The Faculty–Student Book Club at LFA has been thoughtfully reading and discussing literature handpicked by its members for nearly seven years. Since its founding in 2018, the book club has fostered contemplative discussions of four to five books each year, spanning a wide range of genres.
The mission of the book club is to emphasize the importance of hearing multiple perspectives, which is why participation from both students and faculty is strongly encouraged. Additionally, the club’s advisors, Ms. Lydia Wells and Ms. Rita MacAyeal, emphasize that the book club is never meant to be stressful or mandatory. Instead, the club is designed as a space to read for enjoyment, conversation, and connection.
In that vein, the book club is open to anyone and everyone. All faculty members and students from freshman to senior year are invited to join, and no formal membership is required. If you are not already a member, there is no need to worry—many individuals regularly drop in to attend meetings, and all are warmly welcomed.
If you are concerned about not enjoying the types of books the club chooses to read, rest assured that every selection is voted on by club members. In past years, members have enjoyed reading mysteries (Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, I Killed Zoe Spanos), contemporary fiction (They Both Die at the End, The Perks of Being a Wallflower), historical fiction (currently reading Between Shades of Gray), speculative fiction (Warrior Girl Unearthed) and Indigenous literature (including works by Angeline Boulley). The club has also hosted occasional author visits, including Zoom discussions.
Upcoming events include the next book discussion on Wednesday, January 28, featuring Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys. This historical fiction novel details the deportation of a Lithuanian family to remote labor camps in Siberia following Stalin’s invasion of Lithuania in 1940. In addition to this discussion, one more is planned before the end of the school year, though the title has yet to be decided. Meetings typically take place in the room outside the librarian’s office, affectionately referred to as “the Book Nook.”
Beyond reading and discussing books, the club sponsors several additional activities throughout the school year, including Blind Date with a Book, bookmark making, book bedazzling and café trips to locations such as Starbucks and Barnes & Noble. The club also engages in service opportunities, including group trips to Bernie’s Book Bank.
Some benefits of joining the book club include developing empathy by engaging with diverse perspectives, intellectual enrichment through discussion and encouragement to explore genres students might not otherwise choose. Members also participate in thoughtful conversations that deepen their understanding of both literature and real-world issues.
If you are interested in joining or learning more, feel free to stop by a meeting or reach out to either advisor by email at lwells@lfanet.org or rmacayeal@lfanet.org. Book club can be as much or as little of a commitment as you would like, and students are encouraged to help shape book choices, activities and the overall direction of the club.
Lastly, be sure to tune in to the new Spectator podcast, “Perspectives on the Page,” with its first episode releasing in mid-February. The debut episode will feature the LFA book club advisors and club leaders and will discuss the most recent book club selection, Between Shades of Gray.
