2026 Book Clubs: Comix, Music, Nonfiction, Wine
Plus a brand new CLARICE LISPECTOR book club
Always on Thursdays | 6-8PM
All free and open to the public
Join us for three book clubs in January! Always on Thursdays, 6-8PM, all free and open to the public. No registration necessary, just show up!
January 15 2026 | 6-8PM
Lion’s Tooth + Milwaukee Record Music Book Club
Taste in Music: Eating on Tour with Indie Musicians by Adam Bleeker and Luke Pyenson
Musician Alex Bleeker (Real Estate) and food and travel journalist Luke Pyenson (formerly of Frankie Cosmos) take readers on tour with a diverse lineup of inspiring indie musicians from around the world, including Bob Mould, Amelia Meath of Sylvan Esso and Mark Ibold of Pavement.
NEXT UP:
February 19 2026 | The Royal We by Roddy Bottum
March 19 2026 | Bread of Angels: A Memoir by Patti Smith
January 21 2026 | 6-8PM
Lion’s Tooth + Milwaukee Wine Academy Book Club
Wine Simple: A Totally Approachable Guide from a World-Class Sommelier by Aldo Sohmn
A visual, beginner and user-friendly manual that will inspire you to have the confidence, curiosity, and enthusiasm to taste smarter, drink boldly, and dive headfirst fearlessly into the exciting world of wine.
January 29 2026 | 6-8PM
Lion’s Tooth Clarice Lispector Book Club (new in 2026!!)
The Hour of the Star by Clarice Lispector
Considered the most important Jewish writer in the world since Franz Kafka, Brazilian author Clarice Lispector was a legend and a force of nature. Reading her prose will seriously change your life. We start our Clarice Book Club with her last novel, published originally in 1977. Slyly subverting ideas of poverty, identity, love and the art of writing itself, The Hour of the Star is a haunting portrayal of innocence in a bad world.
NEXT UP:
April 30 2026 | Near to the Wild Heart by Clarice Lispector
July 30 2026 | Complete Stories by Clarice Lispector
October 29 2026 | The Passion According to G.H. by Clarice Lispector
Lion’s Tooth Non-Fiction Book Club
February 5 2026 | The Project: How Project 2025 Is Reshaping America, by David A. Graham
March 5 2026 | Enshittification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It by Cory Doctorow
April 2 2026 | Assata: An Autobiography by Assata Shakur
Lion’s Tooth Comix Book Club
February 12 2026 | Why Don't You Love Me? by Paul B. Rainey
March 12 2026 | I'm So Glad We Had This Time Together: A Memoir by Maurice Vellekoop
April 9, 2026 | Black Arms to Hold You Up: A History of Black Resistance by Ben Passmore
January 15 2026 | 6-8PM
Lion’s Tooth + Milwaukee Record Music Book Club
Taste in Music: Eating on Tour with Indie Musicians by Adam Bleeker and Luke Pyenson
Musician Alex Bleeker (Real Estate) and food and travel journalist Luke Pyenson (formerly of Frankie Cosmos) take readers on tour with a diverse lineup of inspiring indie musicians from around the world, including Bob Mould, Amelia Meath of Sylvan Esso and Mark Ibold of Pavement.
NEXT UP:
February 19 2026 | The Royal We by Roddy Bottum
March 19 2026 | Bread of Angels: A Memoir by Patti Smith
January 21 2026 | 6-8PM
Lion’s Tooth + Milwaukee Wine Academy Book Club
Wine Simple: A Totally Approachable Guide from a World-Class Sommelier by Aldo Sohmn
A visual, beginner and user-friendly manual that will inspire you to have the confidence, curiosity, and enthusiasm to taste smarter, drink boldly, and dive headfirst fearlessly into the exciting world of wine.
January 29 2026 | 6-8PM
Lion’s Tooth Clarice Lispector Book Club (new in 2026!!)
The Hour of the Star by Clarice Lispector
Considered the most important Jewish writer in the world since Franz Kafka, Brazilian author Clarice Lispector was a legend and a force of nature. Reading her prose will seriously change your life. We start our Clarice Book Club with her last novel, published originally in 1977. Slyly subverting ideas of poverty, identity, love and the art of writing itself, The Hour of the Star is a haunting portrayal of innocence in a bad world.
