Defying the notion that reading is inherently solitary, the pastime we prize most can flourish within a social setting. Earlier this summer, The New York Times labeled this moment as a season for literary group travel. This autumn, I anticipate a uptick in institutionally organized book clubs and collective readings. After all, sometimes all it takes to focus our attention is a touch of good, old-fashioned accountability.
If you’ve also grown curious about shared reading experiences, consider joining an online book club this fall. Here are five options to pique your interest—grouped by their persuasive appeal.
For the romantic student—Henry James’ The Portrait of a Lady with Garth Greenwell.
The novelist Garth Greenwell has made a mission of celebrating the classics. This fall, he’ll lead an online reading group on the master Henry James.
Sessions designed to convert skeptics will “dig into James’s approach to characterization and scene, his exploration of American and European mores, his moral philosophy, [and] his radical approach to psychology.” All beginning with the opus, The Portrait of a Lady.
Seeing as it’s partly a class, the sticker price for this six week journey is on the high end. But scholarships are available.
For the jaded dreamer—Samuel Delany’s Dhalgren with Center For Fiction.
Samuel Delany’s Dhalgren has always been sold to me as a queer science fiction masterpiece. But the page count has kept this brick on my nightstand, where it’s collected a scrim of dust oh these many years.
If you’re also a Delany fan but need an extra kick to board this daunting vehicle, consider joining the Center for Fiction’s fall reading group. The writer and editor Zack Graham is leading Zoom discussions.
Space opera not your bag? You can also find groups at C4F this fall reading mid-career Virginia Woolf, and contemporary novels about the AIDS crisis. Sticker prices are in the three digit range, but scholarships are available.
For the queer detective—Charlie Markbreiter and Maz Murray’s Jaw Filler with Lux.
I’m extremely here for the indie magazine book club. This fall, the brain trust behind the socialist/feminist Lux Magazine is leading a discussion group—free to subscribers!— on Charlie Markbreiter and Maz Murray’s new, neo-noir detective thriller.
This novel follows the first transgender private detective as they “investigate a disappearance into a trans commune/digital cult…in Sim World.” (So, “on board” doesn’t begin to cover it.) You can find the book, and sign up for the one-off October Zoom meeting, here.
For the suspicious autodidact—David Foster Wallace’s Infinite Jest with Limousine.
The cheeky minds behind the Limousine reading series and podcast have spent the season bringing a tome to Gen Z. Whether you’re new to DFW and hype-curious, or a fan craving re-read fire, this asynchronous group effort should put some wind in your sails. And the thoughtful facilitators have included some IRL meetings(!) and an accompanying syllabus. All for free!
Cram the podcasts, hop into the lively Discord, and finally, relish the pun: Limfinite Jest.
For the agitated activist—Mike Davis’ Late Victorian Holocausts with Equator.
This September, the inaugural Equator Reading Group will meet to explore “critical global history, political ecology, and the legacies of empire” through a collective close read of Mike Davis’ Late Victorian Holocausts.
The late Davis was one of our best Marxist historians. And this masterpiece considering the under-examined effects of El Niño disasters is a great primer for his body of work.
This club is open to all Equator subscribers, and takes place fully online. Pay-what-you-can meetings will be moderated by editors and special guests.
List a little dude-heavy or serious for you? Watch this space for future offerings! And remember: friends don’t let friends read alone.
