The New Year is the perfect time to reinvent yourself—and read more! No matter what your goals are for this year, an inspiring book can help you set the right priorities. If you promised yourself that you would read more this year—but the end of January is alarmingly close and you just can't pick a book—these University resources can help you take the first step.
From book clubs to faculty-curated reading lists, here is a roundup of several ways to get involved in great reading.
Join a book club.
One Book, One U
The One Book, One U initiative provides an learning opportunity for the University community through the reading of a chosen text to discuss topics of diversity and inclusion. One Book, One U is intended to involve the entire University community in a dialogue about the human experience. Each year, the program collaborates with different campus partners and co-sponsors to deliver a schedule of activities related to the book. This year’s chosen book by Ijeoma Oluo, “So You Want to Talk About Race,” will open a campus-wide discussion and understanding on the issue of race. Learn more about the book, then visit https://culture.miami.edu/programs/one-book/index.html for more information on events related to the program. Register for the signature event, a virtual discussion with author Oluo on Thursday, Feb. 18, at 7 p.m.
Women’s Commission Book Club
Open to the entire University community—including University faculty, staff, and students regardless of gender or identities—the Women's Commission Employee Resource Group continues its virtual book club at noon on Friday, Feb. 5, by discussing Naomi Alderman’s “The Power.” To participate, send an email to womenscommission@miami.edu. Find details on the 2020-21 Selected Books and how to participate. Learn more about the Women’s Commission.
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) Book Club
OLLI Book Club is a member-driven discussion group. It is a committed body of members, whose sole purpose is to have a lively and engaging discussion about the chosen reading. Facilitated by Susan King, the book for the Spring 1 section is “A Man” by Keiichiro Hirano. An OLLI 2020-21 Membership is required to participate in the book club. Find additional details on enrollment and more courses.
Volume 305
One of the newest Graduate Student Organizations on campus, Volume 305 is the University’s graduate student book club. Open to any and all book lovers at the University, it meets monthly via Zoom for thrilling discussions. February’s tome will be Delia Owens’ “Where the Crawdad’s Sing.” Follow the club on Facebook or Instagram to learn about upcoming events, or email volume305@miami.edu to get involved.
Sebastian’s Reading Squad
A love of reading starts at an early age. Children in kindergarten through fifth grade are invited to join the winter season of Sebastian’s Reading Squad. Presented by the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, the initiative encourages elementary schoolchildren to proactively read. Students enrolled in the program can track their progress as they aim to read a minimum of 120 minutes within each season. Participants who reach their goal may attend an exclusive online celebration hosted by the University’s athletic department. Learn more and register your child.
Learn from the Community.
BookTalks
The BookTalks series allows faculty members with a humanities focus the opportunity to share their recently published books with the community. Faculty members hold public talks and answer questions about their work. Presented by the University’s Center for the Humanities, the 2020-21 BookTalks season will cover topics such as gender, art history, and philosophy. You can also watch or listen to more than a decade of past events through the Center for the Humanities’ archive.
Racial justice resources
To educate and empower the University community to take action in the fight for racial justice, a series of research guides and lists were developed containing materials—books, e-books, and films—available through the University of Miami Libraries. These include publicly available resources, such as websites, archives, curricula, and reading lists. Visit the University Libraries or the Miller School of Medicine’s Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement to learn more.
University community recommended reading
During the past year, many in the University community have shared a list of books that have helped get them through the COVID-19 pandemic. From our students sharing their binge-worthy reads in The Miami Hurricane to University professors sharing their recommendations last summer, it’s no secret that reading books has helped keep our community together as everyone eagerly shared books that impacted them.
Is there a club that we missed or a book that has impacted you? Complete this short form to submit your title suggestions and participate in our next recommended reading list. Contact our team at lifeattheu@miami.edu with any suggestions or questions.
