Lily Pad Book Club: The Jakarta Method

Lily Pad Book Club is back at Shout Brewing on Wednesday 28 October, with The Jakarta Method by Vincent Bevins as the book of the month. It's a non-fiction account of the US-backed coups and political violence across the Global South during the Cold War, so it's a heavy one to sink your teeth into before the session.

If you haven't come across the club yet, it's a relatively new addition to Newcastle's reading scene, and it's built around non-fiction, classics, politics and theory. It launched on 30 September with Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, and these meet-ups happen monthly at Shout Brewing. The format is straightforward: you read the book, you show up, and you talk about it with other people who've done the same. To keep things moving, everyone gets a set of thoughtfully written discussion questions, so you're not just staring at each other wondering where to start. If you follow them on Instagram, you can also vote for the next book on the list.

The Jakarta Method fits right into that political and non-fiction wheelhouse. Bevins traces the origins of the US intelligence operations in Indonesia and how those tactics were exported to other parts of the world, so it's the kind of read that gives you plenty to chew on over a drink. If you're into history, geopolitics, or just like a book that connects a few dots you hadn't considered before, this is a good one to get stuck into.

It kicks off at 5:30pm at Shout Brewing, 22 Clyde St, Islington. Tickets are A$20, which includes a drink on arrival — craft beers, local wines and non-alcoholic options are all on the table, so you can pick whatever you fancy. If you're keen, grab your copy of The Jakarta Method and we'll see you there.