Booked Solid Book Group Celebrates 20 Years

The Booked Solid Book Group of the Glendale Library, Arts and Culture is celebrating its twentieth anniversary in October 2022. The Group began in October 2002 when we invited library patrons to read and discuss The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck as part of the California Stories program that encouraged Californians to read the same book at the same time and then discuss it.   

By November 2002 we had a name (the Booked Solid Book Group), people who wanted to continue reading together and a place to meet—the Glendale Central Library. And, we continued reading and talking. Our members are all Glendale Library patrons. Spirited and thoughtful discussions shared in an atmosphere of civility, friendship and good humor are our hallmark. Everyone in the group talks and the discussions are facilitated by retired librarians Mary Alice Wollam and Pat Zeider, who started the first Booked Solid program twenty years ago.  

Since October 2002 Booked Solid members have read and talked about 228 books. We have read every kind of fiction and non-fiction book. We have read classics, bestsellers, mysteries, plays, science fiction, fantasy, historical fiction, romance and comedy. Books about history, geography, science, medicine, current events, travel, as well as memoirs, biographies, graphic books, children's and teen books, have shown up on our reading list.  

Over the years the Group moved from the Central Library to the Casa Verdugo Branch and then to meeting virtually via Zoom. We meet the second Tuesday of every month from 7-8 pm. 

To ensure that there are enough copies for members, all of the titles chosen to be read by Booked Solid are from the Glendale Library's Book Group Kit collection. We check out these kits, which contain multiple copies of the same title and a notebook with everything needed (discussion questions, book reviews and author information) to discuss a book. 

There is something special about reading the same book at the same time and discussing it together. Books are our pathway to pleasure and to exploring the world of people and ideas. We salute our adventurous and courageous Booked Solid members for twenty years of reading and talking.