Mayor's Book Club Film Series

Join us for a film series inspired by themes in the 2010
Mayor’s Book Club selection.

Cocoon (1985) PG-13 117 minutes
When a group of trespassing seniors swim in a pool containing alien cocoons, they find themselves energized with youthful vigor.

• Saturday, February 6 at 1:30 p.m. 
  Little Walnut Creek Branch, 835 W. Rundberg Ln.

Buena Vista Social Club (1999) unrated 105 minutes
Ageing Cuban musicians whose talents had been virtually forgotten following Castro's takeover of Cuba, are brought out of retirement by Ry Cooder, who traveled to Havana in order to bring the musicians together, resulting in triumphant performances of extraordinary music, and resurrecting the musicians' careers.

• Wednesday, February 17 at 6:30 p.m.
  Ruiz Branch, 1600 Grove Blvd.
• Saturday, March 6 at 1:30 p.m.
  Little Walnut Creek Branch, 835 W. Rundberg Ln.

Harold and Maude (1971) PG 91 minutes
Young, rich, and obsessed with death, Harold finds himself changed forever when he meets lively septuagenarian Maude at a funeral.

• Monday, February 22 at 6:30 p.m.
  Spicewood Springs Branch, 8637 Spicewood Springs Rd.

The Bucket List (2008) PG-13 97 minutes
Two terminally ill men escape from a cancer ward and head off on a road trip with a wish list of to-dos before they die.

• Monday, March 15 at 6:00 p.m.
  Cepeda Branch, 651 N. Pleasant Valley Rd.

Secondhand Lions (2003) PG 111 minutes
A coming-of-age story about a shy, young boy sent by his irresponsible mother to spend the summer with his wealthy, eccentric uncles in Texas.

• Thursday, March 18 at 6:00 p.m.
  Pleasant Hill Branch, 211 E. William Cannon Dr.

The Mayor's Book Club Film Series is free and open to the public.

Amigoland by Oscar Casares

This year the Mayor chose Amigoland by local author Oscar Casares who lives in Austin and teaches creative writing at the University of Texas. Amigoland tells the story of two stubborn, estranged, and ageing brothers who live in a small town on the Mexican border. The brothers are brought together by the urging of Celestino’s much younger girlfriend, Socorro. Together, the two brothers and Socorro catch a bus into Mexico hoping to discover more about a family legend.

Mayor Lee Leffingwell, the City of Austin, the Austin Public Library, The APL Friends Foundation, and the University of Texas Humanities Institute encourage everyone to join the Mayor’s Book Club and participate in the Keep Austin Reading campaign this January through April.

Here’s how:

• Read the book selection.
• Explore the themes and issues it presents.
• Take part in active discussion with fellow Austinites.
• Attend workshops, film screenings, and other special events.
• Come to the finale event and engross yourself in discourse with the author.

The Mayor’s Book Club brings our community’s myriad of perspectives to bear upon a single book in an effort to broaden and deepen our appreciation of literature and engage in citywide dialogue. A city that reads together grows together!

For more information please call 512-974-7400 or visit www.cityofaustin.org/library

Visit our previous Mayor's Book Club resource guides online:
2009: The Septembers of Shiraz by Dalia Sofer
2008: A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah
2007: Around The Bloc by Stephanie Elizondo Griest
2006: The Devil's Highway by Luis Alberto Urrea
2005: Writing Austin's Lives by Metro Austin Residents
2004: All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy
2003: Holes by Louis Sachar
2002: Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya

To view what other cities across the country are reading visit
The Center for the Book