Welcome to The Read Well Book Club! I’m so glad that you’re here. I host a book club online with the intent of exploring books that will make you think. If you’re interested in attending, it’s just $9 a month. Here’s what you need to know:
Location: Online (meetings are recorded for members to watch later if they can’t attend live)
Time: Tuesday evenings at 6:30 MST / 8:30 EST
Membership Fees: $9 / month
Reading Calendar (With Quick Links)
4/1/2025 to 6/10/2025 – Behave by Robert Sapolsky
6/17/2025 to 7/17/2025 – The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
7/29/2025 to 8/26/2025 – The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell
9/2/2025 to 9/24/2025 – Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
10/07/2025 to 10/23/2025 – The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro
11/04/2025 to 12/09/2025 – An Immense World by Ed Young
12/16/2025 to 1/2/2026 – Kindred by Octavia Butler
1/13/2026 to 2/08/2026 – Being Mortal by Atul Gawande
2/17/2026 to 2/28/2026 – Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin
3/10/2026 to 4/03/2026 – The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin
04/14/2026 to 04/29/2026 – The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
05/12/2026 to 06/29/2026 – The Odyssey by Homer
Detailed Reading Schedule
Behave by Robert Sapolsky
Edition: Sapolsky, Robert M. Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst. Penguin Books, 2018.
Reading Pace: 10 pages / day
Dates: 4/1/2025 to 6/10/2025
Online Meetings Held: Tuesday at 8:30 EST –Click here to join
“Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst” by Robert Sapolsky is a comprehensive exploration of human behavior. This work is about the biological roots of our actions, examining how neurons, hormones, genes, and evolution contribute to the complexities of human behavior. Sapolsky, a professor of biology and neurology, integrates research from various scientific fields to explain why humans do what they do, from moments before an action takes place back to the evolutionary forces that shaped our species.
“Behave” is worth reading for its multidisciplinary approach that offers insights into the biological underpinnings of behavior that are often overlooked in more psychological or sociological discussions.
Three questions to consider while you read:
- Sapolsky discusses how the brain’s frontal cortex influences our decision-making and social behavior. How does this information affect your understanding of personal responsibility and free will?
- The book explores the role of genetics and the environment on behavior. Discuss some examples Sapolsky uses to illustrate this interaction. How does this complex relationship shape our understanding of human nature?
- Sapolsky integrates the study of hormones like testosterone and cortisol in explaining behaviors such as aggression and stress responses. What are some surprising or notable effects of these hormones that the book discusses? How do these insights affect your view of such behaviors?
Recommendations Week
Join us for an evening of discussion where members talk about books they’re reading, updates to life, and announcements for the club. This is an opportunity to connect with friends, enjoy your favorite beverage, and relax.
Online meeting held: 4/1/2025 at 8:30 EST – Click here to join
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THE GRAPES OF WRATH BY JOHN STEINBECK
Edition: Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. Penguin Classics, 2002. ISBN 978-0-14-2000066-3
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Reading Pace: 15 pages / day
Dates: 6/17/2025 to 7/17/2025
Online Meetings Held: Tuesdays at 8:30 EST – [Click here to join]
John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath is a landmark novel that chronicles the harsh realities of the Great Depression through the eyes of the Joad family. As they journey westward from Oklahoma to California in search of work and a better life, they encounter systemic injustice, environmental devastation, and the strength of human dignity and community. With its lyrical prose and social commentary, this novel remains an enduring testament to resilience in the face of oppression.
Three questions to consider while you read:
1. How does Steinbeck portray the relationship between land, labor, and dignity throughout the novel?
2. What role does community—both familial and broader—play in the survival of the Joads and others they encounter?
3. How does The Grapes of Wrath speak to themes of economic inequality and justice that are still relevant today?
RECOMMENDATIONS WEEK
Return to Quick Calendar
Dates: 8/26/2025 to 9/2/2025
Join us for an evening of discussion where members talk about books they’re reading, updates to life, and announcements for the club. This is an opportunity to connect with friends, enjoy your favorite beverage, and relax.
