young man's relationship with his fearless, rebellious, and fervently religious mother--his teammate, a woman determined to save her son from the cycle of poverty, violence, and abuse that would ultimately threaten her own life. "Noah's childhood stories are told with all the hilarity and intellect that characterizes his comedy, while illuminating a dark and brutal period in South Africa's history that must never be forgotten." -- Esquire
February
James
by Percival Everett
Discussion: Wednesday, February 25, 2026
When Jim overhears that he is about to be sold to a man in New Orleans, separated from his wife and daughter forever, he runs away until he can formulate a plan. Meanwhile, Huck has faked his own death to escape his violent father. As all readers of American literature know, thus begins the dangerous and transcendent journey by raft down the Mississippi River toward the elusive and unreliable promise of the Free States and beyond. "In an astounding riposte, the much-lauded Everett writes [Huck Finn] as a liberation narrative, told from Jim (or rather James') point of view... An absolutely essential read." -- Booklist