Join us for the first meeting of the Lakewood Book Club, which is part of our Learn @ Lakewood series!

The books will vary in style and perspective, and may cover anything from living in the presence of death and dying, to local history or cemetery history. Get ready to learn and connect with our amazing community at this special event. Treats and coffee will be provided!

Registration is required – spaces are limited.

You will need to purchase your own copies of the books (or audio books) and read through them ahead of the event. We encourage shopping locally and buying your books through our neighbors at Magers and Quinn or other local sellers like Paperback Exchange, or The Irreverent Bookworm.

Depending on the number of attendees, we will either have a large group discussion or break out into smaller groups. Discussion questions and topics will be provided to spark conversation, but we encourage you to bring your own questions as well!

About This Month’s Book

It’s Okay to Laugh (Crying is Cool Too) by Nora McInerny

Twenty-seven-year-old Nora McInerny bounced from boyfriend to dopey “boyfriend” until she met Aaron—a charismatic art director and comic-book nerd who once made Nora laugh so hard she pulled a muscle. When Aaron was diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer, they refused to let it limit their love. They got engaged on Aaron’s hospital bed and had a baby boy while he was on chemo. In the period that followed, Nora and Aaron packed fifty years of marriage into the three they got, spending their time on what really matters: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, each other, and Beyoncé. A few months later, Aaron died in Nora’s arms. The obituary they wrote during Aaron’s hospice care revealing his true identity as Spider-Man touched the nation. With It’s Okay to Laugh, Nora puts a young, fresh twist on the subjects of mortality and resilience. What does it actually mean to live your “one wild and precious life” to the fullest? How can a joyful marriage contain more sickness than health? In this deeply felt and deeply funny memoir, Nora gives her readers a true gift—permission to struggle, permission to laugh, permission to tell the truth and know that everything will be okay. It’s Okay to Laugh is a love letter to life, in all its messy glory.

Content Warning: Adult language and content.