How to Be Book Club - "Severance" by Ling Ma

Existential crises are like a persistent rash. There's no cure, but if you're suffering from the Big Questions, maybe the How To Be Book Club can be a salve. Come hang out in Book Club Bar's back garden one Saturday each month, and join us in discussing works of philosophical fiction from across different eras and parts of the globe. We'll read the book beforehand (and do us a solid, if you can—get your book from our store), and then gather for casual conversation over drinks. No preparation needed; just bring your book and your curious mind!

This December we'll explore the politics of image, art & the apocalypse! Ling Ma's deadpan satire, Severance, follows a first generation American/empty suit as she tries her best to ignore the end of the world. Hito Steyerl's essay collection, The Wretched of the Screen, attempts to diagnose Ma's protagonist's affliction of apathy through a politics of image and digital life. Why are our institutions collapsing? Why does it feel our ability to react (much less do something) has been nullified? Why do the sanctioned methods of democratic participation feel ineffective and irrelevant? Is the internet facilitating our transition into a global, stateless network of decentralized power structures? How are we representing and narrating politics and culture to ourselves through art and image? Let's! Find! Out!

This month's picks: by Ling Ma

& by Hito Steyerl

What your ticket includes:

• $8 off any drink at the bar

Grab a brunch cocktail at the bar and tell us what you thought of the book! Our informal discussion will be led by BCB bookseller Keri Kelly.

Registration is capped, so please register early if you are planning on attending. Please note: gratuity for the bartenders is not included. Please use your tickets at the beginning of the event.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Book Club Bar, 197 East 3rd Street, New York, United States

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