The Reading List - Humanist Book Group (online)

Our conversation will focus on
The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams

Our book group participants love to share reading recommendations with each other. And the inspiration that flows back and forth within the group is heartwarming for sure. So if you love to read books about people who love books, this one is going to be right up your street!

"An unforgettable and heartwarming debut about how a chance encounter with a list of library books helps forge an unlikely friendship between two very different people in a London suburb.

Widower Mukesh lives a quiet life in the London Borough of Ealing after losing his beloved wife. He shops every Wednesday, goes to Temple, and worries about his granddaughter, Priya, who hides in her room reading while he spends his evenings watching nature documentaries.

Aleisha is a bright but anxious teenager working at the local library for the summer when she discovers a crumpled-up piece of paper in the back of To Kill a Mockingbird. It’s a list of novels that she’s never heard of before. Intrigued, and a little bored with her slow job at the checkout desk, she impulsively decides to read every book on the list, one after the other. As each story gives up its magic, the books transport Aleisha from the painful realities she’s facing at home.

When Mukesh arrives at the library, desperate to forge a connection with his bookworm granddaughter, Aleisha passes along the reading list… hoping that it will be a lifeline for him too. Slowly, the shared books create a connection between two lonely souls, as fiction helps them escape their grief and everyday troubles and find joy again".

Our Book Group is drop-in friendly, attendance is flexible, and you join-in when you choose to, no guilt.

We aim to center the experience around relaxed and informal discussion, themes, and community. We value open dialogue, diverse viewpoints, and thoughtful exploration.

Enjoy lively conversation, and a Zoom room full of people who care about ideas, ethics, and being human in the world.

Kindly facilitated by our volunteer book group facilitators Gillian, Jenny, and Shelley.

We would like to foster a respectful and brave online space, where everyone feels welcome. We ask participants to be open to different interpretations and life experiences, and to listen actively with curiosity.
To hear about other upcoming Book Group events please subscribe to our Book Group newsletter.

This event is open to all Humanist Society Scotland members, supporters, and anyone who shares our vision and values. Participation is free.

For more information about humanism visit:
https://www.humanism.scot/get-involved/what-is-humanism/