Twentynine Palms by Deanne Stillman
Deanne Stillman is the author of 4 desert books, each quite different from one another. The first one we will be reading is her true crime book, Twentynine Palms. It’s a chronicle of an incredibly disturbing event that occurred in the town of Twentynine Palms in 1991. Much has changed since this horrible event took place, so there should be a lot to talk about.
On August 1st (7 pm), we will be returning to Nancy’s ultra cute 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!
As for upcoming attractions, I’m pleased to announce that September’s book will be Frank Herbert’s classic, Dune. In October we will be reading Mary Sojourner’s novel 29 to kick off year 3 of the Book Club. Also, it’s not too early to find a copy of Marshal South and the Ghost Mountain Chronicles by Diana Lindsey for November.
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.
