Library Groups
Book Club
The VAPL Winding Road Book Club meets on the third Monday of each month for a brown bag lunch and book discussion at 12:00 noon. Check the calendar in case some dates have been changed. The upcoming selections are:
2024
2024
January – The Personal Librarian – Marie Benedict
February – Murder at the Book Club – Betsy Reavley
March – The Crazyladies of Pearl Street – Trevanian
April – American Sherlock: Murder, Forensics, and the Birth of the American CSI – Kate Winkler Dawson
May – When Crickets Cry – Charles Martin
June – Remarkably Bright Creatures – Shelby Van Peit
July – The Wind Knows My Name – Isabel Allende
August – Where the Forest Meets the Stars – Glendy Vanderah
September – The Ladies Midnight Swimming Club – Faith Hogan
October – The White Lady – Jacqueline Winspear
November — The Last Thing He Told Me – Laura Dave
December – The Reindeer Keeper – Barbara Briggs Ward
Past Selections:
February – Murder at the Book Club – Betsy Reavley
March – The Crazyladies of Pearl Street – Trevanian
April – American Sherlock: Murder, Forensics, and the Birth of the American CSI – Kate Winkler Dawson
May – When Crickets Cry – Charles Martin
June – Remarkably Bright Creatures – Shelby Van Peit
July – The Wind Knows My Name – Isabel Allende
August – Where the Forest Meets the Stars – Glendy Vanderah
September – The Ladies Midnight Swimming Club – Faith Hogan
October – The White Lady – Jacqueline Winspear
November — The Last Thing He Told Me – Laura Dave
December – The Reindeer Keeper – Barbara Briggs Ward
Past Selections:
2023
January – This Tender Land – William Kent Krueger
February – A Friend Like Henry – Nuala Gardner
March – The All-Girls Filling Station – Fanny Flagg
April – Book of Lost Friends – Lisa Wingate
May – The Kitchen Front – Jennifer Ryan
June – Years of Wonder – Geraldine Brooks
July – Running on Red Dog Road – Drema Hall Berkheimer
August – American Dirt – Jeannie Cummins
September – The Body Guard – Katherine Center
October – The Badass Librarians of Timbuktu – Joshua Hammer
November – Still Alice – Lisa Genova
December – Santa’s Little Yelpers – David Rosenfelt
2022
January – The Henna Artist – Alka Joshi
February – The Ghosts of Eden Park – Karen Abbott
March – The Second Mrs. Astor – Shana Abe
April – Fresh Water for Flowers – Valerie Perrin
May – The Midnight Library – Matt Haig
June – House On Endless Waters – Emuna Elon
July – The Slow March of Light – Heather B. Moore
August – Fifty Words for Rain – Asha Lemmie
September – The Peacock Emporium – Jojo Moyes
October – Furious Hours – Casey Cep
November – The Deep Deep Snow – Brian Freeman
December – The Christmas Book Shop – Jenny Colgan
2021
May – Carrying Albert Home – Homer Hickman
June – I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings – Maya Angelou
July – My Dear Hamilton – Stephanie Deay
August – The Lost and Found Bookshop – Susan Wiggs
September – The Amateur Emigrant – Robert Lewis Stevenson
October – More Things in Heaven and Earth – Jeff High
November – The Magnificent Dappled Sea – David Brio
December – The Red Bird Christmas – Fanny Flag
June – I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings – Maya Angelou
July – My Dear Hamilton – Stephanie Deay
August – The Lost and Found Bookshop – Susan Wiggs
September – The Amateur Emigrant – Robert Lewis Stevenson
October – More Things in Heaven and Earth – Jeff High
November – The Magnificent Dappled Sea – David Brio
December – The Red Bird Christmas – Fanny Flag
2020
January – Educated – Tara Westover
February – A Twist of Tobacco – Rita Holcomb
March – Sweet Tea & Sympathy – Molly Harper
April – The Blue Tattoo – Margot Mifflin
May – The Goldfinch – Donna Tartt
June – Sold on a Monday – Kristina McMorris
July – Carrying Albert Home – Homer Hickam
August – I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings – Maya Angelou
September – My Dear Hamilton – Stephanie Dray
October – Where the Crawdads Sing – Delia Owens
