Russell, Rachael, and Rachel discuss the April Reading Challenge to read a dystopian or alternate history novel. Oppressive governments, controlling factions, structured existence and more, we discuss the tropes and themes that define this often bleak, but always profound genre. **Correction: George Orwell died 6 months after the release of 1984, not before.

Books/Authors we discuss include:

• “Zoo” by James Patterson, Michael Ledwidge
• “1984: The Graphic Novel” by George Orwell, adapted/illustrated by Fido Nesti
• “The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood
• “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley
• “The Giver” by Lois Lowry
• “Legend” by Marie Lu
• “Divergent” by Veronica Roth
• “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins
• “Fourth Wing” by Rebecca Yarros
• “Parable of the Sower” by Otavia E. Butler
• “Red Rising” by Pierce Brown
• “Ready Player One” by Ernest Cline
• “The Last Christian” by David Gregory
• “Automatic Noodle” by Annalee Newitz
• “The Electric State” by Simon Stålenhag
• “The Dream Hotel” by Laila Lalami
• “Our Missing Hearts” by Celeste Ng
• “The City of Ember” by Jeanne DuPrau
• “The Long Walk” by Stephen King
• “The Shadow Road” by K.D. and Kurt Kirchmeier

Russell, Rachel, and Rachael chat with our guest Ken Larking, Danville City Manager. In our first mini book club, we review “The Which Way Tree” by Elizabeth Crook and the deep themes it explores including love, kindness and absolution. We discuss the delight of quirky characters, the importance of finding the right book for you, and Russell’s quest for a fun book about owls.

Books/Authors we discuss include:

• “The Which Way Tree” by Elizabeth Crook
• Michael Crichton
• Tom Clancy
• “Jack Reacher” series by Lee Child
• Dick Francis
• “Our Country Friends” by Gary Shteyngart
• “The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger
• John Grisham
• “Joe Pickett” series by C.J. Box
• “Walt Longmire” series by Craig Johnson
• “Crime and Punishment” by Fyodor Dostoevsky
• “Tuck Everlasting” by Natalie Babbit
• “Demon Copperhead” by Barbara Kingsolver
• “Razorblade Tears” by S.A. Cosby
• “The Monster at the End of this Book (Starring Lovable, Furry Old Grover)” by Jon Stone

Lost in Translation? We prefer Found in Translation! The reading challenge this month is to read a book that has been translated from another language. Russell, Rachael, and Rachel discuss some of their most recent reads and a few classics.

Books we discuss include:

• “The Cat Who Saved Books” by Sōsuke Natsukawa, translated by Louise Heal Kawai
• “Princess Jellyfish” manga series by Akiko Higashimura
• “Spy x Family” manga series by Tatsuya Endo
• “Cat + Gamer” manga series by Wataru Nadatani, translated by Zack Davisson
• “Delicious in Dungeon” manga series by Ryoko Kui, translated by Taylor Engel
• “The Count of Monte Cristo” by Alexandre Dumas
• “The Door-to-Door Bookstore” by Carsten Henn, translated by Melody Shaw
• “When the Cranes Fly South” by Lisa Ridzén, translated by Alice Menzies
• “A Man Called Ove” by Fredrik Backman, translated by Henning Koch
• “My Friends” by Fredrik Backman, translated by Neil Smith
• “I Who Have Never Known Men” by Jacqueline Harpman, translated by Ros Schwartz
• “The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
• “Beowulf” translated by Seamus Heaney
• “No Friend But the Mountains: Writing from Manus Prison” by Behrouz Boochani, translated by Alenka Ropret, Omid Tofighian
• “The Pillow Book” by Sei Shonagon