Last Night at the Telegraph Club

Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo

pick

This book has been on my #TBR since 2022 when it was recommended to me for #AuldLangSpine by @MallenNC
I thought the setting, 1950‘s San Francisco was fantastic, and I enjoyed the atmospheric quality of Chinatown with its food and culture beautifully portrayed, but the story of forbidden love was a bit too YA for me. This IS a YA novel, so it‘s really #MeNotYou when it comes to the the author. It‘s just #RightBookWrongReader

TrishB Agree- very YA, but I enjoyed overall. 2mo

Cinfhen This was my #BookSpin for August @TheAromaofBooks and also works for #cars and #5+words for #ISpyBingo 2mo

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 2mo

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Kitta I usually don‘t like YA, but I really enjoyed this one! 2mo

MallenNC I‘m glad you read it! It‘s definitely a YA novel. The setting and characters were what really worked for me. 2mo

Cinfhen I think for YA ,especially historical fiction this book was really well done @TrishB @Kitta but it was definitely a YA book 😝 2mo

Cinfhen @MallenNC agreed! Setting was excellent 2mo

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Susanita

Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo

Though there was a gap between the starting and ending dates, I enjoyed this book enough that it was my favorite for July. Background is the doves display at the National Cathedral a few years ago. #wrapup

36 likes

RaeLovesToRead

Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo

I finished Yellowface for #camplitsy23 last night, a little late to join the discussions.

As a response to questions about what authors should be allowed to write about, I would like to share Malinda Lo's thoughts. She manages to articulate very well the issue with demanding authors prove their authenticity.

@Megabooks @BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain

Soubhiville Thanks for sharing this! 3mo

SamAnne Thanks for sharing this. 3mo

squirrelbrain Interesting thoughts - thanks for posting! 😁 3mo

See All 8 Comments

BarbaraBB She says it well! 3mo

Megabooks Thanks for sharing those quotes! 3mo

Branwen I love Malinda Lo! Thank you for sharing this! 2mo

vivastory Thanks for posting. I agree with what Malinda said in your post. 2mo

CatLass007 This is so sound an idea. Thank you for sharing. 2mo

64 likes8 comments

Deblovestoread

Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo

#JuneWrapUp

My best reading month in forever. 20 books read with the tagged as one of my favorites. Other favorites were Dopesick, beyond that, the sea, No Two Persons and We All Want Impossible Things. 3 DNF‘s, 7 Bingos, 5 finished in my quest to catch up (or start) series.

I‘m on track to finish my book goal early which looks great but my intention was to set it low so I would read more chunksters. Maybe in the 2nd half of the year?

TheAromaofBooks

dabbe 🤩🤩🤩 3mo

Amiable Yay for chunksters! 3mo

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! Fantastic month!!! 3mo

52 likes3 comments

Bklover

Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo

Reading this and loving it, but won‘t be finished by June 30. #tbrtarot. #tiredofpaintingmyhouse
Sorry @CBee - can‘t wait to see July!

CBee No worries, it still counts 😊 3mo

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Sargar114

Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo

pick

This was the beautiful and somewhat sad coming of age tale of Lily, 17 year old Chinese American girl in the 50s in San Francisco. The look at the Chinese and lesbian communities of that time was fascinating. So well written that you feel like your there sharing those experiences with Lily. Highly recommend this one. Read for #sundaybuddyread

TheBookHippie

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Catsandbooks

Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo

pick

5/5 ⭐️ Loved reading this coming of age lesbian love story set in 1950s San Francisco. Lily and Kath are such loveable characters! And the author's research and notes were terrific! 🏳️‍🌈 #sundaybuddyread #pride

TheBookHippie

TheBookHippie Well look at that pretty cat! 3mo

Catsandbooks @TheBookHippie Thanks! That's miss Luna 3mo

RaeLovesToRead Oh my Goodness, I love Miss Luna!!! 🥰🥰🥰 3mo

Crazeedi A beautiful kitty!!😺 3mo

peanutnine Lovely Luna 💕😻 3mo

73 likes5 comments

DebinHawaii

Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo

pick

Read for #SundayBuddyRead June, I loved this one. I like YA historical fiction as it usually isn‘t all about teenage angst & teaches me history & paints a glimpse of life in a different time. This book does all of this as Lily, a 17-year-old Chinese-American explores her sexuality & lesbian awakening in 1950s San Francisco. The author did her research & brought Lily‘s experience & the history of the Chinese & homosexuality in the city to life. ⬇️

TheBookHippie

DebinHawaii Thanks to @TheBookHippie for hosting & picking another great book that will likely end up on my favorites for the year. Thanks to the #SundayBuddyRead group for the thoughtful discussion that make the books even better. 🤗 3mo

mcctrish I love how we discover new books together and meet new favourite authors 3mo

Kitta I loved this one too! 3mo

56 likes3 comments

Deblovestoread

Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo

#BookReport. This was the week of finishing buddy reads. Really loved the tagged book. Great YA historical fiction and perfect for Pride month. Old Friends was a fun mashup of Jane Austen characters. The others were good not great. Loved We All Want Impossible Things. I think the Le Guin is more me than the book.

Cinfhen

Cinfhen Awesome graphics!!! I still need to get to this one - it‘s been on my shelf for over a year!!!

Last Night at the Telegraph Club

3mo

47 likes1 comment

TheBookHippie

Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo

#SUNDAYBUDDYREAD NEXT JUNE 🏳️‍🌈

This book! I‘ll keep an eye out for sales!

TheBookHippie

A Scatter of Light

3mo

AmyG 👍🏻 3mo

mcctrish I‘m looking forward to this one 3mo

Catsandbooks I'm excited for next June! 🏳️‍🌈 3mo

Sargar114 Yay!!!! 3mo

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TheBookHippie

Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo

#SUNDAYBUDDYREAD

I truly loved this read. Thankyou so much for Sundays!!! Off next week then on to The Messy Lives of Book People

Happy SUNDAY🏳️‍🌈♥️🏳️‍⚧️

AmyG I am sorry-my ipad broke and now I am babysitting my grandson. So….I didn‘t yet finish. I will pop in when I do. As always, thank you! 3mo

TheBookHippie @AmyG ♥️ awe enjoy your grandson. 3mo

DebinHawaii Loved this one! It will go on my top reads of 2023 for sure! Looking forward to July too! Thank you for all of your efforts! 💜 3mo

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TheBookHippie @DebinHawaii It will make my top reads too I imagine. 3mo

kspenmoll Fabulous choice; fabulous book! 3mo

Catsandbooks Loved this one!! 🏳️‍🌈💕 3mo

Sargar114 Also @TheBookHippie I hope you enjoyed where Lily was going to throw the novel after reading what happens to the characters 😂 3mo

TheBookHippie @Sargar114 I felt so seen. 3mo

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TheBookHippie

Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo

https://www.malindalo.com/free-short-stories

DebinHawaii Thanks for the link! 🤗 3mo

41 likes1 comment

TheBookHippie

Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo

This post contains spoilers

show me

#SUNDAYBUDDYREAD

The ending
Did you like it?

The authors note
Please read it. So much goodness.
And history and personal history.

Discussion questions 😂😅🤷🏻‍♀️no clue they were there !!! Bahaha

mcctrish I loved it for the historical snapshot ( communism, Chinese experience, girls in stem, LGBTQ), the beautiful coming of age story, finding a community, Lily becoming fierce in defence of herself #wecandohardthings @TheBookHippie you picked a GREAT book and I‘ve inspired a bunch of people in my Facebook group to read it after I posted about it 3mo

TheBookHippie @mcctrish oh how wonderful!!! It‘s such a great read. 3mo

Read4life This was a moving read. I loved sharing it with my daughter. Lily & Kath not letting everything they went through keep them apart was great. Their strength & convictions were inspiring. They defended themselves & stayed true to themselves. 3mo

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Karisa I thought the ending was terrific. It ended on a hopeful note. 💯% agree with @mcctrish and @Read4life Great read! I wish my Facebook friends would care more when I post about books 😅 It‘s like 🦗🦗🤣. Do you have a book group there you could recommend? 3mo

mcctrish @Karisa come join my group, I‘m Patricia Mc on fb and my group is called 25 Books in 2023 ( I make a new one every year) I invite my friends and they invite their friends and people post what they read and people find connections and new books to read 3mo

mcctrish Everyone here is invited if they are on fb 3mo

Karisa @mcctrish Awesome! Thanks! 3mo

DebinHawaii That‘s awesome @mcctrish 🤗 Thank you! 3mo

DebinHawaii This was a great pick @TheBookHippie I had seen it mentioned before but iI didn‘t read enough about it to pick it up on my own. It was moving & informative & as mentioned by @Karisa hopeful at the end. YA at its best when it all comes together like that—I love these gems that come along & I credit you with introducing me to so many of them! 🤗 3mo

TheBookHippie @DebinHawaii ♥️ 3mo

kspenmoll Thanks @mcctrish - I may look you & group up- This was one of the best books I‘ve read this month- we have copies in our school library & 2 students recommended it to me. So I am so happy it was on our buddy read list! 3mo

