The UWAA, UW Libraries and University Book Store invite all interested readers to join the UW Alumni Book Club. An online forum for the curious reader, our bookshelf has a place for personal stories, timely topics and transformative fiction.
Read. Question. Discuss. Learn. Together, we read a book every two months. Choose just one or all six — whatever works for your schedule or speaks to your interest.
You’ll receive regular emails to help you get the most of your reading experience, from suggested timelines to moderated online discussions facilitated by Professional Book Club Guru.
It’s never a bad time to discover a good book. Take your reading to the next level and join the conversation and community of the UW Alumni Book Club.
This epistolary novel was an immediate and enduring bestseller, described by the Los Angeles Times as a “series of high notes that trembles exquisitely almost without break.”
From the publisher:
“On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous” is a letter from a son to a mother who cannot read. Written when the speaker, Little Dog, is in his late twenties, the letter unearths a family’s history that began before he was born — a history whose epicenter is rooted in Vietnam — and serves as a doorway into parts of his life his mother has never known, all of it leading to an unforgettable revelation.
University Book Store Pack Rewards members save 20%* on Ocean Vuong’s “On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous” when purchasing in-store or online with the code UWAAVUONG by July 29, 2021. UWAA Members qualify for Pack Rewards at University Book Store. Learn more.
A #1 New York Times best-selling author, Kendi is one of America’s foremost historians and leading antiracist voices.
In “How to Be an Antiracist,” Kendi takes readers through a widening circle of antiracist ideas—from the most basic concepts to visionary possibilities—that will help readers see all forms of racism clearly, understand their poisonous consequences, and work to oppose them in our systems and in ourselves.
Wednesday, April 7, 2021 | 6 p.m. PT Presented by Seattle Arts & Lectures
Members save! See the author of our next Book Club selection, Ibram X. Kendi, in conversation with Dr. Edward Taylor, vice provost and dean of Undergraduate Academic Affairs at the University of Washington, discuss his bestselling work. Kendi is a #1 New York Times best-selling author and the director of the Center for Antiracist Research at Boston University.
An Evening with Jenna Hanchard
Tues., May 11, 2021 | 5–6 p.m. PT Presented by the UWAA GOLD Council
Join Jenna Hanchard for a conversation about antiracism work in your daily life. A former KING-TV reporter, Jenna left commercial journalism last year to launch Lola’s Ink, a heartfelt, personal podcast about Black girl liberation and “the risks and actions we take, big or small, to fee even a little bit more free.”
The UW Alumni Book Club goes mythological as we experience this re-imagining of Greek mythology with a feminist twist. A New York Times Bestseller, “Circe” is one of the most talked about books of the last few years.
“A bold and subversive retelling of the goddess’s story that manages to be both epic and intimate in its scope, recasting the most infamous female figure from the Odyssey as a hero in her own right.” (Alexandra Alter, The New York Times)
KEEP LEARNING
Madeline Miller: Online
Wed. Jan. 27, 2021 | 7:30 p.m. PT
Members save! See the author of our current Book Club selection, Madeline Miller, discuss her bestselling novel, presented by Seattle Arts & Lectures.
Reimagining the Humanities
Thurs. Jan. 28, 2021 | 5:30 p.m. PT
What can Homer’s Odyssey teach STEM students?
What new journeys can you take during a pandemic?
Are the Humanities in a time of crisis or innovation?
Join UW humanities professors and first-year students for a conversation about “the Odyssey,” mental health and the state of the humanities.
Watch online
“Circe” Book Chat
Wed., March 10, 2021 | 4 p.m. PT
The UW Alumni Book Club gathers for the culminating conversation around Madeline Miller’s “Circe.”
“Kindred” by Octavia E. Butler
The visionary author’s masterpiece pulls us—along with her Black female hero—through time to face the horrors of slavery and explore the impacts of racism, sexism, and white supremacy then and now.
Dana, a modern black woman, is celebrating her twenty-sixth birthday with her new husband when she is snatched abruptly from her home in California and transported to the antebellum South. Rufus, the white son of a plantation owner, is drowning, and Dana has been summoned to save him. Dana is drawn back repeatedly through time to the slave quarters, and each time the stay grows longer, more arduous, and more dangerous until it is uncertain whether or not Dana’s life will end, long before it has a chance to begin. (From the publisher)
Selected by UW Alumni Book Club members.
