The following is the letter sent out to all book club registrants, and has been reproduced below:

Hello everyone,

If you’re getting this email, you have registered or shown interest in our book club, which officially launched on May 24, 2009 with Daniyal Mueenuddin’s In Other Rooms, Other Wonders.

We held an ice breaker aka an informal meeting for our attendees to get to know one another before the discussion would inevitably turn into more serious venues. While this was not a mandatory requirement, it was recommended.

If you attended the ice breaker on the 24th, more power to you and if you were unable to do so, you still have the chance to participate in our Club which will convene sometime at the end of June (exact dates will be announced a little closer to the date set). That’s why you’ve been included in the mailing list.

If you’re still interested, now’s the time to prove it by picking up the short story collection available at any and all major bookstores in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

If you have any questions on any of the above, please let me know by sending me an email.

Meanwhile, constant reminders will be sent at two week intervals so if you haven’t bought the book yet, didn’t attend the ice breaker and are wondering where you stand on things, I’m here to tell you that all is not lost and you can buy the book, read it and join us at the end of June to discuss things.

Hope to see you there!

– TPTB

We’ve finalized the date, time and venue for the first ice breaker meeting for our book club, as well as its selection. Starting out with Daniyal Mueenuddin’s short story collection, In Other Rooms, Other Wonders that easily won a majority vote in the poll we set up for this reason. The Case of Exploding Mangoes followed in second place.

The reason we’re calling the first meet an “ice breaker” is so that all participants can meet up, introduce themselves and generally just mingle, talk about books, words, whatever comes to mind really. The reason we’re putting in the directions on the blog is to invite people who haven’t registered and who aren’t sure if they will and give them a chance to sample out the crowd.

So come along, bring in a friend or two and see if you can’t appreciate things. Here’s the invitation to formalize things:

The What: Book Club Ice Breaker
Then When: Sunday, May 24th @ 5 PM
The Where: Mocca Coffee, 2nd Floor Kohsar Market (it’s above Gloria Jeans and the entrance is on the extreme left side of Kohsar Market)
The Who To Get In Touch Withs: info@desiwriterslounge.net

Hope to see you guys there!

– TPTB