You're Invited to a Book & Supper Club! 📚
Join me this summer for our first book & supper club, where we'll gather virtually in August to share a meal together and chat Ordinary Time by Annie B. Jones.
Hello, reader friends!
When I was in high school, my family was part of a community book discussion group with 5-6 families. I guess you could say it’s the sort of thing you do when you live in a small, rural town. There were dads, moms, a grandparent or two, and a handful of teenagers.
We each got to pick a book for the group. Then, once a month, we hosted a dinner gathering at either a church or a family home. It was wonderful because each person had the chance to step up and lead, sharing favorite quotes, key themes, and thoughts for discussion.
Through this book discussion group, I enjoyed an array of books I likely never would have discovered on my own: A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. The Jeeves & Wooster series by P. G. Wodehouse. The Great Divorce by C. S. Lewis. (What was my pick, you ask? I don’t remember for sure, but I think it may have been Persuasion or Sense & Sensibility by Jane Austen.)
As a way to keep this tradition going, I’d like to invite you to our very first (and hopefully seasonal) Book and Supper Club!
Here’s What You Need to Know
This summer, we will be reading the newly-released Ordinary Time: Lessons Learned from Staying Put by Annie B. Jones!
Annie is a writer, a Georgia-based bookstore owner, and a popular host of From the Front Porch Podcast.
This book is everything.
I just listened to the audiobook version—narrated by Annie—and it was exactly the right thing to begin my summer with. Millennial nostalgia. Norah Ephron vibes. There are chapters on old friends and new friends. On staying put and longing for adventure. Life in your 30s and life without children. Going to church even when your theology shifts. The sting of goodbyes and the joy of rootedness. I do love a book with a strong sense of place, and the Southern backdrop provided just that.
This is also part memoir, and memoirs have a special place in my heart. I know you’ll all love it!
In the traditional Church calendar, Ordinary Time begins in January, resumes in June (after Lent and Easter), and goes through November. This gives us plenty of time to read and savor this story independently in time for our virtual supper gathering on Friday, August 8, 4pm, PST.
Before then, I encourage you to support your favorite indie bookstore or local library by ordering or borrowing the book there. You can also listen on Audible, Everand, Libro.fm, etc.
Virtual Supper Gathering
We will meet one night only: Friday, August 8 from 4-5pm, PST.
Once you register here, I will email you an official invite, including a link to join the Google Meet call and a healthy supper meal plan for that evening. I will also send a reminder email one week in advance. But I encourage you to mark your calendar now.
Please invite a friend or two to join—especially if you want to meet with someone in person before August to discuss the book.
That’s all! I can’t wait to connect with you.
Cheers to good food & good books,
Bailey
P.S. This is still an experimental idea, so I welcome your feedback along the way. :)
Listen to Your Life features essays on faith, longing, life in your 30s, and well-being. Subscribe for free to access select essays, or become a paid subscriber for $5/month and receive the full archive + special content. I’d also love you to subscribe to the Listen to Your Life Podcast! When you do, you’ll be notified each time new episodes release (we are currently on hiatus for summer):