A monthly book club for GenXers who love great stories, deep discussions, and a touch of nostalgia. We explore books across genres—from classics to modern gems, fiction to memoirs—sometimes with special guest authors! Join us as we celebrate reading, share our thoughts, and keep the GenX spirit alive, one book at a time.

The GenX Book Club

July 2025: GenX Book Club: Films of Endearment by Michael Koresky

June 2025: GenX Book Club: Saturn's Favorite Music (featuring Laura Lee)

May 2025: GenX Book Club: Fight Club

April 2025: GenX Book Club: The Perks of Being a Wallflower

March 2025: GenX Book Club: The Most Beautiful by Mayte Garcia

February 2025: Stephen King’s Skeleton Crew – The Mist & The Monkey

January 2025: DIANE FRANKLIN: The Excellent ADVENTURES of the Last American French-Exchange Babe of the 80s

GenX Book Club: Films of Endearment by Michael Koresky

In this month’s GenX Book Club, Paul Stroessner, Suzanne Mattaboni, and Del Roehling dive into Michael Koresky’s heartfelt memoir-meets-film-critique, Films of Endearment: A Mother, a Son, and the ‘80s Films That Defined Us.

Koresky revisits ten female-driven films of the 1980s with his mother, using them as a lens to explore family, loss, identity, and how movies shape the way we see the world. The discussion covers:

How films like 9 to 5, Terms of Endearment, Aliens, and Baby Boom look different when revisited decades later
Reflections on workplace inequality, motherhood, identity, and resilience portrayed in these movies
How generational and personal experiences change the way we view iconic films over time
Connections to movies like Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean and Crossing Delancey
Why the ‘80s still feels like a “golden age” for character-driven, female-led stories

The team also shares their own movie memories, from watching creature features as kids to experiencing how VHS tapes and early cable changed the way we consumed film, as well as some emotional connections to the films that Michael Koresky covers in this book.

Next month’s pick: The Celebrants by Steven Rowley, a heartfelt story of friendship and second chances that flashes between the ‘90s and today.

**More from the GenX Book Club Crew**

📖 Suzanne Mattaboni (Author of Once in a Lifetime)
🔹 Get her book anywhere books are sold, including Kindle Unlimited and onceinalifetimenovel.com
🔹 Visit her at suzannemattaboni.com
🔹 Follow Suzanne:

📷 Instagram: @suzannemattaboni80s
🐦 X: @suzmattaboni
📘 Facebook: Suzanne Mattaboni

🎙️ Del Roehling (Host of 80s at 8 on 91.1 WEDM FM)
🔹 Tune in to 80s at 8 for all your favorite throwback tunes
🔹 Get your daily dose of ‘80s news on the 80s at 8 Facebook page

💡 Connect with GenX Journeys

🌎 Website: GenXJourneys.net
📩 Email: paul@genxjourneys.net
📺 YouTube: @GenXJourneys
📷 Instagram: @GenXJourneys
🐦 Twitter/X: @Returntothe80s
📘 Facebook: GenX Journeys
🎥 TikTok: @GenXJourneys

🎧 Subscribe to the GenX Journeys Podcast on:
✅ Apple Podcasts
✅ Spotify
✅ iHeartRadio
✅ Podbean
✅ PlayerFM

💡 Whether you’re a die-hard ‘80s fan, a nostalgia lover, or just someone who enjoys a great book club discussion, this episode is packed with fun, wisdom, and plenty of throwback vibes.

📢 Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share with fellow GenXers!

GenX Book Club: Saturn's Favorite Music (featuring Laura Lee)

In this episode, we’re joined by the wonderfully multi-talented Laura Lee, author of Saturn’s Favorite Music. Laura’s creative path has been as eclectic as her writing: she’s the author of 21 books across biography, humorous reference, fiction, and children’s literature, and has worked as a professional mime, improvisational comic, and radio announcer. These days, she splits her time between writing and traveling with ballet master class tours alongside her partner, artistic director of the Russian Ballet Foundation.

Described by the San Francisco Chronicle as having “a dry, humorous tone” that makes her a “charming companion,” Laura brings warmth and wit to our conversation about her latest novel.

