TXK Book Club
Once a month, on the second Thursday, a small group of my favorite people gathers for discussion and the chance to develop friendships. Since 2023, our book club has met this way, with a casual evening set aside for reflection and connection. What began as a desire to share stories has become a dependable, much-needed pause in our busy schedules.
One of the best parts of our book club is the range it has naturally created. We read a different genre each month—a memoir one month, a mystery the next, followed by a classic or a debut author no one has heard of. The variety keeps us engaged and invites different kinds of conversations, some lighthearted, others thoughtful and personal. Books have a way of opening doors to worlds we have never experienced and discussions we didn’t realize we needed.
Even more meaningful are the friendships that have formed. When this group started, I knew only a few of the women who attended. My friend Heather and I had the idea to start the group, each inviting a few friends, most of whom we did not share in common. Today, her friends have become mine, and mine have become hers. Over time, the group has grown as members have introduced special ladies who have come to mean so much to me.
The beauty of a book club is that it requires nothing extraordinary—just consistency, curiosity, and a willingness to show up. This year, we hope to convince you to join us as we read. Check out TXK Book Club each month for recommendations from my friends and me. You can read them alone or use them to start your own monthly gathering. If you have recommendations of your own, we'd love to hear from you—send them to [email protected].
Let's get Texarkana reading.
TXK BOOK CLUB JANUARY RECOMMENDATION
BOOK
The Nature of Fragile Things
by Susan Meissner
GENRE
Historical Fiction
RATING
SUMMARY
A Story of Survival and Second Chances
When disaster strikes San Francisco in the early hours of April 18, 1906, the massive earthquake and resulting fires reshape countless lives. Among those caught in the chaos is Sophie Whalen, an Irish immigrant who came west as a mail-order bride seeking a fresh start away from her difficult past in New York. Finding herself in a new marriage to a man she barely knows, Sophie bonds with his young daughter—though she soon recognizes troubling undercurrents in her new family. Just before the earthquake devastates the city, a mysterious visitor arrives, setting off a series of revelations that connect Sophie to two other women whose lives become unexpectedly intertwined. Through loss, displacement, and hardship, these three women discover how their resilience and personal connections might provide the strength to rebuild—not just their lives, but their sense of hope.
READER’S TAKE
“This is the first book our book club read together back in 2023. We all loved it. It was a great one to get us started. This author is amazing.” —Kara Humphrey
FACES & PLACES
JANUARY, 2026
January 2
Ceramic Clay Snowmen
Texarkana Regional Arts Center
10 am-11 am
January 9
Downtown Live!
Downtown Texarkana
6-9 pm
January 10
Wacha Youth Sports Camp
Pleasant Grove High School Athletic Facilities
10 am-2 pm
January 10
Wacha Family & Friends Event
TAMUT Eagle Hall
January 15
Texarkana Symphony Orchestra
A Whirling Dervish (Masterworks II)
Perot Theatre
7 pm
January 17
Bridal Expo 2026
Texarkana Texas Convention Center
10 am-2 pm
January 24
Wild, Wild Texarkana:
Legacy Style Chamber Annual Celebration
Northridge Country Club
6-9 pm
January 24
The Ultimate Elvis Concert
Perot Theatre
7:30 pm
January 31
Rock Out Cancer Concert
Crossties Event Venue
6-10 pm
Faces & Places showcases community events. View photos from local happenings on our website, txkmag.com. “Everyone is famous in their hometown.”
