Library book club to discuss Anita de Monte Laughs Last
Book available in multiple formats through library system
– The Paso Robles City Library will host its monthly book group on Oct. 15 from 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Participants will discuss Anita de Monte Laughs Last by Xochitl Gonzalez. The book is available in regular and large print and as a book on CD through the Black Gold Library System. It is also available as an eBook and audiobook through the library’s Libby digital platform.
The novel follows Anita de Monte, a rising star in the art world who was found dead in New York City in 1985. By 1998 her name has been largely forgotten, including by the time Raquel, a third-year art history student, is preparing her final thesis.
Set at College Hill, Raquel feels out of place among privileged students, with students of color in the minority and the pressure to work harder for the same opportunities an ongoing challenge. When Raquel becomes romantically involved with an older, well-connected art student, she begins to rise socially. Her discovery of Anita’s story raises questions about her own relationship, which mirrors that of the forgotten artist.
Told from both women’s perspectives and across two timelines, the novel explores themes of power, love, art, memory, and erasure in the art world.
Registration for the book group is open now.