About the Book

Saturn’s Favorite Music takes us back to the summer of 1992, following Clara Jane, an alternative music-loving broadcast graduate starting her first radio job at a small station in northern Michigan. While dreaming of rock-star radio fame, Clara navigates quirky small-town life, morning show banter, and the looming threat of automation replacing the human touch in broadcasting. Brimming with 90s nostalgia, the novel explores music, friendship, and how technology changes creative careers and relationships—a theme that’s as timely today as ever.

“Saturn’s Favorite Music is a fun voyage back to the days of analog radio with all of its skipping records and clashing egos… highly relevant in the age of AI.”

In This Episode

🎧 Topics We Discuss:

How Laura’s fascinating career led her to writing
Behind-the-scenes stories from working in radio: splicing tape, voicing commercials, and old-school technology
Crafting a character-driven story and ensuring cover details match the narrative
Morning show banter
Laura’s own experience as a morning DJ
Music genres and how our listening habits have become more individualized
Meeting music artists in real life
Paul’s Saturn’s Favorite Music Spotify playlist featuring songs mentioned in the book
The humorous chaos of being mistaken for both a pet-loss grieving author and a psychic named Laura Lee
A nostalgic dive into one of the earliest viral audio rants: Casey Kasem’s famous meltdown

🎶 Listen to the Playlist!

Want to hear the music woven through Saturn’s Favorite Music? Check out Paul’s companion playlist on Spotify featuring songs mentioned in the book! https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0PVKnKsAcNKvdSfmwtMUoe?si=c110e9c965b9418a

📚 Learn More About Laura Lee:
🌐 Website: https://www.lauraleeauthor.com/

**More from the GenX Book Club Crew**

📷 Instagram: @suzannemattaboni80s
🐦 X: @suzmattaboni
📘 Facebook: Suzanne Mattaboni

🎙️ Del Roehling (Host of 80s at 8 on 91.1 WEDM FM)
🔹 Tune in to 80s at 8 for all your favorite throwback tunes
🔹 Get your daily dose of ‘80s news on the 80s at 8 Facebook page

💡 Connect with GenX Journeys

🎧 Subscribe to the GenX Journeys Podcast on:
✅ Apple Podcasts
✅ Spotify
✅ iHeartRadio
✅ Podbean
✅ PlayerFM

💡 Whether you’re a die-hard ‘80s fan, a nostalgia lover, or just someone who enjoys a great book club discussion, this episode is packed with fun, wisdom, and plenty of throwback vibes.

📢 Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share with fellow GenXers!

GenX Book Club: Fight Club

We’re breaking all the rules—and talking about Fight Club. Paul is joined by author and returning guest Suzanne Mattaboni for a deep dive into Chuck Palahniuk’s cult classic novel (and the iconic 1999 film adaptation by David Fincher).

💥 In This Episode:

The book vs. the movie: Why both versions hit hard in different ways
Breaking down the twist (and how it still lands decades later)
Themes of identity, consumerism, toxic masculinity, and waking up from the corporate coma
Suzanne reveals the genius Easter egg of the quick Tyler Durden “splices” in early movie scenes
Could Fight Club be made today? Would it hit the same in 2025?
Why this story still resonates with GenX—and what it says about a generation searching for meaning

📖 Book by: Chuck Palahniuk
🎬 Movie Directed by: David Fincher
Starring: Edward Norton, Brad Pitt, Helena Bonham Carter

⚠️ SPOILER WARNING:
We discuss major plot twists from both the book and the movie. If you haven’t read or watched Fight Club yet, you’ve been warned.

📢 Next Month’s Pick:
Saturn’s Favorite Music by Laura Lee — and she’ll be joining us for the episode! 📻✨

**More from the GenX Book Club Crew**

📷 Instagram: @suzannemattaboni80s
🐦 X: @suzmattaboni
📘 Facebook: Suzanne Mattaboni

🎙️ Del Roehling (Host of 80s at 8 on 91.1 WEDM FM)
🔹 Tune in to 80s at 8 for all your favorite throwback tunes
🔹 Get your daily dose of ‘80s news on the 80s at 8 Facebook page

💡 Connect with GenX Journeys

🎧 Subscribe to the GenX Journeys Podcast on:
✅ Apple Podcasts
✅ Spotify
✅ iHeartRadio
✅ Podbean
✅ PlayerFM

💡 Whether you’re a die-hard ‘80s fan, a nostalgia lover, or just someone who enjoys a great book club discussion, this episode is packed with fun, wisdom, and plenty of throwback vibes.

📢 Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share with fellow GenXers!

