Vistas Book Clubs
Vistas offers three book clubs available to members only: two nonfiction book clubs and one fiction book club.
Monday Nonfiction Book Club (via Zoom)
Fourth Monday of each month, from October 2024 through July 2025
1:30 –3:30 p.m
Zoom
VISTAS members only: $25 for the year
Our Monday Nonfiction Book Club meets online via Zoom. Membership is limited to 20; in case of over-enrollment, prospective participants will be placed on a wait-list.
Each discussion is led by a different group member, who comes in with suggested questions (which we are all free to supplement).
The following books have been selected for the first two meetings:
October 28, 2024 An Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History of the 1960s by Doris Kearns Goodwin.
November 25, 2024 The Everything War: Amazon's Ruthless Quest to Own the World and Remake Corporate Power by Dana Matioli.
The rest of books for 24/25 will be chosen in October 2024 by the members of the book club.
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View List of Books for 2023-2024
View List of Books for 2020-2023
Fiction Book Club
Third Thursday of each month, from September through July
10 a.m. – noon
Bethany Congregational Church 556 N. Hope Avenue, Santa Barbara
VISTAS members only: $25 for the year
First Fall 2024 meeting: September 19
The VISTAS Fiction Book Group meets monthly for in-depth, highly satisfying discussions of a variety of types of fiction. Titles are selected and presented by individual members of the group. All group members are responsible for contributing questions and observations to the discussion. The book selected for our September meeting is West with Giraffes, by Lynda Rutledge. Our October selection is The Tortilla Curtain, by T. C. Boyle.
Join us for the pleasure of reading, conversing, and deepening connections with other VISTAS members. There is no limit to the size of the group.
New! Mystery/Espionage Book Club
Second Friday of each month, September through June, 10 a.m. – 12 noon
First Fall 2024 meeting: September 13
Bethany Congregational Church 556 N. Hope Avenue, Santa Barbara
VISTAS members only: $25 for the year; enrollment limited to 12
Mysteries! Spies! Detectives! Private Eyes! If you want to add a little intrigue to your reading list, this is the book club for you! VISTAS is pleased to announce the formation of our newest book club, dedicated to the popular genre of mysteries, spy/counterspy novels, and thrillers. Mysteries are the oldest form of literature within this arena, going back to the 19th century with the works of Edgar Allan Poe and Wilkie Collins. Spy novels began growing in popularity starting around the era of World War I, and thrillers as we know them today began to come into their own shortly after the end of World War II with books by Mickey Spillane and others.
At our first meeting, we will become acquainted with fellow group members, review the types of novels we’ll be reading, and discuss our first selection, The Key to Rebecca, by Ken Follett. Group members also will receive a complimentary copy of the book The Brass Ring, by local author Lance Mason. Dr. Mason will attend our second session, on Oct. 11, and will lead the discussion of his book. Time permitting, we’ll also dive into our next novel, The Foreign Correspondent, by Alan Furst. Starting with the third class, two books will be discussed at each session. Enrollment for this book club is limited; in case of over-enrollment, a wait-list will be created.
This book club is full. Please email vistas@vistaslifelonglearning.org if you would like to be added to thr waitlist.
Thursday Nonfiction Book Club
Second Thursday of each month, September through July
1:30 - 3:30 p.m.
Private residence
VISTAS members only
Our Thursday Nonfiction Book Club meets in person at a private residence. Each discussion is led by a different group member, who comes in with suggested questions (which we are all free to supplement).
*Membership is currently full and not accepting new members at this time.
View List of Books 2023-2024
View List of Books from 2016 - 2023