Catsandbooks Loved the hopeful ending and the terrific author's note! This book had been on my shelf for about a year or so, but I just hadn't gotten to it yet. Glad to have read it with y'all! 3mo

mcctrish @kspenmoll oh please do ❤️ the more the merrier in 25 books 3mo

Sargar114 The ending was wonderful. Realistic with a little bit about what was going on with each character and just the right amount of optimism. Easily the best author‘s note I‘ve ever read. I loved this book so much, my favorite of the month and maybe favorite we‘ve read this year so far. ❤️ 3mo

SamAnne Great author‘s note! Would not have discovered this one if not for the group. 3mo

mollyrotondo So happy to have read this one! I had no idea it was an historical fiction book before picking it up. I learned so much and loved the author's note! Thank you for picking this one @thebookhippie and i am going to look up your FB group @mcctrish thank you! 3mo

TheBookHippie @mollyrotondo I didn‘t either 😂😅👀 I‘m so glad we read it. 3mo

Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick I like this book, and I'm glad I waited for this group to read it. I get more out of the books we read together. The epilogue was hopeful, and I'm glad that Kath wasn't institutionalized after being caught. I was worried one of them might be if they were both caught in the raid. Also, we didn't really touch on this, but the kids were great! Lily's brothers were cute near the end when she was trying to find Kath & Kath's sister helping Judy. 😄 3mo

TheBookHippie @Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick the little ones were awesome!!!! Should have mentioned it 😅 3mo

11 likes19 comments

TheBookHippie

Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo

This post contains spoilers

show me

#SUNDAYBUDDYREAD

The “I love my country it just wasn‘t safe so I had to leave and I can‘t go back” is something I think people don‘t think of. No mother would pick the ocean for her child or to walk a million miles unless it was safer …People aren‘t trying to take from us, they‘re trying to live. And look how we treat them?!
Ugh. Off soap box.
So frustrating.

Anyway they couldn‘t go back to China..
We didn‘t in my opinion need the side stories

TheBookHippie https://www.cfr.org/article/communist-chinas-painful-human-rights-story 3mo

AmyG My in-laws left China in the mid-80‘s….for the US. 3mo

mcctrish My husband sometimes gets frustrated with the kids at school who talk about their country because they are in 🇨🇦 now and I have to remind him being betrayed by a person or a country takes a long time to recover from. We will never know what that feels like and the people in charge in the US and canada who are making atrocious choices won‘t either and that makes me very mad and sad. We shouldn‘t have to work so hard to fight battles already won 3mo

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TheBookHippie @mcctrish what they cannot control they will try to abolish. It‘s maddening. 3mo

mcctrish So true 😠 3mo

Karisa Many of my students still have family (grandparents, aunts, cousins) in other countries. They go back to visit sometimes. When they talk about their families‘ homeland I get the feeling of when I think of the small, conservative town I grew up in. It‘s nice to visit, and people we love live there. But we moved for many reasons including a better life for our children. You can love (and be critical of 😅) more than one place 3mo

DebinHawaii @TheBookHippie I agree about not needing the side stories. There wasn‘t enough value to me to be pulled from the main story for them, but I still loved the book even with including them. I would have been good with just one timeline at the end too. 3mo

Catsandbooks I bet most people wouldn't be able to make it if they were put in the shoes of immigrants and refugees. People just want to live their lives. There needs to be more empathy in this world. Also I agree I could have done without the side stories. 3mo

Sargar114 I will say the side stories gave a little perspective to the various family members. Yeah they probably could have been removed without much lost. But I think knowing the origins of her parents and what they prioritize and Judy and how much she cared for Lily at a younger age helps explain how they behaved in this last section. So I wasn‘t mad that they were there by the end of it 3mo

mollyrotondo I still really liked the side stories. They helped frame the time period for me. They also showed how each generation struggles and how even once you are legally accepted by another country, the next generation still has to worry about maintaining a certain image so you don't lose that acceptance. Lily shouldn't have had to worry about her actions affecting her parents' right to be here, but unfortunately she did. The side stories helped me... 3mo

mollyrotondo ...understand this particular group of people's U.S. experience at this particular period of time and place. Without the parent's and aunt's history it would have been just about lesbians in the '50s instead of about a Chinese American family struggling with Communism accusations. Gay people were considered Communist threats in the '50s so Lily discovering this about herself in the '50s within a Chinese American family magnified this history. 3mo

Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick I suppose the side stories added a little value, but I think they could've just highlighted Aunt Judy and it would've been fine. Like Molly said, it helps understand what their culture experienced, but I'm not sure I needed that. 3mo

TheBookHippie @Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick I didn‘t need it but maybe if you‘re an actual YA age range you‘d need it for context? 3mo

Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick That's a fair point. I kind of forgot this is technically YA. Even at 43, I probably learned a bit from it, but it wasn't necessary to the story. 3mo

11 likes14 comments

TheBookHippie

Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo

This post contains spoilers

show me

#SUNDAYBUDDYREAD

Aunt Judy
Miscarriage
Guilt
Ptsd from war
Wanting to keep studying
Deja vu
Then she shows up to track Lily down
And takes her with her
Ughhhhhh
What do you think of Aunt Judy?

Ocean Beach
Opium Den

https://www.inside-guide-to-san-francisco-tourism.com/laughing-sal.html

mcctrish I love Aunt Judy “I don‘t understand what you‘ve been going through …you‘ll just have to put up with me until I do understand” she loves her enough to learn. This is what our world needs, more aunt Judy‘s 3mo

Read4life I agree with @mcctrish. I also think she‘s trying to do her best as the family navigates through fear (especially Grace‘s) and self discovery. 3mo

Karisa Even though it was frustrating, the aunt Judy solution did seem to be a decent one. Lily left to deal with the aftermath at her school, no Kath, and Shirley types around would have been worse. 3mo

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Karisa My family visited the Musée Mécanique last year and were fascinated by the automatons. I didn‘t notice the one the book mentions. So much blatant visual racism in the past. It makes me want to go back and look again through a different lens 3mo

Deblovestoread That is one of the best lines and don‘t we owe our loved ones the grace to be their authentic self and do the work so we can support them wholly? @mcctrish Shirley would have made Lily miserable at school. 3mo

TheBookHippie @Deblovestoread oh yes Shirley would have made life hell. How very sad. People and their hate filled agendas … 3mo

TheBookHippie @Karisa I felt the same. I feel the need to revisit SF again for so many things. Hoping to be there April 2025. 3mo

mcctrish @Deblovestoread I really think that Lily‘s parents made a decent choice in sending her to live with Judy. Shirley for sure would never have moved on from making Lily‘s life hell and the gossip would have kept on going #outofsightoutofmind as sad and angry as Lily was, she must have realized it eventually and yes it sucks it all had to happen at all #shirleyisarepublican 3mo

TheBookHippie @mcctrish 💯 3mo

DebinHawaii @mcctrish I loved that line & it made me appreciate Aunt Judy all the more. I agree @Karisa it was probably the best situation for Lily given Shirley & the fallout that would have happened to her at school. It also opened up more of the world beyond Chinatown for her. 3mo

mcctrish @DebinHawaii for sure it opened up her world 3mo

Karisa @DebinHawaii That‘s a really good point! Seeing more of the world was a great thing for Lily. I was surprised when she‘d said she had never really been out of SF before 3mo

Catsandbooks I was sad they we're making Lily leave, but it was probably the best for her. Aunt Judy seemed like the most understanding, or willing to understand, member of her family. Like others said, Shirley and others would have been awful to her. 3mo

kspenmoll @mcctrish Agree!!! Lily was pushed into forging her own path by Aunt Judy. I loved what you quoted that Judy said; I tagged that as well. Going back to her school would have killed her. (edited) 3mo

Sargar114 I agree with everyone, this was probably the best solution for Lily. I commend Judy for stepping in and supporting her probably knowing how her parents felt as well. This gives Lily the best opportunity to live the life she wants to lead. 3mo

mollyrotondo I felt so sad that Lily had to leave without seeing Kath. I know she communicates with her once she moves, but I'm sure it was painful to leave without saying a proper goodbye. But Aunt Judy is the best. She didn't judge or accuse. She was willing to give Lily what she needed and didn't try to change Lily. Leaving was only the best in order to protect her and protect her parents. I love Aunt Judy. 3mo

Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick Thank goodness for Aunt Judy! I was sad that Lily had to leave, but Judy seems to want to learn and grow to support Lily. They also have similar passions, so in the job front, this sounds ideal, too. No doubt they're would've been more scandal is she stayed, because I'd like to think that if Shirley got sassy with Lily, Lily would've just stuck Shirley's head in a toilet or gave her a good sucker punch. Honestly, I thought Judy may have been gay. 3mo

11 likes17 comments

TheBookHippie

Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo

This post contains spoilers

show me

#SUNDAYBUDDYREAD

Lana
And then Claire
Staying the night
The BOOK! At last she can read it all…
Lana-Don‘t LIE. Stick to your truth.
Good advice.
I liked this part quite a bit. Elders caring for youth.
Thoughts?

