Desert Reckoning by Deanne Stillman
I am happy to report that Deanne Stillman, author of Desert Reckoning, will be joining us at 7:00 on August 7th to talk about this book and also her other work, including Twentynine Palms, which we read last August. The subtitle of this book is: “A town sheriff, a Mojave hermit, and the biggest manhunt in modern California history.” I learned a lot about the Antelope Valley from this work and highly recommend it. Mary Sibley just finished Desert Reckoning and said she couldn’t put it down!
We will be returning to Nancy’s desert cabin in the Copper Mountain Mesa area of north Joshua Tree. From downtown JT, go East on Hwy. 62, turn left on Sunburst, right on Golden, left on Border and keep an eye out for the Pole and Del Oro street signs. Turn right on Winters Rd. (sign on left side of road) look for the white Book Club sign. Drive about 6 miles and Nancy will be on your right after you pass Mile Square Rd. From 29 Palms, Go West on Hwy. 62, turn right on Sunfair and continue past the pavement where the road turns into Coyote Valley, go about 3 miles and turn right on Winters, Nancy’s white cabin will be on the right after you pass Mile Square Rd. This will be an outdoor meeting, so bring your folding chairs if you have them. See you at Nancy’s and remember to bring snacks and drinks! —Kip
Every month from October 2014 until March 2020, Kip’s Desert Book Club gathered on the first Monday of the month at 7:00 pm in the home of a different resident of the Morongo Basin to discuss a book that in one way or another touches on the theme of “desert”.
Since the start of the pandemic, Kip has been hard at work making renovations to the kitchen and bathrooms at Copper Mountain Mesa Community Center, where he is the board President, and keeping their monthly USDA food drive alive. During this time, Kip’s Desert Book Club had largely been on pause, with the exception of a few virtual meetings. These virtual gatherings allowed us to welcome the participation of book club fans from beyond our local region.
Sixty-six books, more than seven years, and one pandemic later, Kip has decided to step back from being the primary book club organizer and join the rest of us as readers. Kip, we thank you for all the wonderful and eclectic desert books you’ve chosen over the years, as well as the unforgettable stories and knowledge you continue to share (if you know, you know!)
So, we are excited to announce that beginning in January 2022, our in-person book club will resume as the Desert Research Library Book Club (or DRL Book Club, for short). Each month, a member of the current Desert Research Library Artist Cohort will select a book from the library as that month’s book club selection.
