Palm Desert Reads Book Club

The Palm Desert Reads Book Club is dedicated to fostering a welcoming and intellectually stimulating environment for adults and older adults. Our book club provides a space for lifelong learners to come together, share their love of literature, and engage in meaningful discussions. Through the exploration of diverse genres and authors, we aim to spark curiosity, build connections, and enrich the lives of our members, encouraging both personal growth and social interaction.  

The Library will have a limited number of copies available for the book club to check out. The books are on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, talk to a staff member.

Our June pick is: Solito by Javier Zamora

Javier Zamora’s adventure is a 3,000-mile journey from his small town in
El Salvador, through Guatemala and Mexico, and across the U.S. border.
He will leave behind his beloved aunt and grandparents to reunite with a
mother who left four years ago and a father he barely remembers. Traveling
alone amid a group of strangers and a “coyote” hired to lead them to safety,
Javier expects his trip to last two short weeks.

At nine years old, all Javier can imagine is rushing into his parents’ arms,
snuggling in bed between them, and living under the same roof again. He
cannot foresee the perilous boat trips, relentless desert treks, pointed guns,
arrests and deceptions that await him; nor can he know that those two
weeks will expand into two life-altering months alongside fellow migrants
who will come to encircle him like an unexpected family.

A memoir as gripping as it is moving, Solito provides an immediate and
intimate account not only of a treacherous and near-impossible journey,
but also of the miraculous kindness and love delivered at the most
unexpected moments. Solito is Javier Zamora’s story, but it’s also the story
of millions of others who had no choice but to leave home.