Books and Adventures - Novel Tourists Book Club South Jersey

The results are in! The Nonfiction November winning Member Choice book club book is *All the Beauty in the World: The Metropolitan Art and Me *by Patrick Bringley. I'll post the zoom link the day of the event.

This is our online book club discussion night (last Monday of each month). Stay tuned for the inperson event!

BOOK: *All the Beauty in the World: The Metropolitan Art and Me *by Patrick Bringley
Genre: Nonfiction

"The author of this book decided to step back from his job for a time after the untimely death of his brother. Instead, he applied for and was accepted as a museum guard at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I found his observations of the people and the art work that he experienced during his time at the Met very uplifting and felt that he confirmed the importance of great art to the spiritual well being of us all." - Review by Anne R

Millions of people climb the grand marble staircase to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art every year. But only a select few have unrestricted access to every nook and cranny. They’re the guards who roam unobtrusively in dark blue suits, keeping a watchful eye on the two million square foot treasure house. Caught up in his glamorous fledgling career at The New Yorker, Patrick Bringley never thought he’d be one of them. Then his older brother was diagnosed with fatal cancer and he found himself needing to escape the mundane clamor of daily life. So he quit The New Yorker and sought solace in the most beautiful place he knew.

To his surprise and the reader’s delight, this temporary refuge becomes Bringley’s home away from home for a decade. We follow him as he guards delicate treasures from Egypt to Rome, strolls the labyrinths beneath the galleries, wears out nine pairs of company shoes, and marvels at the beautiful works in his care. Bringley enters the museum as a ghost, silent and almost invisible, but soon finds his voice and his tribe: the artworks and their creators and the lively subculture of museum guards—a gorgeous mosaic of artists, musicians, blue-collar stalwarts, immigrants, cutups, and dreamers. As his bonds with his colleagues and the art grow, he comes to understand how fortunate he is to be walled off in this little world, and how much it resembles the best aspects of the larger world to which he gradually, gratefully returns.

In the tradition of classic workplace memoirs like Lab Girl and Working Stiff, All The Beauty in the World is a surprising, inspiring portrait of a great museum, its hidden treasures, and the people who make it tick, by one of its most intimate observers.

Happy Reading!

Audrey

ACTIVITY: Candle Making Class
at Finley Candles
162 S New York Road Galloway NJ
(732) 552-3929

• Create two (2) candles using a mixology of scents - one for you to keep and one to gift for the upcoming holiday!

• BYOB and bring a light snack to share if you would like.

• Chandlers (candle makers) will guide us through every step of the process. We will be able to choose from all of their fragrances and jars.

FEE: $50pp and gratuity = $55
Full refund if you cancel 72 hours in advance or if someone on the waitlist can take your spot.

Tickets are first pay, goes and limited to 10 people. Feel free to bring a friend!

HOW TO PAY: (use Friends and Family or else add $10 fee to cover processing charges) Please mention the event or event date in your payment.
Venmo - @Denise-Baker-26 (last four of phone # 8969
PayPal - @bakerd2

THE BOOK: The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry
Genre: Short Story

The Gift of the Magi is a poignant short story written in the early 1900s. The narrative revolves around the themes of love and sacrifice, showcasing the lengths to which two devoted partners are willing to go to express their love for each other despite their financial struggles. The story is a timeless exploration of the true spirit of giving.

Available free online or try your local library or bookseller!

Happy reading! Denise