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UW Alumni Book Club

Personal stories, timely topics, transformative fiction… Let’s dig into some amazing books together! All curious readers are welcome at the UW Alumni Book Club.

Together, we read a book about every two months. Choose just one or all five — whatever works for you.

“So often we think of reading as a solo activity, but with discussion it improves and elevates the experience.” —Marilyn Conover Watt, ’76, ’81

The free online forum has suggested timelines and prompts for online discussion. Join us for special events that take the conversation to the next level!

Now Reading:

Readers’ Choice:
“Gilead” by Marilynne Robinson

Reading Period: Oct. 13–Dec. 15, 2023

Readers’ Choice! Marilynne Robinson, ’77, is one of the world’s premiere fiction writers. In this Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, John Ames, an Iowan preacher with a terminal illness, writes a letter to his young child, chronicling his own life and that of his forefathers. As Ames writes, he captures important moments in history and fleeting experiences of everyday life in a plainspoken but poetic way. This tender, meditative tale explores the accumulation of wisdom and the precious bonds between fathers and sons.

“’Gilead’ is a beautiful work — demanding, grave and lucid.”

–NYT Book Review

Get your copy:

UW Alumni Book Club readers can save 20% on “Gilead.” Use code UWAAROBINSON in-store and at ubookstore.com.
*Some restrictions apply. Visit ubookstore.com/disclaimer for full details. Coupon code must be given to cashier to receive discount in-store. Valid through Dec. 15, 2023, in-store and at ubookstore.com.

Campus Connections:

Meet the Author

In 2023, Marilynne Robinson, ’77, spoke with UW Magazine about how her Northwest connections played a big part on her path to becoming one of the most important authors of our time.

Read the interview

Alumna Suma Laude Dignata

Marilynne Robinson visited the UW in June 2023 to accept the Alumna Summa Laude Dignata Award — the highest award an alum can earn. UW Magazine published her thoughtful insights on the value of education in our modern times.

Read her speech

Plan Ahead:

Readers’ Choice: “Page to Screen” Theme

Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann
Reading Period: Jan. 5–Mar. 8, 2024
Our readers have spoken! UW Alumni book club members logged into the online forum to vote on the next book we read together. Of the three potential books that are are being released as movies soon, the vote fell solidly with “Killers of the Flower Moon” by David Grann. Stay tuned for details and events associated with this book!

2023-2024 Reading List

Reading Period:
Aug. 4–Oct. 6

Reading Period:
Oct. 13–Dec. 15

Reading Period:
Jan. 5–Mar. 8

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow book cover

Reading Period:
Mar. 15–May 17

Reading Period:
May 24–July 26

2023-2024 UW Alumni Book Club Archive

Readers’ Choice:
“The Maid: A Novel” by Nita Prose

The votes are in and Book Club readers are ready to meet the maid! Molly Gray struggles with social skills. She misreads people’s intentions and is frequently mocked by her co-workers. But no matter — Molly still adores her job working as a maid in a classy, historic hotel. When she finds a famous guest dead in his bed, Molly’s reactions strike the police as a little unusual. Soon, they have targeted her as the lead suspect in their murder investigation! This cozy mystery will have you rooting for our hero through every twist and turn of the plot.

“A heartwarming mystery with a lovable oddball at its center.”

–Real Simple, UK

The Maid: Campus Connections

Campus Connections:

Recognizing service workers

The idea of this novel came to author Nita Prose after she stepped into her hotel room one morning and startled the maid who was in the midst of cleaning. “I began to think about what it would be like to live as Molly, to be invisible in plain sight,” explains Prose.

From the UW campus to a national scale, get to know to activists who are helping advance the rights of custodians and other essential workers whose contributions too often go unrecognized.

Caring for custodians

Custodial workers have served diligently, even during the chaos and uncertainty at the beginning of the COVID pandemic. Evalynn Romano, ’10, ’21, thinks it’s time they got some appreciation. UW Magazine reports.

May Day: Women and Equality

This past spring, the UW Office of Public Lectures welcomed Ai-Jen Poo, the president of the National Domestic Workers Alliance. Watch the video of her talk about the status of today’s labor movement and its impact on women. Bonus: watch Ai-Jen Poo’s 2019 TED Talk, “The work that makes all other work possible.”

UW Autism Center

While author Nita Prose never directly states that the character of Molly Gray is on the autism spectrum, she has stated that she wanted to show “what it means to be the same as everyone else and yet entirely different.”

The UW Autism Center is a nationally recognized leader in autism services, professional training, and research.

Neurodiversity

The UW Autism Center provides resources that increase understanding and awareness of neurodiversity. Check out these useful resources about neurodiversity, sourced from a wide range of voices.

Adult Resources

Have you felt different from other people your entire life? Learn about the pros and cons of seeking a formal autism evaluation as an adult, and explore strategies and resources you can use without an official diagnosis.

Past UW Alumni Book Club Archives

Curious what books we have read before? Use the links below to access our book club archives, which include recorded events and resource lists.

Share Your Book Ideas!

Have suggestions for upcoming book club titles?
Submit your ideas to our Book Club Suggestion Form.

Check out the books that have already been suggested.

The UW Alumni Book Club is a collaboration between UWAA, the UW Libraries, the University Book Store — and passionate readers like you.

lifelong learning

UW Alumni Book Club

Now Reading: