Virtual and In-person

In the lead-up to America’s 250th anniversary, this book club explores history through both fiction and non-fiction that challenge familiar narratives and invite fresh perspectives on the American past. Each selection encourages readers to look beyond the textbook version of history and consider the people, choices, and hidden stories that shaped the nation.

April Selection: Crooked by Austin Grossman

April’s selection takes a darkly imaginative turn, blending alternative history, political satire, and supernatural thriller. Crooked reimagines Richard Nixon as an unlikely defender of America, secretly battling occult forces and ancient cosmic threats lurking behind Cold War politics. Drawing on real historical figures and events, the novel plays with conspiracy, power, and paranoia to explore the anxieties that shaped modern America. Through this strange and inventive lens, Grossman offers a wildly original perspective on leadership, secrecy, and the hidden stories that might exist beneath the surface of the nation’s past.