GenX Book Club: The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Hosts: Paul Stroessner & Suzanne Mattaboni

In this episode of the GenX Book Club, Paul is joined by fellow GenX writer Suzanne Mattaboni (Once in a Lifetime) for a heartfelt, honest, and occasionally hilarious discussion about The Perks of Being a Wallflower—Stephen Chbosky’s raw and unforgettable coming-of-age story.

We unpack the novel’s unique letter-based format and how it allows us to experience Charlie’s inner world with startling intimacy. Then we turn to the film adaptation—talking about the pitch-perfect cast (hello, Emma Watson and Ezra Miller), the soundtrack that’s pure mixtape magic, and those unforgettable Rocky Horror scenes that made us feel like we were right there in the audience.

And yes, we get into that tunnel scene… Suzanne couldn’t help but slip into full-on mom mode at the sight of Sam standing in the back of a moving pickup truck. (“WHERE ARE THE SEATBELTS?!”)

📚 In this episode:

Why the book’s format hits so hard
How the movie lives up to the source material
GenX reflections on being a "wallflower"
Rocky Horror, David Bowie, and that tunnel scene

If you’ve ever felt unseen, awkward, or like you were on the outside looking in—this story is for you.

🎧 Press play and relive the feels.

More from the GenX Book Club Crew

📷 Instagram: @suzannemattaboni80s
🐦 X: @suzmattaboni
📘 Facebook: Suzanne Mattaboni

🎙️ Del Roehling (Host of 80s at 8 on 91.1 WEDM FM)
🔹 Tune in to 80s at 8 for all your favorite throwback tunes
🔹 Get your daily dose of ‘80s news on the 80s at 8 Facebook page

💡 Connect with GenX Journeys

🎧 Subscribe to the GenX Journeys Podcast on:
✅ Apple Podcasts
✅ Spotify
✅ iHeartRadio
✅ Podbean
✅ PlayerFM

💡 Whether you’re a die-hard ‘80s fan, a nostalgia lover, or just someone who enjoys a great book club discussion, this episode is packed with fun, wisdom, and plenty of throwback vibes.

📢 Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share with fellow GenXers!

GenX Book Club: The Most Beautiful by Mayte Garcia

🎙️ GenX Book Club – Mayte Garcia’s The Most Beautiful: My Life with Prince
Hosts: Paul Stroessner & Suzanne Mattaboni
Book: The Most Beautiful: My Life with Prince by Mayte Garcia

In this emotionally rich episode of GenX Book Club, Paul is joined by writer and GenXer Suzanne Mattaboni for a heartfelt and thought-provoking discussion about The Most Beautiful: My Life with Prince, the memoir by Mayte Garcia.

Mayte was not only Prince’s first wife but also a dancer, artist, and woman with her own compelling story. Suzanne and Paul dive into Mayte’s life before, during, and after her time with Prince—from her early days as a prodigy belly dancer to the whirlwind romance and deep heartbreak that followed.

💜 Topics we cover:

How Mayte’s identity and ambitions evolved independently of Prince
The beauty and complexity of their relationship
Grief, resilience, and finding purpose after loss
Behind-the-scenes glimpses of life with one of music’s most enigmatic icons
Reflections on how this memoir resonated with GenX readers

Whether you’re a lifelong Prince fan, new to Mayte’s story, or just love deep book discussions, this one’s for you.

📚 Book your spot for next month’s read: The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky!

🎧 Listen now and join the conversation!
💬 Don’t forget to share your thoughts and favorite moments with us on social @GenXJourneys or email Paul@GenXJourneys.net.

More from the GenX Book Club Crew

📷 Instagram: @suzannemattaboni80s
🐦 X: @suzmattaboni
📘 Facebook: Suzanne Mattaboni

🎙️ Del Roehling (Host of 80s at 8 on 91.1 WEDM FM)
🔹 Tune in to 80s at 8 for all your favorite throwback tunes
🔹 Get your daily dose of ‘80s news on the 80s at 8 Facebook page

💡 Connect with GenX Journeys

🎧 Subscribe to the GenX Journeys Podcast on:
✅ Apple Podcasts
✅ Spotify
✅ iHeartRadio
✅ Podbean
✅ PlayerFM

💡 Whether you’re a die-hard ‘80s fan, a nostalgia lover, or just someone who enjoys a great book club discussion, this episode is packed with fun, wisdom, and plenty of throwback vibes.

