“We all begin as strangers, and we meet people for two reasons – as a blessing, or as a lesson.”

And allow this book club to be both, a blessing in discussion and a lesson in knowledge! Join us for the return of Lattes and Lit, Qahwa's ongoing book club! In this newest iteration, we will cover Malcolm Gladwell's recent publication Talking to Strangers, an exploration of psychology and sociology told through historical tales.

Featuring commentary from Imam Abdul Malik Merchant, converse with fellow readers in discussion groups that highlight the themes of the unknown, bias, truth, and assumptions we hold about strangers and the lessons we can learn to live as fuller and more intelligent Muslims.

Meeting Biweekly starting Wednesday October 23, whether you're dipping your toes into the literary world for the first time or are already an avid reader, this is one event you won't want to miss!

Registration is free but donations are encouraged to help fund future events! Books will not be provided and participants should read the Intro, and Chapters 1-2 by the first meeting. See you there inshallah! Open to participants 18+

Schedule:

October 23 - Intro + Chapters 1, 2

November 6 - Chapters 3, 4, 5

November 20 - Chapters 6, 7, 8

December 4 - Chapters 9, 10

December 18 - Chapters 11, 12 + Afterword

About the Book:

How did Fidel Castro fool the CIA for a generation? Why did Neville Chamberlain think he could trust Adolf Hitler? Why are campus sexual assaults on the rise? Do television sitcoms teach us something about the way we relate to one another that isn’t true?

Talking to Strangers is a classically Gladwellian intellectual adventure, a challenging and controversial excursion through history, psychology, and scandals taken straight from the news. He revisits the deceptions of Bernie Madoff, the trial of Amanda Knox, the suicide of Sylvia Plath, the Jerry Sandusky pedophilia scandal at Penn State University, and the death of Sandra Bland—throwing our understanding of these and other stories into doubt.

Something is very wrong, Gladwell argues, with the tools and strategies we use to make sense of people we don’t know. And because we don’t know how to talk to strangers, we are inviting conflict and misunderstanding in ways that have a profound effect on our lives and our world.

Lattes and Lit: Book Club

Talking to Strangers