Did you see authors note on books?
Also this https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/tereska-torres-war-heroine-and-rel...

https://www.librarything.com/author/torrestereska

mcctrish Lana‘s advice was stellar. It will be hard but it will be harder later and Lily was tested over and over and she didn‘t change her story ❤️ I thought the writer captured the immediacy of youth so well and with strong emotions in general. Lily grew up so much in these few months and she focused in on what she wanted/needed ❤️❤️👏🏻👏🏻 I was so happy for the epilogue 3mo

TheBookHippie @mcctrish The epilogue was amazing!!! 3mo

Karisa I was glad that Lana was there for Lily. It had to be a risk considering what she and Tommy were going through along with the way the newspaper framed it all as grooming 🤮. Reading the research link from earlier it mentioned how the papers sometimes even posted people‘s home addresses 😔 Thank goodness for Lana 3mo

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Karisa @mcctrish Agreed! 👏👏👏 3mo

DebinHawaii I loved the epilogue. I didn‘t realize that author M.E. Kerr (Marijane Meaker) was credited with making lesbian fiction more mainstream (as Vin Packer). I read some of her 70s YA like If I Love You, Am I Trapped Forever? &

Dinky Hocker Shoots Smack!

(edited) 3mo

DebinHawaii https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marijane_Meaker 3mo

TheBookHippie @DebinHawaii I loved the epilogue as well and took many notes. 3mo

Catsandbooks I'm so glad she had Lana, like a big sister for this new world she was entering. So happy to get some closure in the epilogue for Lily and Kath. Really appreciated the Author's note at the end too 3mo

TheBookHippie @Catsandbooks The authors notes were the best I‘ve ever seen in a book. So good. 3mo

Catsandbooks @TheBookHippie Agreed!! More books need this level of notes and research 3mo

kspenmoll I really liked this part too- how Lana was such a help to Lily in sheltering her, giving her practical advise, sending her home. Notes wonderful- I knew nothing about issues surrounding sexual identity at the time. All @TheBookHippie ‘s research as always, enriched the reading of the book- such an intersection of history, politics, culture,ideas,social issues- 💜💛 3mo

Sargar114 I was so happy that Lana took her in. I wonder if being in that community makes you more inclined to help others when you could have easily been in that situation. The epilogue was perfect! 3mo

TheBookHippie @Sargar114 I would say yes. 3mo

mollyrotondo I think both the earlier scene with Tommy at the apartment and this moment with Lana both made the newspaper article's accusation of “grooming“ ludicrous and insulting and a witch hunt. Tommy knew Lily was young and told her to leave her room. She never took advantage. And Lana was the perfect friend and confidante Lily needed after her family found out before Lily was ready to tell them. But Lana was right. Lying is just a band aid not a fix 3mo

TheBookHippie @mollyrotondo I do so agree!!! 3mo

Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick I was so glad for Lana providing Lily with a safe place for a few days. I think it was good for both of them, and Claire, to lean on each other in the days after the raid. Until then, Lana was shown as just Tommy's girlfriend, but she had more to give. Lily finally got a bit of a mentor. 3mo

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TheBookHippie

Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo

This post contains spoilers

show me

#SUNDAYBUDDYREAD

Shirley
UGHHHHHH

The mom Grace
Ughhhh

So awful and yet, so how it goes.
Why ?!?!?!?

Also Shirley 🤬🤮

mcctrish Shirley 👎🏻👎🏻 I loved how Lily was all “ you are a liar too! Dating Calvin who‘s a communist, you aren‘t safe and neither is he!” And I know I‘m going to hell but I want Calvin and Shirley deported to China just to show them karma is a bitch. I‘m giving mom some grace because she‘s afraid this a second strike against them and knows how the stupid government works ( also dad and aunt will show her the way) 3mo

Read4life Unfortunately, I wasn‘t surprised by Shirley. She was horrible. Grace was scared (and possibly embarrassed), but her reaction made me sad. It also sparked a great conversation with my daughter (she read along with us) about how fear or government, fear of retribution & fear of physical/mental/emotional attacks promotes hate & suppression. 3mo

TheBookHippie @mcctrish I wish that on many people-often😅👀 3mo

See All 15 Comments

TheBookHippie @Read4life how wonderful your daughter read with us! It‘s such a good read! 3mo

Karisa I was hoping against hope that Shirley would be understanding if she found out Lily‘s secret. I thought maybe being in love with Calvin would help her understand Lily‘s plight. So frustrating when even a young person can‘t be open minded enough to support her oldest friend. It did ring true though disappointing… 3mo

Deblovestoread Hoped for a more meaningful friendship between Lily and Shirley but not surprised that it wasn‘t there. (edited) 3mo

DebinHawaii Shirley was not a good friend from the start & so I expected her reaction completely. With her reaction when Lily touched her arm, I wanted to punch her! 🤬 The mom‘s reaction was disappointing but not surprising either. And @Read4life it‘s awesome that your daughter read along & you were able to have such meaningful conversation with her about it! 3mo

Catsandbooks I didn't like Shirley from the beginning. Only out for herself. I was sad about the parents reaction but not surprised. 3mo

kspenmoll @DebinHawaii I felt the same way about Shirley- she just seemed to use Lily for her own ends as they got older. Her reaction when Lily touched her arm was infuriating & sad- I had to remind myself this is the 50‘s -not a time for embracing differences. 3mo

Sargar114 Shirley is the absolute worst and unfortunately reacted in the exact way I would expect, and I was still angry about it. While Grace‘s reaction was at first disappointing, I like that we got a glimpse of understanding where she was coming from. While I wish she reacted differently, I can understand the fear of something like Lily‘s sexual orientation and the potential impact on their fragile family situation during that time. 3mo

TheBookHippie @Sargar114 Shirley. UGH. 🤬 3mo

mollyrotondo I hated Shirley from the beginning. She was not a true friend. She used people. It was so telling when Lily said that she never says sorry or asks for forgiveness because she never feels like she is wrong. I am not surprised Shirley acted this way when she found out Lily was discovering she is a lesbian. I actually think this was the best thing for them. Finally get it all out and move away from this so called friendship. 3mo

mollyrotondo I was so sad to hear her mother's reaction because her family seemed close and then to lose that connection all because of who you love was just heartbreaking. I thought this part was written so well. That pain and how that lose and pain can make you feel lost but also afraid to go home was written in such real way. I felt all of the pain and uncertainty and fear. 3mo

Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick Grace's reaction was disappointing but not surprising. Shirley had a chance to be human and failed miserably. You know all those words used to describe women that most women hate? Yeah, I didn't throw my tablet, but I might've tossed a few of those unsavory words around the room, hurled in Shirley's direction. How sad to not find strength and understanding in those you've been closest to. 3mo

TheBookHippie @Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick that was my thought ALLLLLL THOSE WHITE WOMEN I LOATHE … 3mo

11 likes15 comments

TheBookHippie

Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo

This post contains spoilers

show me

#SUNDAYBUDDYREAD

THE RAID
OH NO
Kath!!!
😭😭😭
What we were afraid of.
A forced coming out..

From author https://www.malindalo.com/blog/2021/6/22/the-raid-on-tommys

Also fun find https://www.malindalo.com/blog

mcctrish As soon as this started I had to put the book down, I had to get prepared. The writing was so good, I felt frantic reading it 😟 3mo

Read4life This book has definitely sent me down rabbit holes. This scene, although expected, was so well written it was still shocking & highly emotional. 3mo

Karisa It was a difficult part to read, though as @Read4life said to be expected. Thanks for finding the links to the author‘s extensive research notes for the scene/club, @TheBookHippie! Lo really did her homework! 3mo

See All 14 Comments

Deblovestoread We knew it was coming but wished with our whole hearts it wouldn‘t. 3mo

DebinHawaii I got tense EVERY time Lily was out at night in the city or hiding with Kath, so yes, both completely expected, but still so shocking. 🫣😱 The article was very interesting. As @Karisa said, Lo did her research & it‘s a good glimpse of fairly unknown to me history so I appreciate that. 3mo

TheBookHippie @DebinHawaii I think we were all collectively holding our breathe waiting for it to happen. 😅 3mo

Catsandbooks I was scared for them this whole last section! Side note: I like that her blog is called Lo & behold ❤️ 3mo

TheBookHippie @Catsandbooks OY I didn‘t catch that it‘s cute name for a blog. How are you feeling? I am finally getting through my summer cold flu . Yuk😛 I tested for Covid three times but no, thank god. 3mo

Catsandbooks @TheBookHippie I'm doing a lot better! Just a bit of congestion and a cough left but definitely past the worst of it! I'm sorry you're not feeling well! Thank goodness it's not covid! Hope you feel better soon! 💕 3mo

TheBookHippie @Catsandbooks I‘m on the up side just occasional cough left and tiredness. I‘m so glad you‘re doing better!! 3mo

kspenmoll I am joining in late- just loved this book- the raid & losing sight of Kath was so scary for Lily- so emotional & anxiety provoking. I had to take this section in bites! (edited) 3mo

Sargar114 This scene was so well written. You could really feel the roller coaster of emotions that Lily was going through. 3mo

mollyrotondo Uhh of course Kath had to go back for her coat! I felt so bad for Lily because she didn't know what happened to Kath for a long while. It was a stressful ending even though we knew the raid was coming. 3mo

Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick I knew it was coming, but was still scared for the girls. I had to pause for a moment after the raid, just to compose myself from how good the scene was written. I was so disappointed that they were separated. Thanks for the blog post, too. Extensive research was done. 3mo

11 likes14 comments

Karisa

Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo

pick

Intersectional coming of age novel set in 1950s SF Chinatown with McCarthyism lurking in the background. Despite touching on many issues, this novel also feels sweet and simple with themes of finding oneself and first love. #PrideMonth 🌈
(Photo from author‘s website)

49 likes

mcctrish

Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo

pick

Dreary Saturdays are perfect for catching up on all my reading ❤️ this was such a great coming of age novel! I loved the historical aspects of the 1950‘s in terms of the Chinese experience, San Francisco, and LGBTQ culture. Lily‘s story is wonderful; finding her first love, figuring out her future, choosing her path ( truth) I can see why it won all these awards

ChaoticMissAdventures I enjoyed this one too! It was a sweet story without being too perfect, and I really thought she captured the atmosphere of SF well - but that could just be me since I took this on vacation to the city. But the way she laid out the city so well was nice. 3mo

mcctrish @ChaoticMissAdventures I am happy it ended on happy note, not HEA perfect, but positive. SF is my husbands favourite US city and I could picture where all the action was taking place while I was reading this ❤️❤️ and I know that made it all the better of a book for me 3mo

52 likes1 stack add2 comments

AmyG

Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo

Well, my ipad won‘t turn on….the dreaded black screen of death. 😬😩 SO it‘s reading my book club book on my iphone while I am away. I also started Yellowface…so far excellent.