Online Meetings Held: Tuesdays at 8:30 EST – [Click here to join]
THE POWER OF MYTH BY JOSEPH CAMPBELL WITH BILL MOYERS
Edition: Campbell, Joseph, and Bill Moyers. The Power of Myth. Anchor Books, 1991. ISBN 978-0-385-41886-7
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Reading Pace: 10 pages / day
Dates: 9/2/2025 to 9/24/2025
Online Meetings Held: Tuesdays at 8:30 EST – [Click here to join]
The Power of Myth presents a series of insightful conversations between mythologist Joseph Campbell and journalist Bill Moyers, exploring the enduring power and relevance of mythology across cultures and time. Drawing on stories from ancient traditions, religion, literature, and modern life, Campbell reveals how myths shape our understanding of the human experience.
Three questions to consider while you read:
1. How do Campbell’s interpretations of myth enhance your understanding of your own cultural or spiritual narratives?
2. What is the role of the hero’s journey in modern storytelling, and where do you see it in contemporary media?
3. Campbell argues that myths help us make sense of life’s transitions. Which myths discussed in the book resonate with your own life experience?
RECOMMENDATIONS WEEK
Dates: 10/28/2025 to 11/4/2025
Join us for an evening of discussion where members talk about books they’re reading, updates to life, and announcements for the club. This is an opportunity to connect with friends, enjoy your favorite beverage, and relax.
Online Meetings Held: Tuesdays at 8:30 EST – [Click here to join]
BRAVE NEW WORLD BY ALDOUS HUXLEY
Edition: Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World. Harper Perennial Modern Classics, 2009. ISBN 978-0-06-176764-7
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Reading Pace: 15 pages / day
Dates: 11/4/2025 to 12/9/2025
Online Meetings Held: Tuesdays at 8:30 EST – [Click here to join]
Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World is a dystopian vision of a future society built on technological control, consumerism, and engineered happiness. In this world, individuality and emotion are sacrificed in favor of social stability. Through the story of Bernard Marx and John ‘the Savage,’ Huxley critiques the consequences of losing touch with what makes us human.
Three questions to consider while you read:
1. How does Huxley’s portrayal of a technologically advanced society serve as a warning about current social trends?
2. What role does language and literature play in maintaining or resisting societal control in the novel?
3. How does the novel contrast natural human emotion with artificial contentment? Which does it ultimately value more?
RECOMMENDATIONS WEEK
Dates: 1/6/2026 to 1/13/2026
Join us for an evening of discussion where members talk about books they’re reading, updates to life, and announcements for the club. This is an opportunity to connect with friends, enjoy your favorite beverage, and relax.
Online meeting held: 1/6/2026 at 8:30 EST – [Click here to join](#)
THE REMAINS OF THE DAY BY KAZUO ISHIGURO
Edition: Ishiguro, Kazuo. The Remains of the Day. Vintage International, 1993. ISBN 978-0-679-73172-6
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Reading Pace: 15 pages / day
Dates: 1/13/2026 to 2/8/2026
Online Meetings Held: Tuesdays at 8:30 EST – [Click here to join]
Kazuo Ishiguro’s The Remains of the Day is a poignant exploration of memory, duty, and missed opportunities. Told through the reflections of Stevens, an aging English butler, the novel examines how personal and political choices shape a life. With quiet elegance, Ishiguro captures the sorrow of what remains unspoken and undone.
Three questions to consider while you read:
1. How does Stevens’s understanding of dignity influence his decisions and relationships?
2. What does the novel suggest about the relationship between personal identity and professional role?
3. How does memory—both its reliability and its omissions—affect the way Stevens views his past?
RECOMMENDATIONS WEEK
Dates: 3/3/2026 to 3/10/2026
Join us for an evening of discussion where members talk about books they’re reading, updates to life, and announcements for the club. This is an opportunity to connect with friends, enjoy your favorite beverage, and relax.
