Spill, Simmer, Falter, Wither by Sara Baume is the first of six debut novels we will be discussing. "A debut novel already praised as "unbearably poignant and beautifully told" (Eimear McBride) this captivating story follows -- over the course of four seasons -- a misfit man who adopts a misfit dog. It is springtime, and two outcasts -- a man ignored, even shunned by his village, and the one-eyed dog he takes into his quiet, tightly shuttered life -- find each other, by accident or fate, and forge an unlikely connection. As their friendship grows, their small, seaside town suddenly takes note of them, falsely perceiving menace where there is only mishap; the unlikely duo must take to the road. Gorgeously written in poetic and mesmerizing prose, Spill Simmer Falter Wither has already garnered wild support in its native Ireland, where the Irish Times pointed to Baume's "astonishing power with language" and praised it as "a novel bursting with brio, braggadocio and bite." It is also a moving depiction of how -- over the four seasons echoed in the title -- a relationship between fellow damaged creatures can bring them both comfort. One of those rare stories that utterly, completely imagines its way into a life most of us would never see, it transforms us not only in our understanding of the world, but also of ourselves. "-- Provided by publisher Discussion led by Tiffany Ehle. Third Thursday is open to all, no sign up necessary. Reserve your book at the adult circulation desk or online. This program is supported in part by a grant from the Deerfield Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council a state agency.

If you read this book for the January discussion which was cancelled due to the weather and you want to review it before the discussion please let us know and we will order a book for you to arrive about a week before the discussion. When it comes to law and order, East Texas plays by its own rules–a fact that Darren Mathews, a black Texas Ranger, knows all too well. Deeply ambivalent about growing up black in the lone star state, he was the first in his family to get as far away from Texas as he could. Until duty called him home. When his allegiance to his roots puts his job in jeopardy, he travels up Highway 59 to the small town of Lark, where two murders–a black lawyer from Chicago and a local white woman–have stirred up a hornet’s nest of resentment. Darren must solve the crimes–and save himself in the process–before Lark’s long-simmering racial fault lines erupt. A rural noir suffused with the unique music, color, and nuance of East Texas, Bluebird Bluebird is an exhilarating, timely novel about the collision of race and justice in America. Join us on the first Thursday of the month for a lively discussion of this month’s title and other of life’s mysteries. This discussion also features pizza while it lasts. Free and open to all.