Soubhiville Oh no! Maybe it just needs a long charge? At least you had a print book with you. 3mo

Soubhiville Is this the next #camplitsy read? I‘ve lost track 😆 3mo

Bookwormjillk Oh no!! 3mo

See All 8 Comments

AmyG @Soubhiville This is the next month‘s book (1 of them). @Bookwormjillk OH NO is right. (edited) 3mo

tpixie I‘m glad you brought a spare book & can also use your app. Sad about your kindle. Maybe when you get home on your own WiFi magic will happen when you try a hard reset- holding button down for a good 10 seconds 🍀🍀🍀 3mo

AmyG @tpixie I tried everything. It either doesn‘t turn on or there is an issue with the screen connection. Sadly I didn‘t have applecare. I got a new one…with applecare…guaranteeing it will never break! 😂 3mo

tpixie @AmyG glad you have a new one coming! I thought I got AppleCare with my new phone but I did it at night and apparently I fell asleep before I finish the transaction. Of course, soon after I dropped the phone and have a small crack in my screen!! AppleCare is very important!! (edited) 3mo

AmyG Oh no! @tpixie 3mo

82 likes8 comments

kspenmoll

Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo

Just finished this this evening. Cannot wait for our discussion Sunday. A gem of a book, with multilayered themes as well as historical significance.#sundaybuddyread

TheBookHippie

5feet.of.fury Love that barrel table 3mo

kspenmoll @5feet.of.fury Thanks, it‘s fun! 3mo

70 likes1 stack add2 comments

TheBookHippie

Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo

See you SUNDAY for the FINAL discussion on this read! #SUNDAYBUDDYREAD

Make sure to read authors notes and extras!

Also I found this 😅👀🤷🏻‍♀️😂 https://www.mycast.io/stories/last-night-at-the-telegraph-club

Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick I wasn't picturing anyone specific in my head, but this suggestion for Shirley was close to what I pictured. 3mo

49 likes1 comment

julieclair

Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo

pick

Lily, a Chinese American high school girl living in San Francisco‘s Chinatown in the 1950s, falls in love with her Caucasian classmate, Kath. The novel sensitively and realistically explores Lily‘s struggles as a lesbian woman of color coming of age during a time of strict social mores and rampant prejudice, even within her own family.
Another excellent pick for #SundayBuddyRead, @TheBookHippie !

30 likes

willaful

Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo

I couldn't wait and devoured the rest in one gulp! Will wait for Sunday though. #SUNDAYBUDDYREAD

15 likes

Read4life

Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo

pick

@TheBookHippie has picked another great read for #SUNDAYBUDDYREAD
#JoysOfJune (book 14) @Andrew65

Andrew65 Looks good, well done 👏👏👏 3mo

45 likes1 comment

Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick

Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo

Wheels up in 1 hour! This time, I've got a short flight to Columbus for the week. Sadly, one of my fellow sales ladies is moving along, and I have the pleasure (?) of covering the hotel until her replacement is hired. Doing the exit transition is much easier in person, so off I go!

I might actually get to read & reply to week 3 of the #sundaybuddyread today AND tomorrow I should have time to visit The Book Loft. Huzzah!

TheBookHippie ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️ 3mo

42 likes1 comment

TheBookHippie

Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo

This post contains spoilers

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#SUNDAYBUDDYREAD

What did I miss!?

I‘m very anxious excited to finish this!!

AmyG I just want to finish, too. I need to know what happens with Lily and Kath. Thank you! 3mo

Sargar114 I‘m looking forward to finishing this one. I genuinely hope for the best for Lily and her to live the life she wants. I don‘t expect her to remain with Kath, but there‘s always something wonderful about your first and those feelings. 3mo

kspenmoll I am going to read now! Part of me is excited for Lily & Kath; part of me is scared for them. 3mo

See All 8 Comments

DebinHawaii I really like this book but worrying about Lily & Kath makes me very tense! I may have to finish it before my usual Saturday read before schedule! 3mo

TheBookHippie @DebinHawaii I feel the same way!!! I‘m so frightened for them! 3mo

TheBookHippie @Sargar114 this exactly!!! 3mo

Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick I'm eager to read on, but don't want to forget anything so I think I'll try to read something else and get to this later in the week. Fingers crossed that things ultimately work out OK, even if they face some adversity prior to the end. 3mo

mollyrotondo So many balls to be dropped. What‘s going to happen to Lily‘s father? What‘s going to happen to Calvin? And then possibly Shirley? Will the Telegraph Club be raided? Will lily be outed or will she be able to control when her friends and family learn she is a lesbian? So many things left up in the air for the last 100 pages 😱 3mo

14 likes8 comments

TheBookHippie

Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo

#SUNDAYBUDDYREAD

SO THERE IS A COMPANION BOOK !

Better believe I put it for June 2024 schedule 😂🏳️‍🌈✔️

TheBookHippie

A Scatter of Light

3mo

AmyG Nice! 3mo

TheBookHippie @vlwelser 👀😂🤭 3mo

See All 15 Comments

vlwelser It's almost like they lead us right to the next book schedule. Are you guys having fun with Telegraph? 3mo

TheBookHippie @vlwelser yes. I love it. 3mo

kspenmoll I love it! It‘s a nice-follow up with our last read

Outrun the Moon

3mo

mcctrish Ooo YAY 3mo

TheBookHippie @kspenmoll I know and I didn‘t even catch it when planning out the year!!! 🤭🤷🏻‍♀️🤣♥️ 3mo

Karisa 👏👏👏 3mo

DebinHawaii Yay! 🎉 3mo

Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick I'm afraid to read the blurb, should it give anything away about the end of this one, so I'll just pencil it in and take your word for it. I think this is book two for 2024 so I've made my official post-it note tracker. 3mo

TheBookHippie @Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick I did the same! 3mo

mollyrotondo Oooo I had no idea! I really like this author‘s writing a lot. Great for YA but extremely accessible for adults like me who cannot relate to today‘s young people and their books lol she is on par with Stacey Lee! 3mo

TheBookHippie @mollyrotondo I so agree! 3mo

Catsandbooks Hooray for a 2024 read! 🏳️‍🌈 3mo

51 likes15 comments

TheBookHippie

Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo

This post contains spoilers

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#SUNDAYBUDDYREAD

The pageant. Lily saying what she thinks 👀😂😅

Can‘t wait to read what happens!!!

Can you believe Lily said it?!?!

AmyG Lily is getting braver. I am just waiting to see what happens as I fear someone(Shirley?) will learn her secret. 3mo

Sargar114 As Lily is leaning more about herself, and finding she not alone, she is finding her voice ❤️ 3mo

kspenmoll I was shocked, but she gets braver everyday. 3mo

See All 11 Comments

mcctrish I was glad Lily is finding her voice, but I‘m not sold on Shirley being kind even when she‘s taking a bigger risk ‘dating‘ a communist 3mo

Karisa I was so relieved when Lily stopped playing Shirley‘s game for a moment. Lily is developing a bit of a backbone 👏👏👏 3mo

SamAnne @Karisa 👍👍👍 3mo

willaful Ooops, I just realized I accidentally stopped a chapter early. Have to come back to this. 3mo

DebinHawaii I like seeing Lily grow in confidence & come out if Shirley‘s shadow more but like @AmyG I fear what happens when Shirley finds out what Lily is hiding. 3mo

Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick HUZZAH!! Not as rudely as I hoped, but I'm glad someone said it. Shirley just wants a bunch of minions and yes-men, so to speak. I hope this doesn't but a target on Lily's back, but then again, what's worse in 1954? Liking a girl or being a Communist? Hard to say because most people in power are just power-hungry, hateful, dipshits. 3mo

TheBookHippie @Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick RIGHT?!?! 3mo

mollyrotondo I was so happy Lily finally stopped acquiescing to Shirley and the other girls. Tell it like it is, Lily! 3mo

12 likes11 comments

TheBookHippie

Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo

This post contains spoilers

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#SUNDAYBUDDYREAD

The people ASS U ME ING the girls were Japanese 😤

Or the “China Doll” calling of Lily..

