ABCD Reads Body Language by Meg Howrey

ABCD Reads *[Body Language](https://tpl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S234C4801989)* by Meg Howrey. ([RESULTS](https://opavote.com/results/6325601387675648) of the poll for this event.)

:: ABOUT THE BOOK:: "Sloane, a former actress now working as a therapist, is determined to find a meaningful way through menopause, away from marketing schemes, possibly with the aid of psychedelics. Her sister Laurel is managing her own growing rage and restlessness while engaging in work at an environmental non-profit and raising teenagers. Nanette, the youngest, has answered a long-delayed religious calling and is living as a Novice in a convent. All three lives will be further disrupted when Sloane receives a call summoning her to their mother’s house, Laurel discovers possible evidence of her husband’s infidelity, and Nanette finds herself in the middle of a media frenzy after a spontaneous act of public prayer. Soon, all three are reunited under their mother’s roof, and no one can seem to agree about anything beyond the Barbara has dementia, as did her mother and sister before her. Will it be an opportunity for the closed door of their very private mother’s inner life to crack open? A lesson in care; a shared responsibility that will be the making of this family, divided by large age gaps, parental divorce, and temperament? Or will a stunning revelation upend not only their mother’s remaining time, but divide the sisters permanently? With razor-sharp prose and undeniable humor, acclaimed author Meg Howrey brings an American family in the midst of a painful crisis to unforgettable life, interrogating memory and emotional inheritance, the right of a woman’s autonomy, and the indelible bonds even the most disparate of sisters can share." (from [Goodreads](https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/244709885-body-language))

"Howrey is a reliably beautiful stylist, and her slyly funny prose and blade-sharp insights into human behavior really should put her in the same conversation as writers like Ann Patchett and Barbara Kingsolver. Though this novel hits some familiar beats, Howrey manages to haul in plenty of shimmering pearls on the perils and joys of womanhood—whatever that means. A comfort meal of a novel: poignant and prismatic." (from [Kirkus](https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/meg-howrey/body-language-4/))

:: ABOUT THE EVENT:: You are welcome to arrive 30 minutes before the event and stay 30 minutes or longer afterward to connect with other attendees outside the book talk.

Please ensure you have read the book before attending (though finishing any book is not a barrier to participating, as long as you don't mind spoilers).

First-time attendees can join for free. If the event is full, we maintain an unofficial waitlist. Please send [Michael](https://www.meetup.com/members/55295192/) a direct message for more information, in either case.

We request a $3 contribution from regular attendees to help cover our monthly meetup costs.

:: ABOUT OUR NEXT BOOK:: At the end of each event, we will ask for nominees for our next book. If you have a good one in mind, please ensure it is between 200-400 pages long, available from the Toronto Public Library, and counts as contemporary literary fiction (though these are not hard and fast rules). When enough nominees are collected, Michael will send the members a direct message with a link where you can vote.