UWAA members save through University Book Store’s Pack Rewards program. Buy online.
KEEP LEARNING
Time Travel: Fact and Fiction
“Kindred” opens with the main character traversing through time. Join us for a conversation with Dr. John Cramer and Dr. Wanda Gregory, ’79, ’88, ’04, about the world of time travel. Dr. Cramer is a Professor Emeritus of physics who has studied the feasibility of time travel, and is also a sci-fi writer himself. Dr. Gregory teaches a course for students entitled “A Brief History of Time Travel”.
No spoilers – we won’t mention plot points from Kindred, please join us even if you haven’t yet read the book.
Watch online
Leaves A Mark: Passing Trauma From One Generation To Another
“Kindred” is often lauded as an accessible way to understand generation trauma. Join a conversation with Huskies who study generational trauma and work with folks affected by it. We’ll talk about what generational trauma is and how it can impact people’s lives.
Featured Speakers: Dr. Wendy Ellis, DrPH, MPH ’11: Assistant Professor, Department of Global Health and Founding Director of the Center for Community Resilience, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University. Dr. Val Kalei Kanuha ’97: Assistant Dean for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and Teaching Professor, School of Social Work, University of Washington Dr. Andrea Salazar-Nuñez: Psychologist
No spoilers – we won’t mention plot points from Kindred, please join us even if you have not yet read the book.
Watch online
“Kindred” Book Chat
Wed. Dec. 16 | 4 p.m. PT Join us for a conversation about “Kindred” by Octavia E. Butler. Get together online to talk about the book and your reflections when reading!
“The Color of Law” by Richard Rothstein
Sure to challenge perspectives, “The Color of Law” is sure to provide opportunities for conversations.
“In this groundbreaking history of the modern American metropolis, Richard Rothstein, a leading authority on housing policy, explodes the myth that America’s cities came to be racially divided through de facto segregation—that is, through individual prejudices, income differences, or the actions of private institutions like banks and real estate agencies. Rather, “The Color of Law” incontrovertibly makes clear that it was de jure segregation—the laws and policy decisions passed by local, state, and federal governments—that actually promoted the discriminatory patterns that continue to this day.”
KEEP LEARNING:
All Districts Are Gerrymandered, But How Matters!
Tues. Sept. 22 | 6:30 p.m. (PDT) There are no neutral or perfect districts. But knowing all districts are gerrymandered helps us see who is favored and how that matters. UW Tacoma’s Jim Thatcher will briefly explore the history of gerrymandering in the US before turning towards discussions of alternative approaches to drawing districts.
Watch online:
Redlining and Real Estate
Thurs. Oct. 1 | 4:00 p.m. (PDT) Join us for a Zoom call as UW Libraries board member and real estate broker Randa Kayyali Privett, Ph.D. and recent Masters of Real Estate alum Melony Pederson, ’09 ’19, discuss how de facto and de jure racism and redlining affect their work in the Seattle area.
On November 15, 1959, in the small town of Holcomb, Kansas, four members of the Clutter family were savagely murdered. There was no apparent motive for the crime, and there were almost no clues. As Truman Capote reconstructs the murder and the investigation that led to the capture, trial, and execution of the killers, he generates both mesmerizing suspense and astonishing empathy.
“Sabrina & Corina: Stories” by Kali Fajardo-Anstine
Kali Fajardo-Anstine’s magnetic story collection breathes life into her Latina characters of indigenous ancestry and the land they inhabit. Set against the remarkable backdrop of Denver, Colorado–a place that is as fierce as it is exquisite–these women navigate the land the way they navigate their lives: with caution, grace, and quiet force.
“American Spy” by Lauren Wilkinson
It’s 1986, the heart of the Cold War, and Marie Mitchell is an intelligence officer with the FBI. She’s brilliant but she’s also a young black woman working in an old boys’ club, and her career has stalled out. So when she’s offered a spot on a shadowy task force aimed at undermining Thomas Sankara, the charismatic, revolutionary president of Burkina Faso, she says yes, even though she secretly admires the work Thomas is doing for his country.
Inspired by true events, this novel knits together a gripping spy thriller, a heartbreaking family drama, and a passionate romance. This is a face of the Cold War you’ve never seen before, and it introduces a powerful new literary voice.