Racism so pervasive.. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese,_Japanese,_dirty_knees

https://www.rd.com/list/childrens-nursery-rhymes-that-are-actually-racist/

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/04/we-are-constantly-reproducing-...

https://www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/immigration/chinese/intolerance/

AmyG Americans can‘t tell the difference between Chinese, Japanese, Korean etc. I still cringe when people say Oriental. 3mo

Sargar114 @AmyG I cringe too. It‘s so awful how people react to her. “You don‘t have an accent?, do you know ‘insert of person of Asian decent‘, can you get someone who works here for me even though you just told me you don‘t work here?” So disgusting! 3mo

kspenmoll @AmyG @Sargar114 Agree!!!! 3mo

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mcctrish The ‘girls‘ at the Telegraph Club, for some reason, bother me the most with their ‘China Doll‘. They are marginalized so they must know what if feels like to be called names ? 3mo

TheBookHippie @mcctrish I thought the exact same thing!!!! 3mo

TheBookHippie @AmyG @Sargar114 we had a older white man terrorizing a Chinese waitress at our favorite take out place saying “SPEAKY DE ENGLISH” then said you Mexicans are all alike.” WHAT?! Ugh. We all stood in front of her to protect her from him. Raging lunatic … ughhhhhhhh. 3mo

Sargar114 @mcctrish that is cringeworthy too 3mo

mcctrish @TheBookHippie some people are really too dumb 3mo

Karisa Looking through your links about nursery rhymes and reading through those casually racist scenes brings to light how ingrained racism was and is still today. Continually have to stop and recognize/question where a phrase or feeling comes from. These things run deep 3mo

TheBookHippie @Karisa the pictured rhyme song was sung while jumping rope at school when I was a child 🤯 teachers taught it to us!!! Blows my mind. 3mo

TheBookHippie @mcctrish My friends grandma use to say “all fools aren‘t dead yet” that fits here. 3mo

mcctrish @TheBookHippie and it‘s a damn shame 3mo

SamAnne @thebookhippie same. I grew up redneck rural. But my parents lived in Japan for 3 years before I was born, and they loved it there and the friends they made. So they didn‘t put up with that crap. But the playground had all kinds of offensive crap being said. 3mo

TheBookHippie @mcctrish seriously. 3mo

TheBookHippie @SamAnne So unreal. But it goes on today as well just in a different way. 3mo

willaful And hate crimes surged in the last few years because of people insisting on blaming covid on the Chinese. 3mo

TheBookHippie @willaful So awful. 3mo

DebinHawaii @mcctrish I completely agree! 💯% I feel like they at least should know better/do better! 3mo

Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick Oh wow!! I haven't thought about that rhyme in ages. When I was a kid it was more a call to draw attention to your (now budding) pubescent chest than to mock others, but still... I'm happy to say I haven't heard this in while so hopefully some of these will die, only to be found on Wikipedia by folks falling down a rabbit hole of research. The bitch in the store pissed me off the most of these situations. 3mo

TheBookHippie @Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick I totally forgot as well. Just yikes. 3mo

mollyrotondo @Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick I also totally forgot about this gross rhyme. I thought it was super gross as a kid for many reasons and always felt the kids who said it were the bullies in the class. So I always associated it with something wrong even if I didn‘t completely understand why. I was reading in the author‘s notes in the back of my book that she purposefully used these terms to show how people spoke of others during this time period. 3mo

11 likes21 comments

TheBookHippie

Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo

#SUNDAYBUDDYREAD

San Francisco sea lions
They talk about them -made me think of Pier 39

https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/pier-39-sea-lions-17760174.php

📷mine

AmyG Ha! I‘ve seen this in SF. ❤️ 3mo

Sargar114 That is what I was picturing when they were talking about the sea lions and didn‘t realize it was different. I love San Francisco as a character in this story, it‘s so wonderful! 3mo

kspenmoll @Sargar114 It is such fun having San Francisco such a character- their walks, night life, pier, etc. It‘s all there. It‘s been ages since I have been to the city but I can picture every step of the characters ways. 3mo

See All 12 Comments

mcctrish I love when a place plays a role in a story ❤️ I‘ve seen this in SF too 3mo

Karisa 🦭I can almost hear them barking and smell that salty/fishy smell 3mo

TheBookHippie @Karisa I have video 😂😂😂👀 3mo

TheBookHippie @mcctrish I do too!!! 3mo

willaful I've really enjoyed all the SF atmosphere. My husband grew up in the Richmond and he has got to read this. 3mo

DebinHawaii Yes! My sea lion experiences are more Oregon Coast 😉 but having spent time in San Francisco I can totally picture where they are & I love the glimpses of the city in that era. 3mo

tpixie Great photo I remember these sea lions basking in sun! 3mo

Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick I haven't been to SF (only their airport and our old hotel in nearby Burlingame, so I enjoy the sense of place in this book and in Outrun the Moon. This picture makes me think of the sea lions in Finding Nemo & Finding Dory. Gerald?! OFF OFF OFF! I like knowing that the scenes are set in actual places and not embellished for the story. 3mo

mollyrotondo Wow what a great picture!! 3mo

53 likes12 comments

TheBookHippie

Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo

This post contains spoilers

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#SUNDAYBUDDYREAD

Kath.
The tumble of feelings and firsts.
I‘m so scared for them and it‘s just so sweet.

The Club
The after party
Hard to meet your heros/idolized people…
Seeing Paula at Macys

Life. It‘s so hard sometimes. What a lot to grapple with.

The writing is good, I think the push pull and realizations are so well written.

Thoughts?

📷 https://www.buzzfeed.com/nataliemorin/beautiful-photos-of-life-in-san-franciscos...

AmyG It is very sweet to see Lily and Kath…their sexual awakening. I am very fearful for them, though. Does Shirley find out? You know someone is going to find out. 3mo

SamAnne This section of the book dragged a bit for me. I do like the Lily and Kath storyline. 3mo

Sargar114 It‘s so tense but also so easy to get caught up on the moment. I agree the writing is very good. I love the representation here for a YA. I enjoy experiencing Lily‘s growth with her in learning about herself and the community in which she finds herself in. I don‘t know if she‘ll get “caught” but I hope she doesn‘t and is able to live the life she wants. 3mo

See All 16 Comments

Sargar114 I also hate the term caught since it infers she‘s doing something wrong, I suppose found out is better… 3mo

mcctrish @Sargar114 yes ( but I still held my breath when I was reading these parts ) 3mo

kspenmoll I do like the storyline- Kath & Lily finally express their feelings for each other. the tension & fright & yet belonging that weaves throughout the Telegraph Club scenes is quite a contrast-running into her friend at Macy‘s was a learning experience for Lily- these women have hidden lives beyond who they are at the Telegraph Club. It seems Lily never thought about that. But she is young… 3mo

Karisa I agree that it‘s very well written. The Kath and Lily scenes feel so honest. Push and pull is so right! So normal and yet so dangerous at the time 3mo

willaful I found the party pretty scary to read--probably because I had my own experiences at being way over my head in the company of potentially predatory adults.

It's making me think about how queer elders and allys have been providing so much knowledge and safety for queer kids, but all the moral panics are destroying that and driving people back underground, where they're so much more susceptible to being taken advantage of. 3mo

willaful I'm so relieved that the girls got out of that party safely, and it led to them being honest about their feelings. 3mo

TheBookHippie @willaful I had those same thoughts!! 3mo

DebinHawaii I think I mentioned last time that Lily & Kath being out in the city at night makes me tense & worry & the party scene definitely did that! I like the scenes between Lily & Kath as the writing does seem very honest & real, but I keep worrying about how & when they will be found out & what will happen. 🫣😱 3mo

Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick With the section titled Lush Life, I was optimistic that they'd come clean about their feelings for each other and things would be good for a while. The writing for Lily & Kath admitting their feelings was very good. I could feel the nervous energy. However, I was still nervous that something bad was going to happen at the afterparty. It's good that Paula and Lily didn't acknowledge each other at Macy's. It would be difficult to justify. 3mo

mollyrotondo I think the writing so well done! So real and I can feel the excitement, fear, joy, shame, desire, and in experience in each moment with Lily and Kath. And that‘s what first love is no matter who you are. And to know that along with all these normal feelings comes the disappointment in knowing you can‘t show all of these feelings. When Lily sees heterosexual couples in public she snaps back from her love fog. She can‘t be out with Kath as a couple 3mo

mollyrotondo That part broke my heart. Something so exciting as first love should not be something to hide because it‘s against the law. I don‘t dread their moments together. I‘m happy for them. I‘m just also sad for them because it‘s not accepted during their time. 3mo

TheBookHippie @mollyrotondo ah first love. 3mo

TheBookHippie @mollyrotondo it‘s just so sweet and heartbreaking all at the same time. 3mo

13 likes16 comments

TheBookHippie

Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo

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#SUNDAYBUDDYREAD

GRACE . Again.
She wants the big family important wife if eldest son … hmmm
Interesting look into her?

The chasm between traditional Chinese life and American and being Chinese in America is an undertone in these chapters. Caught between.
Interesting dilemma and feelings for all.