NEXT UP:
April 30 2026 | Near to the Wild Heart by Clarice Lispector
July 30 2026 | Complete Stories by Clarice Lispector
October 29 2026 | The Passion According to G.H. by Clarice Lispector
Lion’s Tooth Non-Fiction Book Club
February 5 2026 | The Project: How Project 2025 Is Reshaping America, by David A. Graham
March 5 2026 | Enshittification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It by Cory Doctorow
April 2 2026 | Assata: An Autobiography by Assata Shakur
Lion’s Tooth Comix Book Club
February 12 2026 | Why Don't You Love Me? by Paul B. Rainey
March 12 2026 | I'm So Glad We Had This Time Together: A Memoir by Maurice Vellekoop
April 9, 2026 | Black Arms to Hold You Up: A History of Black Resistance by Ben Passmore
PAST BOOK CLUB EVENTS
2025 Lion's Tooth Comix Book Club
PAST + RECOMMENDED BOOKS
May 2025 | My New York Diary, by Julie Doucet
June 2025 | Ghost World, by Daniel Clowes
July 2025 | Time Zone J, by Julie Doucet
August 2025 | Monica, by Daniel Clowes
September 2025 | Black Hole, by Charles Burns
October 2025 | The Complete Hate Volume 1, by Peter Bagge
November 13 | Final Cut, by Charles Burns
December 11 | Hate Revisited, by Peter Bagge
PAST + RECOMMENDED BOOKS
May 2025 | My New York Diary, by Julie Doucet
June 2025 | Ghost World, by Daniel Clowes
July 2025 | Time Zone J, by Julie Doucet
August 2025 | Monica, by Daniel Clowes
September 2025 | Black Hole, by Charles Burns
October 2025 | The Complete Hate Volume 1, by Peter Bagge
November 13 | Final Cut, by Charles Burns
December 11 | Hate Revisited, by Peter Bagge
2025 Lion's Tooth Nonfiction Book Club
PAST + RECOMMENDED BOOKS
June 2025 | Love in a F*cked-Up World: How to Build Relationships, Hook Up, and Raise Hell Together, by Dean Spade
July 2025 | One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This, by Omar El Akkad
August 2025 | There's Always This Year, by Hanif Abdurraqib
September 2025 | Superbloom: How Technologies of Connection Tear Us Apart, by Nicholas Carr
October 2025 | On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century, by Timothy Snyder
November 2025 | What We Hunger for: Refugee and Immigrant Stories about Food and Family, edited by Sun Yung Shin
December 4 | Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City, by Matthew Desmond
PAST + RECOMMENDED BOOKS
June 2025 | Love in a F*cked-Up World: How to Build Relationships, Hook Up, and Raise Hell Together, by Dean Spade
July 2025 | One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This, by Omar El Akkad
August 2025 | There's Always This Year, by Hanif Abdurraqib
September 2025 | Superbloom: How Technologies of Connection Tear Us Apart, by Nicholas Carr
October 2025 | On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century, by Timothy Snyder
November 2025 | What We Hunger for: Refugee and Immigrant Stories about Food and Family, edited by Sun Yung Shin
December 4 | Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City, by Matthew Desmond
2025 Lion's Tooth + Milwaukee Record Music Book Club
PAST + RECOMMENDED BOOKS
January 2025 | Black Punk Now, edited by James Spooner and Chris L. Terry
February 2025 | Rebel Girl: My Life as a Feminist Punk, by Kathleen Hanna
March 2025 | Mia Zapata and the Gits, by Steve Moriarty
April 2025 | Go Ahead in The Rain: Notes to a Tribe Called Quest, by Hanif Abdurraqi
May 2025 | The Harder I Fight The More I Love You, by Neko Case
June 2025 | Crying in H Mart, by Michelle Zauner
July 2025 | A Thousand Threads, by Neneh Cherry
August 2025 | Our Band Could Be Your Life: Scenes from the American Indie Underground 1981-1991, by Michael Azerrad
September 2025 | Don’t Say Please: The Oral History of Die Kreuzen, by Sahan Jayasuriya
October 2025 | To Hell With Poverty! A Class Act: Inside the Gang of Four, by Jon King
November 20 | Big Feelings: Queer and Feminist Indie Rock After Riot Grrrl, by Dan DiPiero
December 18 | Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist, by Liz Pelly
PAST + RECOMMENDED BOOKS
January 2025 | Black Punk Now, edited by James Spooner and Chris L. Terry
