September 2016, 1 Year Anniversary, Meeting: Random Family by Adrian Nicole LeBlanc

One of the first questions I remember being asked about this book club when it was still an idea was, "Who are you gonna get to come?" The more it was asked the more I realized what the real question was: "Why should I come?" On more than enough occasions it had been suggested that I get a high profile writer to attend. "A lot more people would come if they knew someone else they cared about was coming," I was told. Keeping it 100, those are the people I could care less about. Someone who was only gonna come because they heard someone else was gonna be there wasn't gonna be there for the right reasons—and I much rather have 5 people who were there because THEY wanted to be there than 500 people being there taking up space because they heard so-and-so might show. A lot's been done to get us into a mindset where we feel we're not enough. That we need a reason outside of ourselves to do the things we want to do. So we namedrop celebrities and big name brands not necessarily because we care about them. We just want people to care about us. Care is an inside job—and it's the reason why I worked overtime making sure there was always a space every month for people to take time and realize that something is dope because they're there. No one else. In the last twelve months we've had meetings in everywhere from the Trap (Strand Book Store) to Eva's Supplements on 11th Ave but I knew as long as I kept the club alive, it would eventually find a place to live. That's what happened Thursday when the big homie Ouigi announced at the 1 Year Anniversary that The Brooklyn Circus could be the home for The Literaryswag Book Club!!! Of course I accepted. You no longer have to worry about where the next book club will be, because we have a home. So this toast is not only an acknowledgement of everything it took to get here; it's a celebration, recognizing that it was all worth it. Every movement needs a home. We found ours—and it's lit!!!

August 2016 Meeting: The Sellout by Paul Beatty

Around this time last year I chopped it with NY Times photojournalist Michelle Agins who won a Pultizer in 2001 for a series called "How Race is Lived in America." The first thing I asked--cause I'm a clown—was what she did with the money. Her being from the Southside of the Chi, she kept it 100 with me: "I had a fish fry." It is still, to this day, the most gangsta shit I've ever heard someone do with prize money. And she didn't go to a fish market. She sent for the whole aquarium. When one of her friends asked her who was gonna eat all this food, Michelle told me she said one thing: "If I fry it, they will come." Sure enough, they did. I tell this story because it's how I've learned to run these #literaryswagbookclub meetings. Every month some curveball is being thrown—inclement weather, last minute venue changes, not having enough Martinelli's (last night)—but I'm seeing that as long as there's a book club to come to, people will come. Won't always be the same people (there's more people one month; less the next) but the importance is to just keep doing it. So thank you to the people who came through to chop it up last night, and were willing to relocate when it rained. Thank you to Nuratu for sponsoring the Martinelli's. Thank you to Dulce who came through with the snacks. And I gotta thank Eve's for not kicking us out even tho we took up a whole section and only bought $9 worth of stuff. This is the 8th meeting of the Book Club and next month marks a year since the first one so you know we gonna have to do it Christopher Wallace. Faith and commitment got us this far. I'm sure it will only take us further!

July 2016 Meeting: Citizen by Claudia Rankine

Last week's Literaryswag Book Club meeting might've looked light but it was extremely heavy. Like talking about Claudia Rankine's Citizen in the midst of the madness heavy. But being able to talk through it definitely lifted the burden and lightened the load if only for a little while. Not to mention, it didn't even rain. Pettiness aside I am extremely grateful for the people—especially the women—who continue to come out no matter what. Thank you!!!

June 2016 Meeting: We The Animals by Justin Torres

Another month, another book down for the Literaryswag Book Club. Bless up all the people who came through. Y'all could've been anywhere in the world, doing anything but y'all spent it in Washington Sq. Park, drinking Martinelli's, talking about books and life. I appreciate that. I appreciate Nuratu for putting the Martinelli's on ice (nice touch). I especially thank Rony from Seattle (back left) who strolled up on the set, asked if he could join us, and took part in the convo. He knew nothing about a literary or a swag. He just knew we were a group of people talking about books and wanted in. That he felt comfortable enough to walk up and want to chop it up with us is a sign that we're cultivating the aesthetic I'd hoped for.

May 2016 Meeting: This Is How You Lose Her by Junot Díaz

When I started the Literaryswag Book Club back up, I'd tell my friend, Brandon, how the most important thing for was to make sure it happened every month. If we didn't have somewhere to hold the meetings, we'd find one. If no one wanted to put up money for the Martinelli's, we'd scramble and pull together our own funds. It wouldn't matter if there were 2 people or 200. Every month. No matter what. We'd find a way. As long we kept doing it, the people will come. If not immediately; eventually. So far the theory has proven true. People are coming from near and far. Last month @thelexflex and @johnette_reed came all the way from DC. This month @anty_stylish and @dorce_time came from Maryland. Queens was in the house (@natethedragon , @m.castles , @nothankya , @milli.goat, and @writerslens ). Staten Island (@mrprolificb). The BX (@iamyirenkyi). Jersey (@stevensosasees). Of course Brooklyn was in the 🏠 (@robb_media , @jponce7 , @davis_alexander_games , @randybw_1—many people here hold dual citizenship. Point is, this book club is steadily becoming an anchor for people who want to read good books, chop it up with good people, hold better conversations and drink the best damn apple juice ever. It's only a matter of time before people are packing their books, swags and passports and flying in to catch the wave.

April 2016 Meeting: God Help the Child by Toni Morrison

Every last Thursday of the month I worry I'll be the only one there at these book club meetings. I go because of faith. And every last Thursday my faith is renewed by the people who continuously come. Last night was exceptional, especially since two new members of the book club—Alex and Johnette—came all the way from DC to attend. Not to mention my homegirl from high school, Jocelyn, came through. My anxiety of wanting these meetings to go well intensify with every month. But so does my faith that they will.

March 2016 Meeting: The Women by Hilton Als

Countless curve balls were thrown yesterday but, being the designated hitters we are, we rose to the occasion and knocked it out of the park for a home run book club meeting!!! And as demonstrated by Kyle (pictured far right) the Martinelli's was, in fact, on deck.

February 2016 Meeting: On Immunity by Eula Biss

Thank you to the bodies who came out last night. And a special thanks to @davegershman for blessing us with a space to bring our bodies, talk about them in relation to each other, drink Martinelli's and let our ultralights beam!

September 2015, First Meeting: Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

100 people didn't show up, but the 29 people in this photo kept it 100!!! That's all this was ever about. Gotta thank @whitneyhu, @colleenbeen, @mangochesney and especially Strand Book Store for blessing us with a space to be lit!