Welcome to Book Bar's official Literary Fiction & Classics Book Club. This selected book for August is The Great Mann by Kyra Davis Lurie (book description is located at the bottom of this listing).
So come out, grab a drink at our beverage bar, and join us for a lively book discussion! When you purchase this book club pick from us, your support will help us be here for a long time and put on more events! Purchasing options are below:
In Store: Stop by our location at 50 N. Railroad St. in Palmyra, PA!
Shipped: To purchase from Bookshop and get it delivered straight to your door, order from the following link (if you purchase here, we will receive a percentage of this sale): https://bookshop.org/a/98905/9780593800867
Ebook: Bookshop now offers Ebooks for indie booksellers. Find it here (we will receive a percentage of this sale): https://bookshop.org/a/98905/9780593800874
Audiobook: You can purchase audiobooks from us on Libro.fm. This audiobook can be easily found on our Aug 2025 Book Club Picks playlist here (we will receive a percentage of this sale): https://libro.fm/playlists/9727?bookstore=bookbarus
We look forward to seeing you!
Book Description:
In 1945, Charlie Trammell steps off a cross-country train into the vibrant tapestry of Los Angeles. Lured by his cousin Marguerite’s invitation to the esteemed West Adams Heights, Charlie is immediately captivated by the Black opulence of L.A.’s newly rechristened “Sugar Hill.”
Settling in at a local actress’s energetic boarding house, Charlie discovers a different way of life—one brimming with opportunity—from a promising career at a Black-owned insurance firm, the absence of Jim Crow, to the potential of an unforgettable romance. But nothing dazzles quite like James “Reaper” Mann.
Reaper’s extravagant parties, attended by luminaries like Lena Horne and Hattie McDaniel, draw Charlie in, bringing the milieu of wealth and excess within his reach. But as Charlie’s unusual bond with Reaper deepens, so does the tension in the neighborhood as white neighbors, frustrated by their own dwindling fortunes, ignite a landmark court case that threatens the community’s well-being with promises of retribution.
Told from the unique perspective of a young man who has just returned from a grueling, segregated war, The Great Mann weaves a compelling narrative of wealth and class, illuminating the complexities of Black identity and education in post-war America.