
What we’re about
If you have any questions, use Meetup internal communication or contact me via eugenefrominquiry@gmail.com (Preferred).
Books are made better by the conversations that happen about them.
Reading is isolating, unless you talk about the book. Then reading becomes a social experience within a community.
If you liked or did not like a book, and want to hear different thoughts on the book, this is a book club for you.
Want to create a habit of reading? The book club's community will support your drive.
Not sure about what you get out of books, or how to think about books, or how to apply the book's topics? Join the discussions and put your knowledge to the test.
This club primarily hosts non-fiction book club event, and some fiction. The value of the club comes from the discussions, and listening to everyone's views about the book. Everyone's different views. There will be agreement, but disagreement is permitted and encouraged. Everyone's diverse backgrounds will cause everyone to have different approaches to the topic which will elucidate arguments for and against the topic. What matters is how you engage with the information learned in the book and everyone's ideas. To seek out and understand the complexity of the topic.
A Note On Disagreement: Conflict is inevitable. Disagreement is inevitable. People come from different backgrounds, which causes them to interpret information differently. Sparking conflict and disagreement. Although conflict and disagreement cannot be avoided, each individual can choose how they respond to them. Everyone can choose how to fight. Can choose how to disagree. Everyone can make conflict and disagreement productive. Enabling everyone to become better. Disagreement causes a search for more information, for the reasons why others think differently. Which makes everyone more informed, better able to analyze the information. Knowing how to disagreement is a skill that can learned through practice.
There are conditions that are needed to facilitate an honest discussion about the different views everyone has, community guidelines. 1) To enable everyone be heard, everyone is able to speak. Priority goes to those who spoke less. 2) It is acceptable for everyone to err, and disagree. By finding out different information can any individual choose to error correct. For more community guidelines and the event's discussion, see Community Guidelines (Click Here).
The list of books are mostly member suggestions. Every cycle members suggest books, and then poll which books they wish to read. Books are selected for poll rank, and topic diversity. For details about How The Book List Gets Made, Click Here. Page contains the reasons why books are listed, and things to consider when suggesting books.
Club Maintenance:
The club has costs. If you appreciate the event, support the club. Contribute via:
- Zelle, PayPal, or Venmo. Contribute to eugenefrominquiry@gmail.com.
- GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/adabd41c
My blog for book reviews: https://www.inquiryreviews.com/p/about-inquiry.html
Basic Statistics:
Past Events = 140
Book Club Events = 133
Author Appearance = 7
Book Shop Visits = 6
Related Events = 1
Attendance: Average = 11, Standard Deviation = 6
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- An African History of Africa by Zeinab Badawi | Book ClubLink visible for attendees
Full Title: An African History of Africa: From the Dawn of Humanity to Independence by Zeinab Badawi
Suggested by: Book Shop Extra
Pages to read: 463
ISBN: 9780063335417 (Originally listed edition, & Edition Eugene is using)Eugene's review of the book (Blog Link, Click Here)
Community Guidelines (Meetup Link, Click Here)
All Upcoming event (Meetup Link, Click Here)
Forthcoming Similar Events:
1 - History - 10/04/2025 = The Land of Hope and Fear: Israel's Battle by Isabel KershnerWhile reading the book, consider the below questions:
•What is the raison d’etre of the book? For what purpose did the author write the book? Why do people read this book?
•What are some limitations of the book?
•To whom would you suggest this book?
•How is the story of Africa usually told?
•Why is Africa where humanity began?
•How does humanity’s history effect race?
•What were the Kung of Botswana cultural attributes?
•Who was Queen of Sheba?
•Who was St. Augustine?
•What were African religious beliefs?
•How did slavery effect Africa?
•Should the treasures of Africa be returned?
•Should there be Reparations?
•How did African states gain independence and what were the outcomes?
•What happened in Aksum [Kingdom of Aksum]?
•What happened to the Amazigh [Berbers]?
•What happened in the Asante Kingdom?
•What happened in the Benin Kingdom?
•What happened in the Congo [Republic of the Congo]?
•What happened in Egypt?
•Who built the pyramids?
•What happened in Ethiopia?
•What happened in the Ghana Empire?
•What happened in Great Zimbabwe?
•What happened in Kush [Kingdom of Kush]?
•What happened in Mali?
•What happened in Morocco?
•What happened in Mutapa Kingdom [Monomotapa]?
•What happened in Rwanda?
•What happened in Rozvi?
•What happened in Songhay Empire?
•What happened in Swahili?
•What happened in Zulu?Your questions are important and will take priority. If you have questions about the book's content or related ideas, either let me know what your questions are or raise them during the discussion.
- The Evolution of Everything: How New Ideas Emerge by Matt Ridley | Book ClubLink visible for attendees
Suggested by: Mark K.