AmyG I was just thinking that. Being in America and wanting to seem America but still retain some of their Chinese traditions, food, values etc. I see this alot in Shirley. 3mo

SamAnne It‘s takes a lot to straddle two cultures and blend them. 3mo

kspenmoll It must be bewildering at times to try & keep your heritage/culture while trying to adapt to where you are now. Her character helps in my understanding of this immigrant dilemma, especially being an unwanted minority. 3mo

See All 8 Comments

mcctrish Well the US worked very hard to keep the Chinese in Chinatown so it would be hard to not want traditional Chinese ways. I thought it quite the double edged sword that Lily‘s dad worked so hard to be American Chinese vs Chinese American and he‘s the one who‘s papers are being held 3mo

DebinHawaii I still find myself wanting to go back to Lily‘s story when the flashbacks pop up. They are interesting I suppose, to know where her parents have been, but I hope it ends up tying more to the current story & their actions than what we have seen so far. 🤷🏻‍♀️ 3mo

Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick It seems to me that Grace got the education but isn't feeling very prestigious as a working nurse in SF and would rather be at the top of the social hierarchy in Shanghai as an important wife of the eldest son. There's nothing wrong with that, other than her husband not seeming to want to be in Shanghai. I'm curious to try finding a book set in China during this time period to see how different life is there. Is the grass greener/safer? 3mo

TheBookHippie @Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick there was a famine and I think more than one wife was still common. Now I want to research! 3mo

mollyrotondo I felt bad for Grace. It ties into her feelings at the club they went to in the other flashback. The plan seems to have always been to go back to China and Grace feels like she would have had a more prestigious life there. The politics were also interesting. The women had doubts that the US was going to help China during WWII. The US does become an ally with China during the war but then hates them a few years after the war ends. Crazy flip flop 3mo

13 likes8 comments

TheBookHippie

Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo

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#SUNDAYBUDDYREAD

Shirley
“…your parents could move why don‘t they ?!”
“ don‘t you ever wish you weren‘t Chinese?”
Asking for forgiveness FORTHEFIRSTTIME …
Then monopolizing her time.
On purpose?
Miss Chinatown

And THEN
Well well well…Calvin Chan

Thoughts on Shirley?

AmyG I am still not sure about Shirley. Friend or Foe to Lily? 3mo

TheBookHippie @AmyG 🤷🏻‍♀️ 3mo

Sargar114 This moment for Shirley made me hopeful for her. It seemed like she realized how valuable a friend Lily was in her absence. I wonder if something also happened with the communism investigation and her connection and she didn‘t really have anyone she could trust to discuss, or at least that‘s why she was being so philosophical. I doubt she knows anything about Lily and her pastimes as that would require her to look beyond herself. 3mo

See All 14 Comments

Sargar114 At least she apologized 3mo

kspenmoll Shirley seems to be driven by her own ambition to get out of Chinatown, be seen - although I think Lily is right not to trust her, their childhood friendship must have a pull for both. Shirley apologizing is huge. I wonder if she feels the breach between the two-her friendships seem based on what she can get- fashion, sewing, etc. I s there true appreciation for Lilly now? Unsure.As for Chan that seems to come out of no where! Is th 3mo

mcctrish I didn‘t think Shirley had it in her to walk away from Calvin, not only is he older now he‘s a bad boy too. Lily needs to be careful because her family is already considered other within Chinatown, I can see them being thrown under the bus by everyone 3mo

Karisa Shirley is so self-centered. She keeps all her friends running errands for her and vying for her favor. I‘ve been surprised that Lily is still wanting to play along with all of that. Their friendship feels more of a habit to fall back into for both Lily and Shirley. They are both keeping big secrets from each other. 3mo

Deblovestoread I agree with all your points. Their friendship feels like habit and Shirley feels pretty superficial to me. 3mo

willaful Hmmm, I feel kind of sorry for Shirley. I think she's really unhappy and life is going to be hard for her. 3mo

Read4life I agree with you, @karisa. Shirley likes her ‘friends‘ as long as they act the way she thinks they should. 3mo

DebinHawaii I have not been a Shirley fan from the start & I agree the friendship is more of a habit for both. I just hope she doesn‘t find out Lily‘s secrets & betray her at some point to take the heat off of herself & Calvin. 3mo

Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick 17 years-olds are supposed to do stupid things, like dallying with boys who are trouble, so I am in no way shocked that Shirley is creeping around with Calvin. Having seen that, I wonder if someone in Chinatown mentioned they were together and she & her family were questioned, leading to her sudden feelings about it being small. It was a lackluster apology, but at least it was one. She's proving to be fair-weathered and self-centered. 3mo

Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick Whether it's Lily, Mary, or Flora, I would LOVE for one of them to just tell her no or go off on her. You should help your friend because you want to, not be obligated to just to keep a friendship. I'm starting to wish for bad things to happen to Shirley. She's fictional, so I don't feel bad about it. 😁 3mo

mollyrotondo I can‘t stand Shirley. Sure she apologizes but really so she can get Lily to help her become Miss Chinatown. She always has a motive and uses her “friends”. I don‘t like her. And of course she‘s still hanging larking Calvin. She has a crush on him. She doesn‘t care if he‘s close to trouble. He‘s a cute boy with a car. I hope lily dumps Shirley at the end. 3mo

10 likes14 comments

mcctrish

Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo

My youngest is moving apartments but first he has to come home and get ready for his summer job at a sleep away camp. I told him we should have moved more stuff home earlier this spring 🤦🏻‍♀️ #mothersalwaysknowbest but I got my #sundaybuddyread ing done, my #pemberlitten #hashtagbrigade chapter read and my in person bookclub book more than half read ( after I‘d jenga‘d all his crap into the van)

TheBookHippie Oy. Vey. 3mo

mcctrish @TheBookHippie exactly that and now I have to find places for this stuff that doesn‘t cause me to implode over feelings of maximalism 3mo

TheBookHippie @mcctrish 😅😝 I get that. 3mo

See All 6 Comments

Tamra 😜 Seems like something mine will do too. 3mo

mcctrish @Tamra I‘m just thankful his one current roommate and soon to be only new Roomate is cool with moving a few furniture pieces and the remaining dishes 3mo

willaful @mctrish “feelings of maximailism“ -- I hear that! I definitely live with a maximalist. 😒 3mo

44 likes6 comments

TheBookHippie

Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo

#SUNDAYBUDDYREAD SEE YOU TOMORROW ♥️

FOOOOOOD

https://thewoksoflife.com/chinese-bbq-pork-buns-cha-siu-bao/

https://whattocooktoday.com/traditional-ji-dan-gao.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHuCvDPE_bA

https://www.mylovelyrecipes.com/recipes/dessert/tau-sar-pau/

Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick Yum!! Roger has gotten himself a bamboo steamer and sometimes heats (from frozen) Pork Buns and little soup dumplings. The pork buns are tasty, but there's a high dough to meat ratio that's a little odd for me. I wonder if these are any better and if I can get him to make some. 3mo

TheBookHippie @Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick I definitely like more meat 😂👀 3mo

54 likes2 comments

jlhammar

Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo

pick

I don‘t always get on with YA, but quite enjoyed this. Lo writes about first love so well. Lily is discovering her sexuality and boldly seeking an authentic, fulfilling life in 1950s San Francisco. A lovely story.

paper.reveries My sister's always reading romance, but I never find myself engaged in it. But this... this is everything I typically enjoy, just in a romance novel. I may have to try my hand at it. 👀👀👀 3mo

SamAnne Agreed. Never read romance. Enjoyed this. 3mo

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Read4life

Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo

A third #WickedWords ion this book which I‘m enjoying.

AsYouWish

32 likes

TheBookHippie

Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo

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#SUNDAYBUDDYREAD

MOST Parents never get who the good kids or bad or true friends are
Why do you think that is ?!

PART IV
Chinatown, my Chinatown
So what do we think of Jean
And the second night at the club…

All these side stories -are they necessary-
Is it foreshadowing
What is coming?

I‘m still travelling home from the most excellent music experience ✌🏼☮️🎶🏙️💙

I love Sundays and you all! 😘

willaful I really don't know about the side stories. I guess it's to help us understand decisions the parents make later in the book? 4mo

AmyG The side stories with the parents, I guess, show the difference in the times they lived in. And yes, understanding the decisions and why they think the way they do. You can see Lily getting more comfortable going to the club. 4mo

DebinHawaii Glad you had a great time! I‘m looking forward to the next section! 4mo

See All 11 Comments

Karisa Loving the book so far! At least the side stories are short… Jean was an interesting character. I‘m wondering if Kath likes Lily romantically or just as a friend. Waiting to see where it all goes for Lily 4mo

Sargar114 Really enjoying the book so far. Not so sure about the side stories, but they relate to the story enough. Still on the fence if necessary. 4mo

Catsandbooks It seems like for these parents they are family friends so the mom wants to keep the friendship and part of that is the kids friendship. Also some parents just aren't that involved in their kids lives enough to see and hear who is a good friend or not. 4mo

Catsandbooks I'm not sure what to think of Jean. 🧐Glad you had a fun time at the concert! Thoroughly enjoying this book so far! 4mo

julieclair I‘m not sure whether or not I like Jean. We‘ll see as time goes on. I am very worried that Lily is going to get caught in a raid, with her fake ID. 3mo

willaful @julieclair It's hard not to be scared for her!