February 2025 | Rebel Girl: My Life as a Feminist Punk, by Kathleen Hanna
March 2025 | Mia Zapata and the Gits, by Steve Moriarty
April 2025 | Go Ahead in The Rain: Notes to a Tribe Called Quest, by Hanif Abdurraqi
May 2025 | The Harder I Fight The More I Love You, by Neko Case
June 2025 | Crying in H Mart, by Michelle Zauner
July 2025 | A Thousand Threads, by Neneh Cherry
August 2025 | Our Band Could Be Your Life: Scenes from the American Indie Underground 1981-1991, by Michael Azerrad
September 2025 | Don’t Say Please: The Oral History of Die Kreuzen, by Sahan Jayasuriya
October 2025 | To Hell With Poverty! A Class Act: Inside the Gang of Four, by Jon King
November 20 | Big Feelings: Queer and Feminist Indie Rock After Riot Grrrl, by Dan DiPiero
December 18 | Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist, by Liz Pelly
2025 Lion's Tooth + Milwaukee Wine Academy Book Club
PAST + RECOMMENDED BOOKS
April 2025 | Maneuvering Rosé Wine, by Charles Springfield
May 2025 | Champagne Widows, by Rebecca Rosenberg
June 2025 | Rebel School of Wine, by Tyler Baillat
July 2025 | The Billionaire’s Vinegar, by Benjamin Wallace
August 2025 | Lush, by Rochelle Dowden-Lord
September 2025 | Big Macs & Burgundy, by Vanessa Price
October 2025 | Shadows in the Vineyard, by Maximillian Potter
PAST + RECOMMENDED BOOKS
April 2025 | Maneuvering Rosé Wine, by Charles Springfield
May 2025 | Champagne Widows, by Rebecca Rosenberg
June 2025 | Rebel School of Wine, by Tyler Baillat
July 2025 | The Billionaire’s Vinegar, by Benjamin Wallace
August 2025 | Lush, by Rochelle Dowden-Lord
September 2025 | Big Macs & Burgundy, by Vanessa Price
October 2025 | Shadows in the Vineyard, by Maximillian Potter
Thursday September 18, 2025 | 6-8PM
Special Lion's Tooth + Milwaukee Record Music Book Club Event
Don’t Say Please: The Oral History of Die Kreuzen
Author Sahan Jayasuriya and Die Kreuzen bassist Keith Brammer in conversation with Dan Shafer (Recombobulation Area, Civic Media) | Free and open to the public
ABOUT THE BOOK
Step back to the early eighties in the Rust Belt of the Midwest, where underground newsletters and 'zines ignited a creative revolution. Amidst this explosion of American punk and experimental music, a band from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, emerged with a groundbreaking sound. Die Kreuzen, a group that defied genre boundaries, fused punk and metal influences to create something entirely new.
Were they punk? Were they metal? Die Kreuzen recorded what fans and critics hail as a defining album of hardcore punk, only to reinvent their sound with each subsequent release. They toured the world, made little money, and eventually broke up. Yet, this seemingly brief stint in music history has rendered Die Kreuzen legendary. But why?
For the first time, band members Keith Brammer, Brian Egeness, Dan Kubinski, and Erik Tunison--alongside their friends, collaborators, and famous fans--reveal the inside story of Die Kreuzen.
This book features rare images and artwork, with contributions from music icons like Thurston Moore, Steve Albini, Neko Case, Lou Barlow, and more.
ABOUT THE GUESTS
Bassist Keith Brammer, along with singer Dan Kubinski, drummer Erik Tunison and guitarist Brian Egness played together in Die Kreuzen from 1981-1992. In that time, the band released four critically acclaimed albums on legendary Chicago label Touch & Go, helping pave the way for the early 90s mainstream breakthrough of alternative rock.
Sahan Jayasuriya is a music writer and musician based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Throughout his twenties, he wrote for a handful of Milwaukee-based publications like The Shepherd Express and Milwaukee Magazine, covering local and national acts, with a focus on artists' influences and creative processes. Jayasuriya spent the last decade putting together a full-length biography on Die Kreuzen, conducting extensive interviews with the band members and tracking down as much old press as he could find. When not writing about music, Jayasuriya plays in the Midwest slowcore band Good Night & Good Morning.
