Book Club Night Kit
Take What You Can
Naima Coster
Cozy night
A tender, character-rich story from Naima Coster about family, longing, and the quiet inheritances we carry. Perfect for slow, heartfelt conversation.
Slippers, Mugs, and 'Take What You Can'
Come curl up for a low-key night of comfort food, warm drinks, and a slow, heartfelt talk about Naima Coster's tender story. Bring your softest sweater.
Reading level: Moderate
Pages: 0
Best for: clubs who love literary fiction, slow reads, and heart-to-heart conversations
Discussion
Warm-up
- 1.What kind of mood were you in while reading this, and where did you curl up with it?
- 2.Was there a small moment, a gesture, a room, a meal, that felt especially cozy or comforting to you?
Digging in
- 1.Coster writes so much about family love that is imperfect but real. What in the story reminded you of your own people?
- 2.The title 'Take What You Can' can feel tender or bittersweet. How did it land for you as you read?
- 3.Was there a passage you wanted to reread, underline, or read aloud to someone? What drew you back to it?
- 4.Naima Coster is known for writing places that feel almost like characters. Did the setting feel like somewhere you'd want to sit awhile, or somewhere that unsettled you?
Going deep
- 1.Which character stayed with you after you closed the book, and what do you find yourself hoping for them?
- 2.The story asks what we hold onto and what we let go of. Is there something in your own life it made you think about differently?
On the table & to sip
To eat
Slow-simmered pot of arroz con pollo
A homey, one-pot comfort dish that nods to the Latinx family tables Coster often writes with such care.
Warm sweet plantains with a dusting of cinnamon sugar
Soft, sweet, and easy to pass around the couch, the kind of snack that invites lingering.
Buttery pan de mallorca or soft rolls with jam
Pillowy and nostalgic, perfect for a low-key, curl-up-and-talk kind of night.
To sip
Café con leche bar (no alcohol)
Set out a carafe of strong coffee, warmed milk, cinnamon, and sugar so guests can build their own cozy mug.
Spiced hibiscus (agua de jamaica) served warm (no alcohol)
A gently tart, ruby-red tea that feels both comforting and a little special.
Rum-spiked horchata nightcap
Creamy, cinnamon-warm, and just indulgent enough for a slow evening of talk.
Run of show
7:00
Slippers-on arrivals
Greet guests with a warm mug and let them settle into the coziest seats. No rush.
7:15
Comfort food spread
Serve the arroz con pollo and plantains buffet-style so people can graze while chatting.
7:35
Warm-up questions
Start soft with the two warmups. Let laughter and small stories set the tone.
7:55
Into the book
Move gently through the theme questions. Pause for anyone who wants to read a favorite passage aloud.
8:30
Deep talk over dessert
Refill mugs, break out the pan dulce, and drift into the deeper two questions.
9:00
Scorecards and soft landing
Fill out scorecards, share one-word takeaways, and let people linger as long as they like.
Host tips
- Keep the lighting low and lamp-based, and pile on the throw blankets, cozy is a physical feeling first.
- Let silences breathe. This vibe rewards slow, thoughtful answers over quick takes.
- Have sticky tabs or index cards nearby so guests can share passages that moved them without hunting through pages.
Playlist
Warm, acoustic, softly soulful, with gentle Latin and bilingual textures woven in
- 01 Suavemente el Mar - Silvana Estrada
- 02 Waves - Kali Uchis
- 03 Dos Oruguitas - Sebastián Yatra
- 04 La Llorona - Angela Aguilar
- 05 Alfonsina y el Mar - Mercedes Sosa
- 06 Slow Dancing in the Dark - Joji
- 07 Nuevayol (Acoustic) - Buscabulla
- 08 Home - Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
Trivia
- 1.Who is the author of the book we're reading tonight? (Naima Coster)
- 2.Coster is also the author of a novel about twin sisters and a small North Carolina town, published in 2020. What is its title? (What's Mine and Yours)
- 3.What is the title of Naima Coster's debut novel, published in 2018? (Halsey Street)
- 4.Halsey Street is largely set in what New York City borough? (Brooklyn)
- 5.Coster's family heritage, which often informs her fiction, traces to which Caribbean island? (The Dominican Republic)
- 6.Coster earned an MFA in fiction from which North Carolina university? (Columbia University (with ties to teaching in North Carolina); she earned her MFA at Columbia.)
- 7.Halsey Street was a finalist for which prize honoring debut fiction? (The Kirkus Prize for Fiction)
- 8.Coster's fiction is frequently described as belonging to what genre category? (Literary fiction)
Bookmarks
Print, cut, and tuck one at every seat, a small keepsake from the night.
Rate the book
Comfort factor☆☆☆☆☆
Emotional warmth☆☆☆☆☆
Characters you'd invite for coffee☆☆☆☆☆
Beauty of the writing☆☆☆☆☆
Lingered with you after☆☆☆☆☆
One word for how this book felt: ______________________
A line or scene I want to remember: ______________________
Who I want to pass this book to next: ______________________
That's a wrap
Thank you for coming
We hope the company was good and the conversation even better. Until the next chapter.