📢 Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share with fellow GenXers!

GenX Book Club: Stephen King’s Skeleton Crew – The Mist & The Monkey

Hosts: Paul Stroessner, Suzanne Mattaboni, Del Roehling

📚 In this episode of GenX Book Club, we dive into Stephen King’s chilling collection, Skeleton Crew! Suzanne, Del, and I take a deep look at two standout stories: The Mist and The Monkey. From the eerie atmosphere of a small-town supermarket trapped in a supernatural fog to a haunted toy monkey with a deadly agenda, we explore what makes these stories so unforgettable.

🎬 But that’s not all! We also discuss the movie adaptations—how they compare to the original stories, what worked, what didn’t, and how King’s storytelling translates to the big screen.

If you love classic horror, Stephen King, or just a good dose of GenX nostalgia, this episode is for you!

🔥 Topics Covered

✅ The terrifying world of The Mist – book vs. movie
✅ The creepy, cymbal-clashing (or drum-banging) horror of The Monkey
✅ Why Skeleton Crew is a must-read for King fans
✅ How Stephen King’s short stories stand the test of time
✅ GenX memories of discovering King’s books and films

**More from the GenX Book Club Crew**

📖 Suzanne Mattaboni (Author of Once in a Lifetime)
🔹 Get her book anywhere books are sold, including Kindle Unlimited and onceinalifetimenovel.com
🔹 Visit her at suzannemattaboni.com
🔹 Follow Suzanne:

📷 Instagram: @suzannemattaboni80s
🐦 Twitter/X: @suzmattaboni
📘 Facebook: Suzanne Mattaboni

🎙️ Del Roehling (Host of 80s at 8 on 91.1 WEDM FM)
🔹 Tune in to 80s at 8 for all your favorite throwback tunes
🔹 Get your daily dose of ‘80s news on the 80s at 8 Facebook page

💡 Connect with GenX Journeys

📩 Email: paul@genxjourneys.net
📺 YouTube: @GenXJourneys
📷 Instagram: @GenXJourneys
🐦 Twitter/X: @Returntothe80s
📘 Facebook: GenX Journeys
🎥 TikTok: @GenXJourneys

🎧 Subscribe to the GenX Journeys Podcast on:
✅ Apple Podcasts
✅ Spotify
✅ iHeartRadio
✅ Podbean
✅ PlayerFM

💡 Whether you’re a die-hard ‘80s fan, a nostalgia lover, or just someone who enjoys a great book club discussion, this episode is packed with fun, wisdom, and plenty of throwback vibes.

📢 Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share with fellow GenXers!

GenX Book Club: A Totally Excellent Evening with Diane Franklin!

Get ready for an unforgettable GenX Book Club meeting featuring the one and only Diane Franklin! The iconic star of Better Off Dead, Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, The Last American Virgin, and Amityville II: The Possession joins us for a lively discussion about her books, career, and the enduring magic of the ‘80s.

Diane treats us to her legendary Monique Junot accent from Better Off Dead and revisits her role as the Bill & Ted princess, bringing pure nostalgia to the conversation! But that’s not all—she also shares incredible life advice, stories from Hollywood, and insights into her journey as an actress and author.

Where to Find Diane Franklin

📚 Diane’s books are available on Amazon and at DianeFranklin.com (signed copies available upon request!).

🎭 Upcoming Appearances:

Gallifrey One Convention – February 14 at the Marriott in Los Angeles, CA (Doctor Who fans, this one’s for you!)
The Sands in Cancun – November 3-8. More details at TheSands.rocks

More from the GenX Book Club Crew

📖 Suzanne Mattaboni (*Author of Once in a Lifetime)

Get her book anywhere books are sold, including Kindle Unlimited and onceinalifetimenovel.com
Visit her at suzannemattaboni.com
Follow Suzanne:
- Instagram: @suzannemattaboni80s
- X: @suzmattaboni
- Facebook

🎙️ Del (Host of 80s at 8 on 91.1 WEDM FM)

Tune in to 80s at 8 for all your favorite throwback tunes
Get your daily dose of ‘80s news on the 80s at 8 Facebook page

💡 Whether you’re a die-hard ‘80s fan, a nostalgia lover, or just someone who enjoys a great book club discussion, this episode is packed with fun, wisdom, and plenty of throwback vibes.

📢 Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share with fellow GenXers!