Vermilion Sands by J.G. Ballard at the Glass Outhouse
Many thanks to Ken Sitz for suggesting the fantastic book of short stories by J.G. Ballard, Vermilion Sands, for our July 6th book club meeting. It will transport you to a futuristic desert resort community, where clouds are carved by sailplanes, sculptures sing, and mysterious women in long flowing dresses float silently in the dark. Equally impressive will be our meeting place, the Glass Outhouse gallery in Wonder Valley. Laurel and Frank are eagerly awaiting our arrival.
Drive 4 miles east of the town of 29 Palms on Highway 62 and turn right on Thunder Road, where you will see the “Book Club” sign and the gallery sign. The water tank painted to look like a giant Pepsi can is a good landmark to watch for too. If you pass the airport, turn around - you went too far. Ladies, don’t forget to wear your longest, flowiest dresses! Resort wear for gentlemen is highly recommended. I look forward to sharing this special book, and a cocktail with you on a warm summer evening.
Monday, July 6, 2015, 7 PM
The Glass Outhouse
Wonder Valley, CA (see driving directions above)
This is the tenth meeting of Kip’s Desert Book Club.
See Book Club homepage for more information on this monthly gathering
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.