November – The Giver of Stars – Jojo Moyes
December – Christmas Bells – Jennifer Chiaverini
February – A Twist of Tobacco – Rita Holcomb
March – Sweet Tea & Sympathy – Molly Harper
April – The Blue Tattoo – Margot Mifflin
May – The Goldfinch – Donna Tartt
June – Sold on a Monday – Kristina McMorris
July – Carrying Albert Home – Homer Hickam
August – I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings – Maya Angelou
September – My Dear Hamilton – Stephanie Dray
October – Where the Crawdads Sing – Delia Owens
November – The Giver of Stars – Jojo Moyes
December – Christmas Bells – Jennifer Chiaverini
2019
January – Tending Roses – Lisa Wingate
February – Watership Down – Richard Adams
March – The Winner – David Baldacci
April – Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine – Gail Honeyman
May – Still Me #3 of the trilogy – Jojo Moyes
June – The Reader – Bernard Schlink
July – Into the Water – Paula Hawkins
August – The Little Paris Bookshop – Nina George
September – Circling the Sun – Paula McLain
October – Whistling Past the Graveyard – Susan Crandall
November – The Chilbury Ladies Choir – Jennifer Ryan
December – On Strike for Christmas – Sheila Roberts
February – Watership Down – Richard Adams
March – The Winner – David Baldacci
April – Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine – Gail Honeyman
May – Still Me #3 of the trilogy – Jojo Moyes
June – The Reader – Bernard Schlink
July – Into the Water – Paula Hawkins
August – The Little Paris Bookshop – Nina George
September – Circling the Sun – Paula McLain
October – Whistling Past the Graveyard – Susan Crandall
November – The Chilbury Ladies Choir – Jennifer Ryan
December – On Strike for Christmas – Sheila Roberts
2018
January – Raven Stole the Moon – Garth Stein
February – Goodnight from London – Jennifer Robson
March – The Woman in Cabin 10 – Ruth Ware
April – Woman of God – James Patterson
May – The Life we Bury – Allen Eskens
June – Britt-Marie Was Here – Fredrik Backman
July – The Lilac Girls – Martha Hall Kelly
August – Ape House – Sara Gruen
September – Snake Bluff Lodge – John Moody
October – Night School – Lee Childs
November – Before We Were Yours – Lisa Wingate
December – No-One Ever Has Sex on Christmas Day – Tracy Bloom
February – Goodnight from London – Jennifer Robson
March – The Woman in Cabin 10 – Ruth Ware
April – Woman of God – James Patterson
May – The Life we Bury – Allen Eskens
June – Britt-Marie Was Here – Fredrik Backman
July – The Lilac Girls – Martha Hall Kelly
August – Ape House – Sara Gruen
September – Snake Bluff Lodge – John Moody
October – Night School – Lee Childs
November – Before We Were Yours – Lisa Wingate
December – No-One Ever Has Sex on Christmas Day – Tracy Bloom
2017
December – The 12 Dogs of Christmas – David Rosenfelt
November – Older But Wilder – Effie Leland Wilder
October – Dog On It – Spenser Quinn
September – A Man Called Ove – Fredrik Backman
August – The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid – Bill Bryson
July – Saving CeeCee Honeycut – Beth Hoffman
June – The Secret Garden – Francis Hodson Burnett
May – Hidden Figures – Margot Lee Shetterly
April – Having Our Say – Sarah & A.Elizabeth Delany
March – I am Malala – Malala Yousafzai
February – The Week Before the Wedding – Beth Kendrick
January – After You – Jojo Moyes
November – Older But Wilder – Effie Leland Wilder
October – Dog On It – Spenser Quinn
September – A Man Called Ove – Fredrik Backman
August – The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid – Bill Bryson
July – Saving CeeCee Honeycut – Beth Hoffman
June – The Secret Garden – Francis Hodson Burnett
May – Hidden Figures – Margot Lee Shetterly
April – Having Our Say – Sarah & A.Elizabeth Delany
March – I am Malala – Malala Yousafzai
February – The Week Before the Wedding – Beth Kendrick
January – After You – Jojo Moyes
2016
December – A Quilt for Christmas – Sandra Dallas
November – The Nightingale – Kristin Hannah
October – The Lake House – Kate Morton
