The Seattle Gay and Lesbian Book Club kicks off

Book-club news

Bookseller Nick DiMartino, who's hosted Nick's Book Club at the University Book Store since 2001, is jump-starting a new book club this month. The Seattle Gay and Lesbian Book Club, which launches tonight, follows an unusual format. Instead of one monthly meeting per book, the club will have four weekly meetings on the same book.

"We designed it so that if you read the book, you have four opportunities to discuss it," DiMartino says. "Not only that, we're in touch with the author. So if any questions come up, you can come back the next week for answers from the author."

DiMartino's choice for January is Michael Downing's novel "Breakfast with Scot." Tonight's meeting is at 6 p.m., Dunshee House, 303 17th Ave. E., Seattle (206-322-2437 or www.dunsheehouse.org). Future book choices will include works by Virginia Woolf, André Gide, Edmund White and Yukio Mishima.

And don't forget Nick's Book Club. Its January title is "Tokyo Fiancée," an often laugh-out-loud culture-collision satire/love story by Belgian author Amélie Nothomb. Nick's Book Club meets 6 p.m., Jan. 26, at the bookstore cafe fireside, University Book Store, 4326 University Way N.E., Seattle; free (206-634-3400 or www.ubookstore.com).

Michael Upchurch, Seattle Times arts writer