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There is very little difference between someone who cannot read and someone who will not read. The result of either is ignorance. Reading is essential for those who seek to rise above the ordinary. We must not permit anything to stand between us and the book that could change our lives. —Jim Rohn

Hey you,

Welcome to the book club newsletter! Whether you're a loyal it’s Something Bookish reader or new to this space, I'm glad you're here. It will be home for The Indulgent Bibliophile and the brand new, TIB in Translation book club.

The Indulgent Bibliophile was created in April, 2019 and since then, we’ve read 70 books that center voices of female authors from African, Asian, Caribbean, and Middle Eastern regions. I started this book club because reading a book and meeting with friends(in person or online) to talk about the book is one of the best feelings ever.

Our members are from all over the world which, in my opinion, adds some much needed perspective to how we engage with the books. With more than 2000 members scattered all over the globe, the best way we meet is online, on the third Sunday of every month at 5pm West African Time, if there’s a change in schedule, it’s always communicated early enough for us to plan accordingly.

Some months, the author might join us but we have the best time all by ourselves. TIBers are passionate, open-minded, and never shy about sharing when a book works—or when it doesn’t. This makes every conversation insightful, entertaining, and truly one-of-a-kind.

We are available on different platforms to accommodate the different media needs of our readers. The no-contact members are okay being on Instagram, or Storygraph where they can track and add to to their reading list, or right here, on Substack. There’s a Whatsapp group for readers who want a more intimate or after-dark type of engagement, it’s easy to join, just send me a message here.

While we (The Indulgent Bibliophile) tend to travel a lot through books, I have always wanted an even more curated reading list and that’s why I created TIB in Translation, where we’d be reading books translated from other languages into English. Why the emphasis on literature in translation?

Reading translated fiction is like travelling to a whole new world without leaving the comfort of your own language. You get to immerse yourself in different experiences, environments, and cultures, yet it still feels familiar because you're meeting them in a language familiar to you. Also, translated fiction can show us that we are ultimately all connected.

For its first year, TIB in Translation will read 6 books, so we’d meet up online in February, April, June, August, October, and December on the 4th Sunday, at 5pm West African Time. Again, if there’s a change in schedule, it’s always communicated early enough for us to plan accordingly. There’s a Storygraph page but if you want to join the Whatsapp group chat, you can send me a message here.

We’re Reading: Lucky Girl by Irene Muchemi-Ndiritu. The novel is a fierce and tender debut about the lives and loves we choose—what it meant to be an African immigrant in America at the turn of the millennium, and how a young woman finds a place for herself in the world.

Meeting Information: We’re meeting on the 16th of February, 2025 at 5pm West African Time. Here’s the link to register so that it automatically adds to your calendar.

We’re Reading: Discretion by Faïza Guène, it’s translated from French by Sarah Ardizzone. The novel centers on the story of an Algerian family in France, anchored by Yamina, a matriarch who left Algeria, moving to Morocco and then France. It’s a first- and second-generation story about familial bonds, the struggles of fitting in, and the consequences of French colonization.

Meeting Information: We’re meeting on the 23rd of February, 2025 at 5pm West African Time. Here’s the link to register so that it automatically adds to your calendar.

So, if any of this sounds like your jam, come and join the community or share with a friend or someone who is looking to join a virtual reading group. Let’s travel the world through books!