Online Meetings Held: Tuesdays at 8:30 EST – [Click here to join]
AN IMMENSE WORLD BY ED YONG
Edition: Yong, Ed. An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us. Random House, 2022. ISBN 978-0-593-13325-5
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Reading Pace: 10 pages / day
Dates: 3/10/2026 to 4/3/2026
Online Meetings Held: Tuesdays at 8:30 EST – [Click here to join]
An Immense World invites readers into the sensory lives of animals, uncovering how they perceive the world in ways radically different from humans. From echolocation to ultraviolet vision, Ed Yong takes readers on a scientific and philosophical journey, challenging us to rethink our place in the tapestry of life.
Three questions to consider while you read:
1. What did you find most surprising or fascinating about how animals sense the world?
2. How does the book change your perspective on human perception and its limitations?
3. What ethical questions arise from learning more about animal cognition and sensory experience?
RECOMMENDATIONS WEEK
Dates: 5/5/2026 to 5/12/2026
Join us for an evening of discussion where members talk about books they’re reading, updates to life, and announcements for the club. This is an opportunity to connect with friends, enjoy your favorite beverage, and relax.
Online Meetings Held: Tuesdays at 8:30 EST – [Click here to join]
KINDRED BY OCTAVIA E. BUTLER
Edition: Butler, Octavia E. Kindred. Beacon Press, 2004. ISBN 978-0-8070-8369-7
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Reading Pace: 15 pages / day
Dates: 5/12/2026 to 6/29/2026
Online Meetings Held: Tuesdays at 8:30 EST – [Click here to join]
Kindred blends science fiction with historical narrative as Dana, a modern Black woman, is repeatedly pulled back in time to the antebellum South. Her journey raises questions about power, identity, trauma, and survival. Octavia Butler’s groundbreaking novel explores the legacies of slavery in intimate and profound ways.
Three questions to consider while you read:
1. How does the time travel structure of Kindred influence how we understand historical trauma?
2. What does Dana’s relationship with Rufus reveal about complicity, power, and moral compromise?
3. How does Kindred challenge the boundaries of science fiction and historical fiction?
RECOMMENDATIONS WEEK
Dates: 7/28/2026 to 8/4/2026
Join us for an evening of discussion where members talk about books they’re reading, updates to life, and announcements for the club. This is an opportunity to connect with friends, enjoy your favorite beverage, and relax.
Online Meetings Held: Tuesdays at 8:30 EST – [Click here to join]
BEING MORTAL BY ATUL GAWANDE
Edition: Gawande, Atul. Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End. Picador, 2017. ISBN 978-1-250-07622-9
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Reading Pace: 10 pages / day
Dates: 8/4/2026 to 8/30/2026
Online Meetings Held: Tuesdays at 8:30 EST – [Click here to join]
Being Mortal is surgeon Atul Gawande’s reflection on how medicine approaches aging and death. Combining research, narrative, and personal insight, Gawande explores the limitations of medical intervention and argues for a more humane, person-centered view of care at life’s end.
Three questions to consider while you read:
1. How does Gawande challenge conventional wisdom about aging and death in modern healthcare?
2. What stories or examples in the book most affected your thinking about end-of-life decisions?
3. How can we apply the book’s lessons to improve our conversations and care around mortality?
RECOMMENDATIONS WEEK
Dates: 9/22/2026 to 9/29/2026
Join us for an evening of discussion where members talk about books they’re reading, updates to life, and announcements for the club. This is an opportunity to connect with friends, enjoy your favorite beverage, and relax.
Online Meetings Held: Tuesdays at 8:30 EST – [Click here to join]
GIOVANNI’S ROOM BY JAMES BALDWIN
Edition: Baldwin, James. Giovanni’s Room. Everyman’s Library, 2022. ISBN 978-0-593-68896-0
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Reading Pace: 15 pages / day
Dates: 9/29/2026 to 10/23/2026
Online Meetings Held: Tuesdays at 8:30 EST – [Click here to join]
In Giovanni’s Room, James Baldwin delivers a haunting portrait of love, identity, and loss. The novel follows David, an American in Paris, whose relationship with the Italian bartender Giovanni forces him to confront his sexuality, societal expectations, and the cost of denial. Baldwin’s prose is lyrical and piercing, full of emotional depth.
