The Well-Read Mom

"The pleasure of all reading is doubled when one is with another who shares the same books."

- Katherine Mansfield

Last summer, my friend Deb asked if I would be interested in a book club called The Well-Read Mom.  The name alone intrigued me, because, I DID want to be a well-read mom!  I am so thankful that we did indeed gather a group of wonderful women and form a book club through this program.  I absolutely ADORE our time together one Sunday afternoon a month.

The Well-Read Mom (wellreadmom.com) decides on a list of books for each year.  This year is The Year of the Mother and each selection includes some aspect of motherhood, whether that be physical or spiritual.  They have ranged from short stories by Flannery O'Connor to The Odyssey.  The books are not necessarily overtly Christian-themed, but the discussion, also supplied by WRM, is.  Even if we haven't finished the book, it isn't necessarily necessary for the discussion.

We have our group set up to be very family-friendly, and that has been 90% of its success, I believe.  All of our families meet for dinner at Deb & Doug's house on a Sunday afternoon.  The women seclude themselves in their own room, the men visit, and the children (sometimes over 20) occupy themselves for a few hours.  It's been a blessing for all involved. 

This next month's selection is Jane Eyre, a book I read on my own in college and absolutely loved.  I've found I've forgotten many details, so although I rarely read the same book twice, I'm looking forward to this one.  My favorite so far was The Hawk and the Dove, by Penelope Wilcock.  It's something I never would have discovered if not for this program.

If you are looking for good, quality literature, I really recommend you visit the Well-Read Mom site and check out their reading list. 

It's always good to be well-read, even if you aren't a mom. :)