Join us to read and learn about the Southwest! The book club meets at the Brandylion Tea & Spirits once a month on Sundays at 1 pm. Book suggestions are welcome!
April 26, 2026- Solito by Javier Zamora
Sunday, April 26
The Brandylion (200 N Court Ave)
1 pm
A memoir by Javier Zamora, Solito recounts the author’s perilous, nine-week solo journey at age nine from El Salvador to the United States to reunite with his parents, detailing the harrowing experiences of boat trips, desert treks, and encounters with strangers who became a found family, all while navigating the challenges of migration from a child’s perspective. Published in 2022, the book is praised for its authentic voice, blending English and Spanish, and for humanizing the migrant experience beyond political talking points.
May 17, 2026- The Milagro Beanfield War by John Nichols
Sunday, May 17
The Brandylion (201 N Court Ave)
1 pm
The Milagro Beanfield War is a 1974 novel by John Nichols, the first in his New Mexico Trilogy, about a small, impoverished New Mexican town’s struggle against a wealthy developer’s plans for a luxury resort, sparked by a local’s illegal irrigation of a beanfield. The story is a comedic and poignant tale of the “little guy” versus big business, exploring themes of land, water rights, and cultural preservation.
June 14, 2026- Dead Man’s Walk by Larry McMurtry
Sunday, June 14
The Brandylion (200 N Court Ave)
1 pm
Dead Man’s Walk is a 1995 Western novel by Larry McMurtry, serving as the chronological first book in the Lonesome Dove series, though published third. It follows the early adventures of young Texas Rangers Augustus “Gus” McCrae and Woodrow F. Call as they face harsh conditions, incompetent officers, and deadly conflicts with Comanche and Apache warriors, including the infamous Buffalo Hump, on their first expeditions. The story details their brutal introduction to the perils of the American West, including a disastrous expedition to Santa Fe.
Sept 6, 2026- Almanac of the Dead by Leslie Marmon Silko
Sunday, Sept 6
The Brandylion (200 N Court Ave)
1 pm
Almanac of the Dead is a complex, multi-layered 1991 novel by Leslie Marmon Silko that explores the conflict between Native American and Anglo-American cultures, focusing on themes of resistance, history, and survival in the American Southwest and Central America. The story follows dozens of characters, including revolutionaries, criminals, and psychics, whose lives intertwine around a prophecy from an ancient Native American text, the titular Almanac, which foretells an uprising against oppression. It’s known for its non-linear narrative, blending present-day events with historical flashbacks and mythology, and its critique of modern capitalism, imperialism, and cultural dispossession.