Photo by Adam Swanson, 2025.
To Read More Book Club
I read constantly. And far more often than I wish were true, I encounter someone who says some version of, “I wish I read more.” So I’m launching the To Read More Book Club in response! Join me, let’s turn this TV off and READ MORE.
To Read More Book Club is a salon-style gathering for adults dedicated to deepening our understanding of political history, power, and resistance in America. Through compelling narratives and sharp analysis, we will explore stories about the forces that have shaped many aspects of our present—examining race, sex and gender, capitalism, activism, and projects for liberty in America. As we contend with the realities of living under “a democracy in decline,” corporate greed, surveillance, and targeted oppression, I aim to curate a space that can help us not only read more collectively but also critically engage with ideas about how we might better navigate and act in response to the present moment.
We will explore suppressed stories in America, look for connections to our current realities, and find inspiration from the people, communities, and movements that have fought all this before. This is a book club for those with open minds and kind hearts who refuse to be complacent, who seek clarity through knowledge, and who believe that an embodied recognition of our myriad histories is foundational to shaping a more inclusive, and thus truly democratic, future.
Book Club Pick #1: The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story. Created by Nikole Hannah-Jones and The New York Times Magazine, and edited by Caitlin Roper, Ilena Silverman and Jake Silverstein, 2021.
The details
Book club expectations and commitment:
This book club is for individuals eager to engage deeply with history, activism, and resistance. Over four sessions, we will read and discuss four thought-provoking books that challenge dominant narratives and help to illuminate the forces shaping our world today. Our goal is to read more, critically examine how we arrived at this moment, and empower ourselves to act against America’s current political climate.
This is more than a book club—it is a space for learning, questioning, and building solidarity. Let’s read, reflect, and help build a stronger collective capacity to resist.
Book club members will:
Receive and read four books: You will have about two months to read each selection before our discussion. The book club will begin on Sunday, May 25, 2025, with The 1619 Project, a commanding text created and edited by journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones. This book includes essays, poems, timelines, photographs, and contributions from more than 30 exemplary writers and historians. The remaining three books will be a surprise, revealed as we progress. I understand that the desire to know what’s coming may be strong, but please trust the avid reader in me to only share excellence with you. Each book, authored by writers living today, will be sent to you directly.
Have access to a curated newsletter: Between meetings, I will send you a curated newsletter with links to related videos, artwork, interviews, essays, and any other striking material discovered while preparing for our discussions. Ahead of each gathering, you will also receive loose guidance for your reading, including discussion questions and other prompts. For example, for every book we read, I’ll ask all members to come prepared to share the sentence they found the most illuminating while reading. What captured you? Was it the writing, or the use of language? Was it the story? A fact you learned? Something else? What was your reading experience like, too? Were you distracted? Enthralled? Did you make notes? Doze off? What’s the experience of reading like for you?
Join a private online group: I will facilitate a Slack, Discord, or private Facebook group (depending on folks’ preference) where book club members can share thoughts, related articles, or other reactions between meetings.
Attend four online gatherings: Each virtual session will focus on one book, and your consistent presence will be essential to building a strong, engaged group.
Be participatory: Please come ready to share your thoughts, ask questions, and listen deeply with an open mind and heart and real passion. This is a space for meaningful conversation, reflection, and connection.
Cost and what’s included:
The fee to join To Read More is $375. Payment plans are available. This fee covers:
The purchase and care of nonfiction books from local independent booksellers in Portland, Oregon
Access to all four virtual book club discussions (which will begin at 9:00 am PT on July 20, future book club meeting dates ate TBD with the group)
Curated pre and post-meeting emails with reading prompts and resources
Access to a private online group for discussion and networking
Shipping and handling
If you can’t afford the To Read More Book Club fee, I’m working to establish a scholarship fund, please email me. If you can donate a scholarship (or part of one), please do!
Registration
Please complete the registration form below to join the To Read More Book Club. Spots are limited, and registration is scheduled to close at midnight on April 15, 2025. Secure a spot soon!
If you have questions, please email me. I look forward to reading with you.