September – The Collectables – James Kaufman
August – Me Before You – Jojo Moyes ***Book club readers – see note below
July – All The Light We Cannot See – Anthony Doerr
June – The Light Between Oceans – M.L. Stedman
May – People of the Book – Geraldine Brooks
April 2016 – Go Set a Watchman – Harper Lee
March 2016 – To Kill A Mockingbird – Harper Lee
February 2016 – Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen – Susan Gregg Gilmore
January 2016 – Thunder Dog – Michael Hingson
November – The Nightingale – Kristin Hannah
October – The Lake House – Kate Morton
September – The Collectables – James Kaufman
August – Me Before You – Jojo Moyes ***Book club readers – see note below
July – All The Light We Cannot See – Anthony Doerr
June – The Light Between Oceans – M.L. Stedman
May – People of the Book – Geraldine Brooks
April 2016 – Go Set a Watchman – Harper Lee
March 2016 – To Kill A Mockingbird – Harper Lee
February 2016 – Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen – Susan Gregg Gilmore
January 2016 – Thunder Dog – Michael Hingson
***The August selection is Me Before You not You Before Me as we discussed at the meeting.
2015
December 2015 – A Blue & Grey Christmas – Joan Medilcott
November 2015 – Ruth’s Journey by Donald McCraig
October 2015 – Saving Grace by Terry Lee
September 2015 – Shoot the Moon by Billie Letts
August 2015 – A Sudden Light by Garth Stein
July 2015 – The Quaker Cafe by Brenda Bevan Remmer
June 2015 – The Story Teller by Jodi Picoult
May 2015 – The Good Pig by Sy Montgomery
April 2015 – The Caldera Incident by John Meechom
March 2015 – The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
February 2015 – Dogtripping by David Rosenfelt
January 2015 – The Tenth by Joanne E. Moudy
November 2015 – Ruth’s Journey by Donald McCraig
October 2015 – Saving Grace by Terry Lee
September 2015 – Shoot the Moon by Billie Letts
August 2015 – A Sudden Light by Garth Stein
July 2015 – The Quaker Cafe by Brenda Bevan Remmer
June 2015 – The Story Teller by Jodi Picoult
May 2015 – The Good Pig by Sy Montgomery
April 2015 – The Caldera Incident by John Meechom
March 2015 – The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
February 2015 – Dogtripping by David Rosenfelt
January 2015 – The Tenth by Joanne E. Moudy
Friends of the Library
Invest yourself in continuing education by becoming a Friend of the Van Alstyne Library.
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Friends of the Van Alstyne Public Library meet on the 4th Tuesday of every month at 6:00 pm. You are welcome to join in our planning meetings at any time. Further information available here: Friends of the Library website (link opens in new tab on the Friends’ site).
Friends of the Van Alstyne Library host a variety of events throughout the year.
- Virtual Book Sales and new fundraisers are being planned. We could use your help! Visit our volunteering page on the Friends of the Library Website. (link opens in a new tab on the Friends’ site)
Become a member: Your membership and attendance at our events have helped to make our library one of the very best in Texas for our size city.
The City of Van Alstyne provides salaries, utilities, and operating expenses. There have been many grants that have helped with the library’s needs, but most important is our citizens’ participation. The Friends of the Library is a volunteer group that works with the Library to provide funding support for programs, books, and other vital resources. We fund the entire 8 week Summer Reading Program!
Now is the time to renew your membership! We welcome your membership any time — a membership form is below. Or, join 24/7 and pay securely online with PayPal on the Friends of the Library Website. (link opens in a new tab on the Friends’ site)
Officers:
President – Bob Hendricks
Vice-President – Grady Ebensberger
Secretary – Paige Crail
Treasurer – Ellie Whiteside
Vice-President – Grady Ebensberger
Secretary – Paige Crail
Treasurer – Ellie Whiteside