BOOK CLUB: Finding belonging in a fractured world
Bring your questions for author Julian Brave NoiseCat this afternoon; plus more book recommendations
Join us today at 12:30 p.m. Eastern, when Julian Brave NoiseCat, author of We Survived the Night, joins us again for an ask-the-author-anything session, so drop your questions in the comments below!
I was listening to Julian Brave NoiseCat on “Fresh Air,” where he touches on many of the themes we’ve been discussing in our posts around the book. In the interview, he talks about how he’s found a deeper sense of belonging and community: “Part of what is really beautiful about being Native, about being Indigenous, is that being related really means something to us. We take care of each other; we feed each other; we look out for one another.” He also acknowledges, though, that humanity is in crisis, and that is largely due to “the breaking of kinship, of the bonds that have maintained families and communities for thousands and thousands of years.”
In today’s discussion, let’s get into that. What do you think is at the heart of our so-called “loneliness epidemic”? If there has been a “breaking of kinship,” what is the root cause? And what can we learn from Julian about how to foster a deeper sense of connection and community? Let us know what you think in the comments.
We were thrilled to see that some of you have already finished — and share our passion for — Kiran Desai’s The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny, our December Ink Book Club selection.
For those who have read it, can you share a paragraph or two with your thoughts on what struck you about it, and please pass along any questions you have for Kiran for when we meet up with her on Wednesday, December 10th? And by the way, the New York Times just named Desai’s novel to its top ten books of 2025 list. Kudos to Kiran!
Thanks to those of you who responded to our question about books you’ve recently read and loved. A few of you also shared that you’ve read This Is Happiness, by Niall Williams, which was Ink Book Club member Karim Pakravan’s recommendation. He’s in good company: Stephen Colbert selected This Is Happiness for his Late Night Book Club, and The Washington Post named it one of their favorites when it came out a few years ago. It’s now on my TBR pile, which is about to topple over. Other suggestions from our members:
Catherin LeBlanc recommends The Hounding, by Xenobe Purvis, a novel in which five sisters are rumored to have turned into dogs
Courtesy of reader Alison Moore, Loved and Missed, by Susie Boyt, in which a grandmother takes over the care of her granddaughter when her daughter, in the throes of drug addiction, is unable to. I haven’t read this one either, but the reviews I’ve read use phrases like “mordantly funny” to describe it, so I’m all in
And from Gladys comes a recommendation for A Psalm for the Wild-Built, by Becky Chambers, described as a “solarpunk novella.” Intriguing, for sure.
Keep the suggestions coming!
The Ink Book Club is open to all paid subscribers to The Ink. If you haven’t yet become part of our community, join today. And if you’re already a member, consider giving a gift or group subscription.
How to participate in the Book Club
Each week, we’ll post questions — our discussion guide — on Sunday, and every other Wednesday we’ll meet for a discussion with the Club or a visit from an author or other special guest. Look out for posts with further details. In between, we also host chat threads to get your insight on key questions in advance of our meetings. We’ll meet next on Wednesday, December 10, at 12:30 p.m. Eastern, for a conversation with The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny author Kiran Desai.
To participate in our meetings and author talks on Substack Live, join from your phone or tablet with the Substack app. You can watch on desktop at The Ink, and comment and ask questions in our chat, but you won’t be able to join the live video discussion. Book Club meetings are open to paid subscribers to The Ink, so if you haven’t become part of our community, join us today!
