you should join at least one in your lifetime
“Think before you speak. Read before you think.”
-Fran Lebowitz
I grew up reading books and now carry a deep love for the new adventures to be found within the pages of novels, and yes, I have participated in my fair share of book clubs. From Battle of the Books in middle school where I competed with other students in remembering obscure details, to when I moved to Vermont and joined a book club through a new acquaintance and we found ourselves on back country roads looking for a driveway, fully lost with no service—book clubs can be an adventure in and of themselves. Sadly the classic book club meme features women who just drink wine and never talk about the book, sometimes true, but that is usually my exit. This month marked the end of our first year in a new book club I was part of founding and it was so delightful. I loved being pushed out of my genre/author comfort zone and enjoyed even more the banter of opinions that flew around the circle of new friends (yes, wine in hand). I do not take these gatherings for granted or my privilege to buy or loan a book from the library. There is a war on books in our country and we need to hold tight to the voices that bravely mark the pages with new thoughts and fight for stories that can change perspectives. Some fear the power that stories give certian voices, but to me, the true fear is an inability to be curious, grow and change.
If you are curious to know our 2023 book line up, here you go:
JAN // Feel Good // Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
FEB // Historical Fiction // Peach Blossom Spring by Mellisa Fu
MAR // Mystery // The Last Guest House by Megan Miranda
APRIL // Memoir // Friends, Lovers, and the Big Bad Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry
MAY // Romance // Happy Place by Emily Henry
JUN // Historical Fiction // House of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson
JULY // Non-Fiction // Let’s Pretend this never Happened by Jenny Lawson (I did not read!)
AUG // Fantasy // Under the Whispering Door by TJ Kline (I did not read!)
SEP // Historical Fiction // The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
OCT // Mystery // The Crooked House by Agatha Christie
NOV // Classic // The Wise Woman by George Macdonald
DEC // Dystopian Fantasy // The Measure by Nicki Erlick