I'm watching a film called “Dating Amber“ about 2 gay kids who pretend to date to be each other's beards in extremely homophobic 1990s Ireland. And they've just found a gay bar in Dublin, and the boy is seeing his first drag queen, and is utterly entranced. Reminded me of this. 3mo

Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick I really hope the adults' side stories have more of a usefulness soon. I really couldn't get a good reading on Jean, but she seems alright. My parents were pretty cool, but I still didn't tell them everything. They don't know about most old boyfriends! You tell them what you want them to hear, so unless they're around your friends for interactions, I get that they don't always know who has your best interest at heart. 3mo

mollyrotondo I liked Jean. She definitely has a tougher exterior than Lily and Kath. Lily‘s mother hasn‘t a clue about what a self-centered snob Shirley is. I‘m really loving the book! 3mo

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TheBookHippie

Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo

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#SUNDAYBUDDYREAD

Ah COLD WAR DRILL memories
It‘s how I know I‘m old
However
I much prefer them to the lockdown drills we do now .
What we do to children is so gross I have no words.

https://www.history.com/news/duck-cover-drills-cold-war-arms-race

willaful Indeed. 😡

I don't remember any of those drills, but my husband -- who grew up in San Francisco, coincidentally -- did in preschool. He says they didn't duck and cover, just dropped to the floor. 4mo

Deblovestoread I remember in early elementary school…impossible to wrap your head around especially with the pics of mushroom clouds. 4mo

AmyG I remember these drills. We had to go to the gym, sit and put our hands iver our heads. 😳 4mo

See All 10 Comments

DebinHawaii I do remember the Civil Defense drills in elementary school. It seemed very not helpful to be sitting under your desk, covering your head if bombs were dropped. 😳 4mo

Karisa Ugh, horrible but now we have active shooter drills… So yucky. My school wants us to teach the kids to grab history books and staplers if a shooter comes in. A person with an automatic rifle vs. 11 year old with a tape dispenser—um, no not going to put even more of a target on my students. . . Dumb world sometimes (edited) 4mo

Catsandbooks @Karisa wow that's a terrible idea. I feel awful for kids in school today. No one should be afraid for their lives while trying to learn reading and math. Like wtf USA 4mo

Read4life We talk about these drills in my family sometimes. My parents had the air raid drills and my kids have the active shooter & lockdown drills. My husband and I only had fire drills. 4mo

julieclair I remember those Cold War drills. But I don‘t remember being scared or worried. I imagine that today, kids feel both of those feelings. So sad. 3mo

Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick Like you, @Read4life I only had fire drills, thank goodness. I'm so glad that I didn't have to fear for my life like the kids did for the bombs or the current active shooter drills. It's terrible that my nieces could be taken out just for attending school. Side note: even as a kid, I laughed when I heard about the bomb drills. Like what are your hands going to do to protect your head & neck if an atomic bomb was dropped?! 3mo

mollyrotondo @Read4life @Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick we also only fire drills when I was in elementary school. I think we had active shooter drills maybe once or twice in high school. It was starting to become a part of drill routine but it wasn‘t something we did as regularly as fire drills and the administration didn‘t completely have the drill set it stone. Absolutely awful schools have to do active schooler drill 3mo

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TheBookHippie

Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo

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#SUNDAYBUDDYREAD

Lily‘s Aunt Judy and space talk!
So wonderful to have a mentor
The Nazi scientist
“It‘s not about fairness it‘s about fear”
What a mouthful. Explains entirely the book banning and all the other nonsense going on NOW. And then.
Sigh.
So, JUDY - took her to the museum
Loves her nieces interest.
Married to an “American”

https://www.calacademy.org/exhibits/morrison-planetarium

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iWCpm448YM

willaful This made me so homesick for the old Morrison with the reclining seats and the SF skyline. My husband is heartbroken that they tore it down. 4mo

TheBookHippie @willaful Mr BookHippie is too! It truly is sad. 4mo

mcctrish When they were explaining why it was okay for the nazi to work but the Chinese scientists were locked up I think they forgot to mention colour 😉 4mo

See All 13 Comments

TheBookHippie @mcctrish 💯 4mo

AmyG @mcctrish Exactly! I like that the Aunt encourages Lily. 4mo

DebinHawaii @mcctrish Yes! Exactly! 4mo

DebinHawaii I‘m glad her aunt is there to inspire & support her dreams. 4mo

Sargar114 It‘s so great for Lily to have a woman that shares her interests and be something she could aspire too, likely Judy didn‘t have anyone like that growing up. 4mo

Catsandbooks I really like Aunt Judy. Maybe a future confidante for Lily and what she's feeling? 4mo

willaful @Catsandbooks fingers crossed 3mo

julieclair Aunt Judy really was a trailblazer! What a great role model for Lily. 3mo

Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick I love that Aunt Judy is a confidante for Lily and encourages her interests. I hope this doesn't become an issue later on within the family. 3mo

mollyrotondo Love Aunt Judy. She encourages Lily‘s hunger for science. And I think Judy would be the relative to accept Lily coming out as a lesbian. I think Judy wants Lily to be completely herself. 3mo

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TheBookHippie

Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo

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#SUNDAYBUDDYREAD

Parents do nightclub too..

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forbidden_City_(nightclub)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xo4kPv6CcG0

https://www.deepfocusproductions.com/films/forbidden-city-usa/

https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2015/03/14/392554991/these-nightclub-ent...

https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Forbidden-City-ushered-in-golden-age-of-C...

mcctrish This seemed like a really big fancy deal but food was a huge let down imo, I guess the show was the main deal 4mo

AmyG My in-laws are not big fans of American food. So when he ordered the steak….😬 4mo

DebinHawaii It reminded me of those theme dinners like Medieval Times or a Hawaiian Luau here - the food usually isn‘t the draw or the focus as much as the show & the quality isn‘t as good. 4mo

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Karisa Looks like quite the show! Loved that links 😍 4mo

Catsandbooks @DebinHawaii yeah I got that feeling too, like the food is not the main attraction. 4mo

Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick Unless I missed something, I wanted to know why they chose this place. Did they want the reminder of Chinese culture? The food? Or was it just the place to go? Dinner & a show can be fun. I actually love Medieval Times so I can see the appeal. 3mo

mollyrotondo I guess this was the thing to do. Dinner and a show. It was what you did on date night. I wouldn‘t have expected the food to be bad but I guess it is like a medieval times type thing @DebinHawaii. Show is more the point rather than the meal. Still would find that majorly disappointing. 3mo

10 likes7 comments

TheBookHippie

Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo

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#SUNDAYBUDDYREAD

Fake IDs
Club here we come 👀
Anticipation

Part III
I ONLY HAVE EYES FOR YOU 👀
AHHH the getting ready and sneaking out!!!
I could FEEL it, so well written.
The CLUB
An awakening …

https://lesbiannews.com/historical-look-lesbian-bars-san-francisco/

Thoughts???

willaful It was very intense and immersive! 4mo

mcctrish I agree with @willaful on all counts 4mo

Deblovestoread Agreed! Everything from the sneaking out, to waiting for Kath in the dark alone, the anxiety of being called out by the bouncer.. so well written. 4mo

See All 11 Comments

AmyG A whole new world is opening up for Lily. I am so curious what happens to her…and her family and friends etc. 4mo

DebinHawaii Yes. 💯% @willaful @Deblovestoread @mcctrish @AmyG 4mo

Karisa @Deblovestoread Yes! Perfectly captured scene. I was so nervous she‘d get caught and could not put the book down 4mo

Sargar114 So we‘ll written. The author does a great job of setting the scene and making it feel as though you‘re there. I‘m also so anxious knowing about her dad and what would happen if she got caught or if there was a raid. So much added anxiety! 4mo

Catsandbooks Yes love the club parts!! So many firsts happening and I'm here for all of it! 4mo

julieclair Agree with everyone. So well written! 3mo

Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick I really felt like I was watching Lily that night. I could picture her rolling up the thick stockings, see the nervous fidgeting, smell the smoke in the club. This was very well done. 3mo

mollyrotondo Definitely another well written moment. I could feel Lily‘s nerves and also understand her anxiety over what to wear 😂 that‘s me all of the time. I also thought her first time experience at a bar like this was very realistic. Feeling awkward and not knowing how to act and not really speaking since the new people you meet don‘t talk about anything you know about. But then being mesmerized by the live performance you really came to see. So good 3mo

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TheBookHippie

Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo

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#SUNDAYBUDDYREAD FOOD

I posted food earlier this week too FYI

Chop Suey https://schoolofwok.co.uk/tips-and-recipes/quick-and-easy-chop-suey-recipe

hsin-jen tou-fu https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zh8y7nQoFVE

https://carriekitchencreations.blogspot.com/2016/07/almond-float-hsing-jen-tou-f...

https://www.thedailymeal.com/1287969/contentious-chop-suey-history/

mcctrish The first time I ever had avocado with steak was at a Chinese restaurant in Toronto‘s Chinatown and it was AMAZING ( black pepper beef and I‘m drooling thinking about it ) 4mo

Deblovestoread Love Chinese food! And avocado plus steak sounds delish. 4mo

AmyG All of it ……yum! 4mo

See All 11 Comments

DebinHawaii I love good Chinese food but I am not as much a fan of the desserts as I am the savory items. 4mo