Pages to read: 291
ISBN: 9780062296009 (Originally listed edition)
ISBN: 9780062296023 (Edition Eugene is using)Eugene's review of the book (Blog Link, Click Here)
Community Guidelines (Meetup Link, Click Here)
All Upcoming event (Meetup Link, Click Here)
Forthcoming Similar Events:
1 - Value of Ideas - 10/18/2025 =Being and Nothingness by Jean-Paul Sartre
2 - Life, The Universe, And Everything - 10/25/2025 = The Big Picture: Origins of Life, Meaning, Universe by Sean Carroll
3 - Evolution of Intelligence - 11/15/2025 = A Brief History of Intelligence by Max Solomon Bennett
4 - Application of Ideas - 11/29/2025 = Weapons of Math Destruction: Big Data by Cathy O'Neill
5 - Understanding Ideas - 12/06/2025 =An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding by David HumeWhile reading the book, consider the below questions:
•What is the raison d’etre of the book? For what purpose did the author write the book? Why do people read this book?
•What are some limitations of the book?
•To whom would you suggest this book?
•What is evolution?
•How does evolution effect biology?
•How has evolution affected history?
•How does evolution effect society?
•How has evolution affected the universe?
•How does evolution effect culture?
•How is morality formed?
•How does evolution effect the economy?
•How does evolution effect the market?
•How does economics effect morality?
•How does evolution effect technology?
•How effectively can technology be copied?
•What is tacit knowledge?
•How does evolution effect education?
•How does evolution effect government?Your questions are important and will take priority. If you have questions about the book's content or related ideas, either let me know what your questions are or raise them during the discussion.
- The Land of Hope and Fear: Israel's Battle by Isabel Kershner | Book ClubLink visible for attendees
Full Title: The Land of Hope and Fear: Israel's Battle for Its Inner Soul
Suggested by: Miriam K.
Pages to read: 371
ISBN: 9781761380259 (Originally listed edition)
ISBN: 9781101946770 (Edition Eugene is using)Eugene's review of the book (Blog Link, Click Here)
Community Guidelines (Meetup Link, Click Here)
All Upcoming event (Meetup Link, Click Here)
Forthcoming Similar Events:
1 - Sovereignty - 11/01/2025 = Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman by Robert K. Massie
2 - Sovereignty - 11/22/2025 = Saint Joan of Arc by Vita Sackville-West
3 - Sovereignty - 12/13/2025 = Orientalism: Western Conceptions of the Orient by Edward W. SaidWhile reading the book, consider the below questions:
•What is the raison d’etre of the book? For what purpose did the author write the book? Why do people read this book?
•What are some limitations of the book?
•To whom would you suggest this book?
•What are causing Israel division?
•How did Israel come to have the land it does?
•What is Zionism?
•What happened during the 1967 conquest?
•What happened during the 1947-1948 conquest?
•What is Israel’s identity?
•Who is Netanyahu?
•Who is Ben-Gurion?
•What is the conflict between Ben-Gurion and Jabotinsky?
•What is the sabra bush? What does the sabra bush represent?
•How has Israel been innovative?
•What was the 1st Palestinian intifada?
•What is the situation with Palestinians?
•How does Israel treat Palestinian private property?
•What happened to the Palestinian population?
•Why are there Thai in Israel?
•Who are the Ashkenazi?
•What do Israelis think of other people?
•Why were there Russian immigrants between 1989-1999?
•What happened to the Russians?
•What is the Kibbutz?
•What is Israel stance on human rights?
•How does the Israeli police treat people other then Jews?
•What happens to the justice system when the perpetrator is Jewish and the victim is Palestinian?
•How does Israel use religion?
•What is the Basic Law?
•What is the Law of Return?
•Who are the Haredi?
•How did Covid affect the religious?
•What is the effect of universal conscription?
•What kind of military force do Israelis want?
•What is the argument for women participation in military service?
•How did the army change its inclusion policies?
•What happens to disillusioned veterans who disagree with military practices?Your questions are important and will take priority. If you have questions about the book's content or related ideas, either let me know what your questions are or raise them during the discussion.
- Book Shop Visit: Three Lives & Co | Talk About BooksTHREE LIVES & COMPANY, New York, NY
Lets talk about books. Considering books that are displayed. General reading experiences.
Book Store Webpage
Book Shop Location: 154 West 10th St., New York, NY 10014For the attendees, we will discuss how we wish to proceed with the event, but below are some expectations. Let me know some things you want from this event.
Expectations (Subject to change):
- Stop and discuss what we are looking at, rather than glance and walk. Following normal club M.O. of listening to different perspectives.
- Will need phone number. (Do not provide now or below. After it is expected to show up.) Number needed for: a) To coordinate location day of, b) Post-event health check up.