Book Club Spotlight: Required Reading Revisited

The Required Reading Revisited (RRR) Book Club meets the second Sunday of every month to chat about titles that regularly appear on school syllabi. Below, Consuelo recaps January’s meeting and provides a glimpse of what’s next. See you February 11!

We met in January to discuss Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. Published in 1845, it was written to clarify Douglass’ background, as many assumed he couldn’t possibly be a self-taught runaway slave. Our discussion mostly revolved around the resilience and determination of this extraordinary man. Even as a child, he knew that reading and writing could be his way to freedom. We were also struck by his insight into how slavery is dehumanizing to the slaveholder, not just the slave. Most of all, we were bowled over by the intimacy of the book, despite its formal 19th century language. Douglass seems to be talking directly to you, as in conversation with a friend. It’s incredible to think that readers for over 150 years have also experienced that connection to him through his words.

We have a slight departure from our usual choices lined up for February and will be reading our first graphic novel! February 11 at 4:00 PM, we’ll meet at BookPeople to discuss Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis, a visualized autobiography about growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. Critically acclaimed, it is becoming a staple on school reading lists and beloved by fans throughout the world.

— Consuelo