KEEP LEARNING:
Recorded Livechat: UW Students Talk About Burkina Faso
Two students share their experience with both colonialism and international interference within their country and region.
Recorded Livechat: Cold War in Africa
UW Professor Lynn Thomas gives us more context about the African front of the Cold War in a moderated online discussion.
“A Gentleman in Moscow” by Amor Towles
In this mega-bestseller, Alexander Rostov lives under house arrest in the Metropol Hotel. He encounters Nina, a precocious and wide-eyed young girl, who introduces Alexander to an absorbing, adventure-filled existence, despite his captivity.
Keep Learning
People & Their Spaces – A Book Club talk about A Gentleman in Moscow
Watch online
Join us for a conversation about building design and function as it pertains to cultural identity!
Vikramaditya Prakash, Professor of Architecture and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the College of Built Environment, joins the UW Alumni Book Club in a conversation about the power of architecture and designing space. The Alumni Book Club’s current selection, “A Gentleman in Moscow,” is set in the Metropol Hotel in Moscow and the hotel itself becomes a character in the story.
A Husky in Moscow Book Club Conversation
Watch online
Brendan McElmell is a current Ph.D. candidate in the Department of History department who is studying love and relationships in Russia in the 1940s and 50s. He’s currently living in Moscow conducting his research (while also social distancing!).
Join us for an online conversation about what it’s like staying at home in Moscow right now, and studying the past lives of Russians!
This 2019 National Book award nominee for nonfiction, recommended by Nancy Pearl, is a sweeping history—and counter-narrative—of Native American life from the Wounded Knee massacre to the present.
“Maybe You Should Talk to Someone” by Lori Gottlieb
Every year, nearly 30 million Americans sit on a therapist’s couch—and some of these patients are therapists. In her remarkable new book, Lori Gottlieb tells us that despite her license and rigorous training, her most significant credential is that she’s a card-carrying member of the human race.
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What issues are today’s students facing? Glenna Chang, Ph.D., Associate Vice President, UW Student Life, moderated a discussion with Natacha Foo Klune, Ph.D., Director and Counseling Psychologist, UW Counseling Center; Meghann Gerber, Psy.D., Psychologist, Mental Health Clinic Unit Head, Associate Director for Mental Health, Hall Health Center, UW; and Megan Kennedy, M.A., LMHC, Interim Director, UW Resilience Lab.
Danny O’Rourke, Ph.D., ’09 ’15, is a licensed psychologist and director of Training and Education at Evidence Based Treatment Centers of Seattle. He talked about being a Husky Psychologist and how his UW training informs his interactions with patients every day.
“No-No Boy” by John Okada, ’47, ’51
This historical novel tells the story of a Washington state Japanese American in the aftermath of the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II.
KEEP LEARNING
English Professor Shawn Wong discusses his work creating the field of Asian American literature, his role in the publication of “No-No Boy” in the 1970s and his fight with Penguin Publishing when they illegally published the book this summer.
A conversation with Danielle Higa, ’07, and Caitlin Oiye Coon, ’02, descendants of incarcerated Japanese Americans who now work at Densho, an organization that works to preserve and share history of Japanese incarceration.
Professor Michelle Martin, Beverly Cleary Endowed Professor in Children and Youth Services and Chair of the Master of Library and Information Science program, talks about diversity and representation in literature and the importance of #OwnVoices writers.
*Some restrictions apply; visit ubookstore.com/disclaimer for details. Coupon code must be given to cashier to receive discount in-store. Non-Pack Rewards members receive a 10% discount with this coupon code; Pack Rewards members must be logged in to their ubookstore.com to receive full discount. Excludes textbook editions of “On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous,” digital purchases, gift cards, shipping services, and only applies to stock on hand or pre-orders placed before Friday, June 4, 2021. Cannot be combined with other discounts or promotions. UWAA Book Club discount is valid Thursday, May 27—Thursday, July 29, 2021, in-store and at ubookstore.com.
“On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous” Book Chat
Ibram X. Kendi: Online
An Evening with Jenna Hanchard
“How to Be an Antiracist” Book Chat
“Circe” by Madeline Miller
Madeline Miller: Online
“Circe” Book Chat
“Maybe You Should Talk to Someone” by Lori Gottlieb
“No-No Boy” by John Okada, ’47, ’51
