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We honor the life and legacy of Bill Brisk, the founder of our book club. His passion for literature and community laid the foundation for what our club is today. Bill’s warmth, intellect, and dedication brought us together and enriched our lives. We are grateful for the connections and conversations he sparked. He will always be a part of our story.
Start the new year (or continue your reading journey) by joining our book club in 2025! Whether you're making a New Year's resolution or staying committed to expanding your reading, we'd love for you to be part of our discussions. Dive into thought-provoking books, connect with fellow readers, and share insights—let's read together this year!
[January 21st & 22nd]
Poverty, by America by Matthew Desmond
In Poverty, by America, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Matthew Desmond examines the roots of poverty in the United States, arguing that it’s not just a problem affecting the poor but a system that benefits the wealthy. Drawing on research, personal stories, and powerful analysis, Desmond challenges the idea that poverty is solely due to individual failings and calls for a national reckoning to address the systemic forces that keep millions in need.
[March 18th & 19th]
James by Percival Everett
James by Percival Everett is a gripping and thoughtful exploration of the complexities of identity, race, and personal relationships. The novel centers on a young man named James, a complex character navigating the intricacies of his life and the pressures of societal expectations. With his signature style, Everett delivers a narrative rich in irony and emotional depth, exploring how race and personal history intersect in shaping a person’s destiny.
[May 13th & 14th]
The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt
In The Anxious Generation, Jonathan Haidt uncovers the roots of rising mental health issues among today’s youth. Haidt attributes the surge in anxiety, depression, and self-harm to the profound shifts in childhood upbringing, influenced by technology, social media, and parenting trends. Drawing on research from psychology, sociology, and neuroscience, Haidt offers an urgent warning and proposes ways to rebuild resilience in the next generation.
[July 15th]
The Mighty Red: A Novel by Louise Erdrich
In The Mighty Red, Louise Erdrich weaves a captivating story about the intersection of history, culture, and personal identity. Set against the backdrop of Native American experiences, the novel follows a young protagonist named Red as he navigates the complexities of his heritage, the legacy of his ancestors, and the struggles of contemporary life. Erdrich’s writing is poetic and rich with themes of resilience, community, and belonging, offering an evocative exploration of the modern Native American experience.
[September 16th & 17th]
Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
In Thinking, Fast and Slow, Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman delves into the two systems of thought that govern how we make decisions: System 1, which operates quickly and automatically, and System 2, which is slow and deliberative. Drawing on decades of research in cognitive psychology, Kahneman shows how our minds are often influenced by biases, and how understanding these cognitive processes can lead to better decision-making in all areas of life.
[November 18th & 19th]
Kantika by Elizabeth Graver
Kantika is a historical novel by Elizabeth Graver that tells the story of an immigrant family fleeing persecution in Eastern Europe. Following the journey of a Jewish family from Turkey to the United States, the narrative spans generations and explores themes of survival, cultural identity, and the complex notion of home. Graver's lyrical prose creates an emotionally resonant portrait of the immigrant experience, illuminating both the pain and the resilience of those caught between two worlds.
Brown Club of Boston Book Club (linked): Join our book club listserv to stay updated with upcoming book discussions! If you're having trouble with the below, contact info@brownclubofboston.com
How to:
Sign in to Google Groups.
Click "All groups" and find the group that you want to join.
Click "Join group".
Note: If you don't see the "Ask to join group" option, you can email the group and ask to join it.
Selections
Selections
March 19, 2024 - Author to join Book Club in Person!
Skinfolk, by Matt Guterl (Professor of Africana and American Studies at Brown). A memoir of growing up in the 70s of his family with parents who adopted children of several races.
May 21&22, 2024
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver-(based on David Copperfield). Set in the mountains of southern Appalachia, Demon Copperhead is the story of a boy born to a teenaged single mother in a single-wide trailer, with no assets beyond his dead father’s good looks and copper-colored hair, a caustic wit, and a fierce talent for survival. Relayed in his own unsparing voice, Demon braves the modern perils of foster care, child labor, derelict schools, athletic success, addiction, disastrous loves, and crushing losses. Through all of it, he reckons with his own invisibility in a popular culture where even the superheroes have abandoned rural people in favor of cities.
July 16&17, 2024
Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky. A common household item with a long and intriguing history. The only rock we eat, salt has shaped civilization from the very beginning, and its story is a glittering, often surprising part of the history of humankind. A substance so valuable it served as currency, salt has influenced the establishment of trade routes and cities, provoked and financed wars, secured empires, and inspired revolutions. Populated by colorful characters and filled with an unending series of fascinating details, Salt is a supremely entertaining, multi-layered masterpiece.
September 17&18, 2024
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus. Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. In fact, Elizabeth Zott would be the first to point out that there is no such thing as an average woman. But it’s the early 1960s and her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute takes a very unscientific view of equality. Except for one: Calvin Evans; the lonely, brilliant, Nobel–prize nominated grudge-holder who falls in love with—of all things—her mind. True chemistry results. But like science, life is unpredictable. Which is why a few years later Elizabeth Zott finds herself not only a single mother, but the reluctant star of America’s most beloved cooking show Supper at Six. Elizabeth’s unusual approach to cooking (“combine one tablespoon acetic acid with a pinch of sodium chloride”) proves revolutionary. But as her following grows, not everyone is happy. Because as it turns out, Elizabeth Zott isn’t just teaching women to cook. She’s daring them to change the status quo.
Laugh-out-loud funny, shrewdly observant, and studded with a dazzling cast of supporting characters, Lessons in Chemistry is as original and vibrant as its protagonist.
November 19&20, 2024
Up Home: One Girl’s Journey by Ruth Simmons. “Simmons’s evocative account of her remarkable trajectory from Jim Crow Texas, where she was the youngest of twelve children in a sharecropping family, to the presidencies of Smith College and Brown University shines with tenderness and dignity.”—The New York Times Book Review (Editors’ Choice)
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