About The Book Club:

Welcome to The Poder Circle Book Club—a quarterly, themed book club that aims to spark and facilitate important discussion around our shared experiences, our unique stories, and the issues that affect our comunidad. As Poderistas, we want to show the world that libros by Latinxs matter—that our words have Poder. As people, we come from a long tradition of storytellers whose words have sparked movements. We honor that tradition by uplifting Latinx voices, deepening our understanding of the Latinx experience, facilitating discussion, and inspiring action through words with impact. 

 

What To Expect: 

There is no cost to join, all you have to do is subscribe to The Poder Circle Book Club list! Once signed up, you’ll receive:

  • bi-monthly Poder Circle Book Club emails
  • Exclusive Poder Circle Book Club content
  • Invitations to private events including virtual discussions with authors & the Poder Circle community
  • Quarterly discussion guides
  • Plus surprise appearances, giveaways y más

The theme of The Poder Circle Book Club is:

The Power of Legacy

Ever feel like life’s a novela without the juicy parts? It happens, even to the best of us! But listen up, let’s take a breather and talk about something importante: your legacy. As individuals, we oftentimes live out our daily routines and tend to forget the bigger picture including where we came from, what our ancestors worked for, and how we are going to make our impact and leave our mark.

As we navigate each chapter of our lives it’s important to think and reflect upon what we would like to leave behind when we are gone. Our legacy isn’t just what we accumulate over the years but rather what type of impact we leave on the world. Juntas, we’ll dive into this adventure together and explore stories that inspire us to leave a legacy and sprinkle a little bit of alegría and inspiration into our lives.

The Featured Selection

We are thrilled to kick the year off with our featured selection. As we explore the theme of The Power of Legacy, we can’t think of a better book to read together than:

About Anita de Monte Laughs Last

New York Times bestselling author Xochitl Gonzalez delivers a mesmerizing novel about a first-generation Ivy League student who uncovers the genius work of a female artist decades after her suspicious death

1985. Anita de Monte, a rising star in the art world, is found dead in New York City; her tragic death is the talk of the town. Until it isn’t. By 1998 Anita’s name has been all but forgotten—certainly by the time Raquel, a third-year art history student is preparing her final thesis. On College Hill, surrounded by privileged students whose futures are already paved out for them, Raquel feels like an outsider. Students of color, like her, are the minority there, and the pressure to work twice as hard for the same opportunities is no secret.

But when Raquel becomes romantically involved with a well-connected older art student, she finds herself unexpectedly rising up the social ranks. As she attempts to straddle both worlds, she stumbles upon Anita’s story, raising questions about the dynamics of her own relationship, which eerily mirrors that of the forgotten artist.

Moving back and forth through time and told from the perspectives of both women, Anita de Monte Laughs Last is a propulsive, witty examination of power, love, and art, daring to ask who gets to be remembered and who is left behind in the rarefied world of the elite.

Get reading and purchase your copy of The Poder Circle’s featured book!

Show your support for Latina authors and order your copy of Anita de Monte Laughs Last from this link. Use code ANITA and receive 10% off.

About the author Xochitl Gonzalez Xochitl Gonzalez is the New York Times bestselling author of Olga Dies Dreaming. Named a Best of 2022 by The New York Times, TIME, Kirkus, Washington Post, and NPR, Olga Dies Dreaming was the winner of the Brooklyn Public Library Book Prize in Fiction and The New York City Book Awards. A Reese’s Book Club Pick, her new novel, Anita de Monte Laughs Last, was published on March 2024 with Flatiron Books. As a staff writer for The Atlantic, she was recognized as a 2023 finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Commentary. A native Brooklynite and proud public school graduate, Gonzalez holds a BA from Brown University and an MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. Xochitl Gonzalez is the New York Times bestselling author of the award-winning novel Olga Dies Dreaming and a staff writer for The Atlantic, where she was a Pulitzer Prize Finalist for Commentary. A Reese’s Book Club Pick, her new novel, Anita de Monte Laughs Last, was published on March 2024 with Flatiron Books. Click Here

Deep Dive

After reading our featured book, keep exploring the Poder Circle quarterly theme of The Power of Legacy with a curated selection of works created by Latinas coming soon!

Accessibility 

We understand that times are tough for many and joining a book club is sometimes not within your budget. Poderistas wants to ensure we can make The Poder Circle Book Club accessible to amigas who have a financial need. To honor this, we have reserved a limited amount of books that are available on a first-come, first-served basis for those who have a need. Please email hola@poderistas.com with the email subject ‘Book Club Accessibility’ to request a copy. In your email, please include your name, mailing information, and the book you’re interested in.