Patricia Holt, former book editor at the San Francisco Chronicle, continues her popular book group, “Contemporary Classics.”

A book should stand the test of time before becoming a classic, but very often, critics and literary judges leap to praise books as “instant classics” soon after publication. These are the titles Pat’s group will hold up to scrutiny—in fact, the chewier, more literary, more dense, and "hard to read" the better. One needn't have read widely, studied literature, or learned about literary criticism to join. Just drop in or join us for the whole series, and let the developing wisdom of the group be your only guide.

Dates:
 
September 5: Sing, Unburied Sing by Jesmyn Ward

October 3: Frankenstein in Baghdad by Ahmed Saadawl

November 7: Elmet by Fiona Mozley

December 5: Like a Fading Shadow by Antonio Munoz Molina 

January 2:  Winter by Ali Smith 

 
About Patricia Holt

Pat was book editor and critic at The San Francisco Chronicle for 17 years and has been writing reviews and book industry commentary at Holt Uncensored since 1998. She has facilitated book groups for the past 15 years and also joins the Marin West Review’s editor,  Myn Adess, and poet/contributor Jan Dederick, on Radio Bookmobile, a lively discussion on West Marin Community Radio KWMR, usually the first Thursday of every month at 10-11 a.m., about the most beautiful passages and stirring controversies they can find on the current book scene.