CLICK HERE FOR AN AUDIOBOOK COPY 

Join us for an in-person Book Club Discussion & Themed Tasting Experience on Saturday, January 24th from 4-6 pm - LOCATION TBD (we're currently scouting a bookish pub)!

This adventure is inspired by Bourbon + Blood Cocktails: Dark + Warm Sips & features The Names by Florence Knapp (PRE-READING IS RECOMMENDED FOR THIS EVENT)…

Local Book Lovers will gather to discuss the featured book (hopefully at a cozy bookish pub!), where they can also get a taste of some delicious themed sips inspired by the characters, plots and settings of the story while mingling! A *MINI BOOK FAIR POP-UP* with curated books and reading pairings will be set up for shopping after the event, so guests can stock up on their favorite bookish goodies to take home with them too.

NOTE: With each Book Club sign up, you can choose to receive a physical copy of the featured book(s) to read before we meet in-person (CLICK THE CHECKBOX(ES) TO ADD A COPY OF THE BOOK(S) TO YOUR ORDER), decide to download an audiobook from the link below before the event, OR opt to grab your book(s) from the library / share your book(s) with a friend.

BOOK SYNOPSIS

THE YEAR'S BREAKOUT NOVEL AND WORD-OF-MOUTH HIT - A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER AND READ WITH JENNA PICK

“Dazzling... Knapp tirelessly and beautifully replicates not just loss and grief but endless rebirth and delight.”  - The Washington Post

“Elegant... this is a wholly original work.” - People Magazine

“A magnificent novel.”  - Geraldine Brooks, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Horse

The extraordinary novel that asks: Can a name change the course of a life?

In the wake of a catastrophic storm, Cora sets off with her nine-year-old daughter, Maia, to register her son's birth. Her husband, Gordon, a local doctor, respected in the community but a terrifying and controlling presence at home, intends for her to name the infant after him. But when the registrar asks what she'd like to call the child, Cora hesitates...

Spanning thirty-five years, what follows are three alternate and alternating versions of Cora's and her young son's lives, shaped by her choice of name. In richly layered prose, The Names explores the painful ripple effects of domestic abuse, the messy ties of family, and the possibilities of autonomy and healing.

With exceptional sensitivity and depth, Knapp draws us into the story of one family, told through a prism of what-ifs, causing us to consider the "one... precious life" we are given. The book’s brilliantly imaginative structure, propulsive storytelling, and emotional, gut-wrenching power are certain to make The Names a modern classic.

RECOMMENDED FOR: Grown-Ups

OUR BOOKS ARE LISTED BY AGE GROUP to indicate that the content is engaging and appropriate for those selected ages. PLEASE NOTE: They may not be the appropriate reading level for every individual at those ages or may extend beyond the brackets.

ADDITIONAL DETAILS:

Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books

Publish Date: May 06, 2025

Pages: 336

Dimensions: 9.3 X 6.4 X 1.1 inches | 1.1 pounds

Language: English

Type: Hardcover

Condition: NEW

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TASTINGS CALENDAR

JANUARY 10 (4-6 PM) MY FRIENDS @ TESSERAE STUDIOS IN EDGEBROOK

JANUARY 17 (3-5 PM) BUCKEYE @ PATINA WINE BAR IN PARK RIDGE

JANUARY 24 (4-6 PM) THE NAMES @ TBD LOCATION

(CLICK THE LINKS ABOVE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT EACH EVENT)