DebinHawaii Also I had fried rice this weekend & it had Lap Cheong in it (it‘s pretty popular here in Hawaii) & it made me think of the book & your earlier post. 4mo

Karisa My family loves Chinese food and luckily we have lots of options near us including a dim sum that is delicious (Michelin Guide recognition winner) 4mo

Catsandbooks I love Chinese food! My grandma made a very Americanized version of chop suey when I was growing up and I did not like it. I like the authentic version though lol 4mo

TheBookHippie @DebinHawaii yummmmmm 4mo

TheBookHippie @Karisa oh yum how fun!! 4mo

Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick I'm very basic with my usual order - chicken and broccoli with white rice. If I go out to a Chinese buffet or restaurant, then I'll dabble with lo mein, pepper steak, orange or sesame chicken...😋 3mo

mollyrotondo I love Chinese food but mostly from this very good authentic restaurant near me. But I also prefer the savory food over the sweet. I have a big sweet tooth but their sweets don‘t always appeal to me. 3mo

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TheBookHippie

Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo

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#SUNDAYBUDDYREAD

JOESPH
Flashbacks of war
Feeling stuck in time
Seeing Grace finally

Also Puritanical American streak
Did you catch that phrasing?!
Americans so hung up on sex.
🙄

I‘d love to see China anyone else?
Also these side stories 🤷🏻‍♀️

mcctrish I‘m still not sure how these stories further anything 🤷🏻‍♀️besides understanding Lily‘s mom‘s clothing choices and I‘m not sure I could eat red meat if I was her dad 4mo

Deblovestoread Not really feeling the parents back story yet. Hope it leads to something fruitful. Would love to see China! 4mo

willaful @Deblovestored My husband went on a business trip once and texted me from the Great Wall. 😁 He's a very big guy and everyone wanted to take pictures of him holding their babies. 😂 4mo

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AmyG My dad n-laws are Chinese. We all talk about going to China (Shanghai) one day…taking our grandson. We shall see…. 4mo

DebinHawaii I traveling to Hong Kong & Taiwan but never made it to mainland China. I would like to visit it & the Great Wall someday. And I am not a fan of the parents‘ & aunt‘s back stories so far but hopefully they come into play at some point. 🤷🏻‍♀️ 4mo

Karisa Yeah, I‘m not feeling the adults‘ backstories either. I thought the aunt‘s would explain why she was talking awkwardly about the scientist guy but nope. Seem to just reinforce that her families‘ experiences of love are different than Lily‘s🤷🏻‍♀️ Could‘ve been worked in through talking but maybe they don‘t talk about relationships much in her family 🤷🏻‍♀️ 4mo

Sargar114 While interesting to read these side stories, I‘m not certain we‘re really seeing what they add to Lily‘s story or at least yet…maybe it‘ll all come together 4mo

Catsandbooks I'm not a fan of the adult back stories so far but I hope it will come together. I personally have no desire to visit China because I have bad asthma and their pollution is quite bad. But my husband studied abroad in Chengdu, China and also visited Beijing and Xi'an. So I've heard lots of stories and seen pictures. 4mo

SamAnne I traveled China, lived in Hong Kong for 6 months in 1990. Transformative experience for me. Best food I've ever had in my life. The country has changed so much, I think it would be too hard to see the explosion in population and the environmental degradation, which was already an issue in Beijing, Shanghai, etc in 1990. 4mo

julieclair The adult backstories seem like just an unnecessary distraction. I hope there turns out to be a reason why they were included. As for China, I have never really had a desire to travel there, or to any Asian destinations, really. I would much rather visit Europe. 3mo

Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick While it would be cool to visit China, it's not at the top of my list. Too people-y, polluted, Communism... One of my best friends is Japanese and other good friends are Filipino, so I think this countries would be closer to the top. No doubt that the Great Wall of China would be marvelous in person, but I think the Great Wall Chinese restaurant down the street will be a close as I get. 😁 3mo

mollyrotondo I actually really like the parents‘ and aunt‘s backstories. It helps me understand the history of America and China leading up to this point in Lily‘s life. It‘s helping me get a bigger picture of what is going on in the world and not just Lily‘s life. 3mo

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TheBookHippie

Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo

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#SUNDAYBUDDYREAD

Bowling
Perspectives
Lily‘s feelings
But also the middle aged men first seen dangerous then pathetic and probably were both. 😵‍💫

Phew😅 thoughts ?!

mcctrish Hormones man! They are WILD! And the men are mostly harmless pathetic pervs. That teacher needs to step up 4mo

Karisa 🤣 That scene was so simple and accurate. It feels like something that happens all the time still today and we don‘t even think about it (but should). 4mo

AmyG Men haven‘t changed one bit, have they? 😳 4mo

See All 9 Comments

DebinHawaii I thought the teacher should have been more aware & protective of the girls. I thought that Lily‘s comment that it was probably why the teacher wore pants, if true, was something she could have informed her students about. 4mo

willaful @DebinHawaii Good point. 4mo

Catsandbooks @AmyG nope. Things are still the same 😒 4mo

julieclair Ugh. Those men. Just creepy. 3mo

Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick There are always a few of them lingering about, aren't there? The teacher should absolutely have warned the young ladies or should have a more watchful eye. 3mo

mollyrotondo Definitely agree @DebinHawaii the teacher knew to wear pants and she should have suggested to the girls that they should wear pants. But I thought the dynamic between Lily and Kath was very sweet. Very well written scene. 3mo

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TheBookHippie

Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo

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#SUNDAYBUDDYREAD

Wow.Shirley.
Lily realize that Shirley never apologize for anything. She simply assumed Lily would forgive her.
Telling.
Then she invites her to her parents restaurant?!

https://www.wikihow.com/Fold-a-Napkin-Into-a-Swan

willaful I'm not sure Shirley thinks she needs to be forgiven. She probably feels very gracious for forgiving Lily. 4mo

mcctrish I‘m not sure Shirley doesn‘t feel some remorse but I am sure she doesn‘t understand why Lily won‘t go back to being ‘her Lily‘ or least be in the same page as her. Shirley obviously still wants Lily‘s friendship but I‘m not sure she even knows why they aren‘t getting along like they used to or why Lily doesn‘t want the same things as her. But she knows something is up and maybe trying to wilfully ignore it 4mo

Deblovestoread Shirley still wants to be Lily‘s friend but Lily should fit into Shirley‘s world to have that friendship not be different. 4mo

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willaful @Deblovestoread Yeah, I think so. I'm still hoping she'll come through when it counts but I guess we'll see. 4mo

Karisa Shirley is definitely a disappointment, but it‘s so true to high school/person behavior. I think I expect more of book characters though 😅 4mo

AmyG Shirley is Shirley and has NO clue what is going on with Lily. I am curious what kind of friend she turns out to be when she finds out (and I think she will) about Lily. 4mo

DebinHawaii @AmyG I am wondering that too. I don‘t see her handling it very well! 🫣 4mo

Sargar114 @AmyG I‘m wondering if she‘s already starting to figure it out. It felt like she kept pushing about what actors she found attractive when she invited Lily back to the restaurant. It‘ll be interesting to see her response knowing how she reacted when she was just being friends with Kath. 4mo

Sargar114 I liked that Lily just kept living her life and Shirley was the one who had to extend the olive branch. While it‘s not an apology it was a step into the direction of Lily getting some confidence and growth in her self discovery. 4mo

Catsandbooks @AmyG @DebinHawaii I don't think Shirley will handle it well when she finds out about Lily. I have this feeling that there will be a betrayal and it will blow things up. Hope not though! 🤞🏼 4mo

julieclair I am not a Shirley fan. I think she wants Lily to be the “junior partner” in their friendship, and doesn‘t like that fact that Lily has found another friend. She wants to bring Lily back into her orbit, but won‘t be there when Lily needs her. 3mo

Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick We haven't seen that the Caucasian kids are rude to them, but I wonder if Shirley has any animosity that not only is Lily becoming her own person, but found a white friend, too. Shirley's still a handful and I don't think she'll react well when she finds out about Lily's feelings, but I hope she doesn't betray Lily. 3mo

mollyrotondo @Sargar114 I also think Shirley is starting to figure it out. She was sooo pushy trying to get Lily to say what male actor she thinks is attractive and likes. It felt very unnatural. Like she was fishing. But I also feel like Shirley is the type to try to change Lily. 3mo

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TheBookHippie

Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo

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#SUNDAYBUDDYREAD

Maritime Museum

https://www.nps.gov/safr/index.htm

DebinHawaii I find myself getting worried anytime Lily is out alone or even with Kath at night. 🤷🏻‍♀️ 4mo

TheBookHippie @DebinHawaii SAME!!!!!! So anxious!!! 4mo

Sargar114 @DebinHawaii SAME!!! I‘m so nervous about her having a fake ID as well, especially with the situation with her dad 4mo

See All 6 Comments

DebinHawaii @Sargar114 Yes! That makes me nervous too! 🫣 4mo

Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick Yes! I get nervous, too. Being gay in that time period must've been scary. Being Chinese in that time period must've been scary. Being both when literally anyone could also be accused of being a Communist Spy. I'm nervous. 3mo

mollyrotondo Yes me too! I feel like the fake ID thing is foreshadowing trouble for Lily. 3mo

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