Three questions to consider while you read:
1. How does Baldwin depict the tension between desire and societal norms?
2. What role does setting—particularly Paris—play in the emotional and moral landscape of the novel?
3. How does David’s internal conflict reflect broader themes of alienation and belonging?
RECOMMENDATIONS WEEK
Dates: 11/24/2026 to 12/1/2026
Join us for an evening of discussion where members talk about books they’re reading, updates to life, and announcements for the club. This is an opportunity to connect with friends, enjoy your favorite beverage, and relax.
Online Meetings Held: Tuesdays at 8:30 EST – [Click here to join]
THE DISPOSSESSED BY URSULA K. LE GUIN
Edition: Le Guin, Ursula K. The Dispossessed. Harper Voyager, 2024. ISBN 978-0-06-338293-0
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Reading Pace: 15 pages / day
Dates: 12/1/2026 to 1/18/2027
Online Meetings Held: Tuesdays at 8:30 EST – [Click here to join]
The Dispossessed is a philosophical science fiction novel that contrasts two societies: one rooted in anarchist ideals and the other in capitalist excess. Through physicist Shevek’s journey between these worlds, Le Guin explores themes of freedom, responsibility, and the pursuit of knowledge.
Three questions to consider while you read:
1. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the anarchist society portrayed in the novel?
2. How does Le Guin use Shevek’s scientific work as a metaphor for communication and change?
3. What parallels can be drawn between the two fictional societies and our world today?
RECOMMENDATIONS WEEK
Dates: 4/7/2026 to 4/14/2026
Join us for an evening of discussion where members talk about books they’re reading, updates to life, and announcements for the club. This is an opportunity to connect with friends, enjoy your favorite beverage, and relax.
Online Meetings Held: Tuesdays at 8:30 EST – [Click here to join]
THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY BY OSCAR WILDE
Edition: Wilde, Oscar. The Picture of Dorian Gray. Fingerprint! Publishing, 2020. ISBN 978-93-5440-217-3
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Reading Pace: 15 pages / day
Dates: 4/14/2026 to 4/29/2026
Online Meetings Held: Tuesdays at 8:30 EST – [Click here to join]
The Picture of Dorian Gray tells the story of a young man who trades his soul for eternal youth and beauty. Oscar Wilde’s only novel is a gothic tale of vanity, corruption, and moral decay, rich with wit and philosophical insight.
Three questions to consider while you read:
1. How does Wilde explore the relationship between beauty, morality, and identity?
2. What role does art play in shaping Dorian’s worldview and fate?
3. How does the novel critique Victorian society and its values?
RECOMMENDATIONS WEEK
Dates: 5/5/2026 to 5/12/2026
Join us for an evening of discussion where members talk about books they’re reading, updates to life, and announcements for the club. This is an opportunity to connect with friends, enjoy your favorite beverage, and relax.
Online Meetings Held: Tuesdays at 8:30 EST – [Click here to join]
THE ODYSSEY BY HOMER (TRANS. ROBERT FAGLES)
Edition: Homer. The Odyssey. Translated by Robert Fagles. Penguin Classics, 1996. ISBN 978-0-14-026886-7
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Reading Pace: 10 pages / day
Dates: 5/12/2026 to 6/29/2026
Online Meetings Held: Tuesdays at 8:30 EST – [Click here to join]
The Odyssey is one of the oldest and most enduring epics of Western literature. It follows the hero Odysseus on his perilous journey home from the Trojan War, encountering gods, monsters, and trials of character along the way. This foundational tale explores themes of identity, loyalty, and the longing for home.
Three questions to consider while you read:
1. What virtues and flaws define Odysseus as a hero across his journey?
2. How do the roles of women—such as Penelope, Circe, and Calypso—shape the narrative?
3. What insights does The Odyssey offer about leadership, storytelling, and resilience?
RECOMMENDATIONS WEEK
Dates: 6/30/2026 to 7/7/2026
Join us for an evening of discussion where members talk about books they’re reading, updates to life, and announcements for the club. This is an opportunity to connect with friends, enjoy your favorite beverage, and relax.
Online Meetings Held: Tuesdays at 8:30 EST – [Click here to join]