"Great Expectations" book club starts in 2 weeks

Plus details on FrizzLit's winter weekend of parties in Portland on December 16 & 17

Charles Dickens illustrated by book club’s own Kathryn Rathke

The Great Expectations club starts two Thursdays from now. Get through the holiday months with Dickens at his page-turning best.

Join the club by purchasing a ticket, and then buy this edition of the book if you want to have the same page numbers as everyone else during discussions. (And if you use it using that link, you will be supporting FrizzLit in the process—thank you!!)

Each week on Zoom you’ll learn stories about Dickens’s life and how he created this novel, as well as its publishing history.¹ Co-leader Audrey Van Buskirk and I will plan discussions related to whatever we just read that week. And all of us have the chance to share our favorite characters, favorite sentences, and more.

Mother Foucault’s Bookshop, where we’ll be doing a LIVE Symphony of Sentences and where Audrey is organizing a group reading of FrizzLit writers.

FrizzLit winter weekend in Portland

A few years back, FrizzLit held a summer weekend of parties and events in Seattle. It was so much fun, especially when we walked to the lighthouse.

This year we’re doing a winter weekend in Portland, where Chris Lydgate (who leads the FrizzLit Music Club) and Audrey Van Buskirk (who is co-leading the Dickens club with me) live, along with lots of book-club regulars. Visitors from Seattle and elsewhere highly encouraged to come!

Saturday, December 16

• Noon - 2 pm at Mother Foucault’s Bookshop

  • Symphony of Sentences LIVE! Bring a favorite sentence from any book of your choice

  • Group reading of FrizzLit writers & storytellers, curated by Audrey. I will be among the readers, sharing new writing of mine. Lineup of readers to be announced soon

  • Coffee and pastries. This bookstore event is free and open to the public

• 4 pm - 6 pm house party at Chris & Audrey’s house

  • Hearty snacks, festive drinks, and holiday good cheer. Plus harmony lessons for anyone who wants them before we head to Snow Bar Chorale

  • Ticket link coming soon. The receipt for your ticket will include the address of Chris & Audrey’s house. Cost of ticket will cover food & drinks

• 7 pm - 10 pm group singing at Snow Bar Chorale

  • Grab a ticket for this now before it sells out

The stage at Mother Foucault’s where we’ll have a group reading of FrizzLit writers and a live Symphony of Sentences.

Sunday, December 17

• Noon-1 pm, Literary Walking Tour of Portland

  • Our meeting place TBA. The map will be provided as part of your ticket to Chris & Audrey’s house party the previous day

• 3 - 5 pm, Charles Dickens Wine Pairings at Pairings Wine Bar

  • Ticket link coming soon. Includes snacks & FrizzLit trivia contest while we drink wine together

    • Wines paired with other FrizzLit books will also be available for purchase

Where to stay in Portland

If you’re coming in from out of town, we recommend:

• Lolo Pass. This is inexpensive option puts you right where you want to be — within walking distance of most of our events and parties (except Snow Bar Chorale on Saturday night, which is a short car ride away).

• If you have a little more to spend on accommodations, we also recommend The Jupiter and the KEX Hotel. They are also within walking distance of most of the stuff we’re doing (excluding Snow Bar Chorale).

Other questions?

Have a question? Need restaurant recommendations?

You’re in luck: Audrey is the former Miss Know-It-All reigning champion of Portland² and she can answer any questions, big or small.

Just leave a comment:

1. He changed the ending! Based on advice from his friends and readers. But don’t look that up and learn about it now or you’ll spoil the book.

2. Yes that is a real thing.