Read, Meet, Repeat

Join us for Books aur Baatein – an intimate gathering at the BIC Library where stories come alive through thoughtful discussion and warm conversation. Each month, we’ll share selected short works of fiction and non-fiction in advance, allowing participants to read and reflect before we meet. We’ll dive deep into these carefully chosen texts, exploring themes, sharing perspectives, and discovering new insights together.

To ensure rich and meaningful discussions, we encourage you to read the selected material beforehand – it’s a small commitment that greatly enhances our collective experience. Our aim is to build connections through literature, one thoughtful conversation at a time.

Fiction : Cat Person by Kristen Roupenian (around 7,000 words) https://archive.is/tTlHa

Published in The New Yorker in 2017, this story about modern dating went viral and sparked intense online discussions. It follows a college student’s brief relationship with an older man, exploring modern dating, texting culture, and the complexities of human connection in the digital age.

Non-fiction companion : What It Felt Like When ‘Cat Person’ Went Viral by Kristen Roupenian https://archive.is/Zeo98

This reflection piece discusses how the story unexpectedly became a cultural phenomenon and sparked discussions about dating, consent, and gender dynamics in the social media era.