Dan Shafer is the founder of The Recombobulation Area and Political Editor of Civic Media. He’s also written for The New York Times, The Daily Beast, Heartland Signal, Belt Magazine, WisPolitics, and Milwaukee Record. He previously worked at Seattle Magazine, Seattle Business Magazine, the Milwaukee Business Journal, Milwaukee Magazine, and BizTimes Milwaukee. He’s won 23 Milwaukee Press Club Excellence in Journalism Awards.
Step back to the early eighties in the Rust Belt of the Midwest, where underground newsletters and 'zines ignited a creative revolution. Amidst this explosion of American punk and experimental music, a band from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, emerged with a groundbreaking sound. Die Kreuzen, a group that defied genre boundaries, fused punk and metal influences to create something entirely new.
Were they punk? Were they metal? Die Kreuzen recorded what fans and critics hail as a defining album of hardcore punk, only to reinvent their sound with each subsequent release. They toured the world, made little money, and eventually broke up. Yet, this seemingly brief stint in music history has rendered Die Kreuzen legendary. But why?
For the first time, band members Keith Brammer, Brian Egeness, Dan Kubinski, and Erik Tunison--alongside their friends, collaborators, and famous fans--reveal the inside story of Die Kreuzen.
This book features rare images and artwork, with contributions from music icons like Thurston Moore, Steve Albini, Neko Case, Lou Barlow, and more.
ABOUT THE GUESTS
Bassist Keith Brammer, along with singer Dan Kubinski, drummer Erik Tunison and guitarist Brian Egness played together in Die Kreuzen from 1981-1992. In that time, the band released four critically acclaimed albums on legendary Chicago label Touch & Go, helping pave the way for the early 90s mainstream breakthrough of alternative rock.
Sahan Jayasuriya is a music writer and musician based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Throughout his twenties, he wrote for a handful of Milwaukee-based publications like The Shepherd Express and Milwaukee Magazine, covering local and national acts, with a focus on artists' influences and creative processes. Jayasuriya spent the last decade putting together a full-length biography on Die Kreuzen, conducting extensive interviews with the band members and tracking down as much old press as he could find. When not writing about music, Jayasuriya plays in the Midwest slowcore band Good Night & Good Morning.
Dan Shafer is the founder of The Recombobulation Area and Political Editor of Civic Media. He’s also written for The New York Times, The Daily Beast, Heartland Signal, Belt Magazine, WisPolitics, and Milwaukee Record. He previously worked at Seattle Magazine, Seattle Business Magazine, the Milwaukee Business Journal, Milwaukee Magazine, and BizTimes Milwaukee. He’s won 23 Milwaukee Press Club Excellence in Journalism Awards.
2024 Love and Rockets Book Club Recap
"Lion’s Tooth Book Club was one of my favorite things of 2024" --Alice
2024 was the year to read (or re-read) Love and Rockets with Lion's Tooth! We met once a month to chat about the comic that changed everything.
The group discussed 12 books from "The Complete Love and Rockets Library", following the Locas storyline and Palomar saga from the beginning. We also had virtual chats with the Hernandez Brothers and with Marc Sobel, author of Reading Love and Rockets. Friends were made, obsessions ignited, imaginary feuds started. In 2025 we are merging into the Lion's Tooth Comix Book Club. Thank you Fantagraphics for the incredible support, thank you Marc Sobel and thank you thank you thank you Jaime and Gilbert Hernandez for taking us in this incredible ride ❤️🚀
The group discussed 12 books from "The Complete Love and Rockets Library", following the Locas storyline and Palomar saga from the beginning. We also had virtual chats with the Hernandez Brothers and with Marc Sobel, author of Reading Love and Rockets. Friends were made, obsessions ignited, imaginary feuds started. In 2025 we are merging into the Lion's Tooth Comix Book Club. Thank you Fantagraphics for the incredible support, thank you Marc Sobel and thank you thank you thank you Jaime and Gilbert Hernandez for taking us in this incredible ride ❤️🚀
2024 LOVE AND ROCKETS BOOK CLUB RECAP
Interview with Jaime and Gilbert Hernandez
Listen to an exclusive Interview with Jaime and Gilbert Hernandez, conducted by our Love and Rockets Book Club and presented in installments during Lion’s Tooth Radio Show on Riverwest Radio.
- Part one aired on October 22, 2024
- Part two aired on October 29, 2024
- Part three aired on November 12, 2024
