The Women's Resources Center Book Club offers members of the community an opportunity to engage in meaningful and thoughtful discussions that explore various cultural, political, social, and personal issues related to how gender and sexuality impacts different aspects of our lives.
Summer 2025 Book Club Schedule
click on the book titles below to learn more! Sign up links coming soon!
June: Celebrating Queer Love
This June the WRC will celebrate the stories of WLW! Join the staff of the Women's Resources Center this summer as we discuss the novel One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston, a queer romance.
Limited copies of the book are available on a first come, first served basis by request. Students (undergraduate & graduate) will be prioritized.
We will be offering two discussion opportunities. One will take place in-person on Tuesday, June 12, from 2 - 4 PM at the Women's Resources Center (616 E Green St, Suite #213); the second will take place virtually via Zoom on Tuesday, June 26, from 2 - 4 PM. Sign up and request a copy of the book.
July: Healthy Boundaries
Healthy boundaries. We all know we should have them--in order to achieve work/life balance, cope with toxic people, and enjoy rewarding relationships with partners, friends, and family. But what do "healthy boundaries" really mean--and how can we successfully express our needs, say "no," and be assertive without offending others?
Join the staff of the Women's Resources Center this summer as we discuss the the revolutionary sexuality education text "Set Boundaries, Find Peace" written by Nedra Tawwab. During our conversations, we will examine the messages we've received about boundaries, explore the challenges we've encountered in trying to establish boundaries with people in our lives, and identify meaningful action steps for how to move forward.
We will be offering two discussion opportunities. One will take place at the Women's Resources Center on Tuesday, July 10, from 2 - 4 PM at the Women's Resources Center (616 E Green St, Suite #213); the second will take virtually place via Zoom on Tuesday, July 24, from 2 - 4 PM. Sign up and request a copy of the book.
Past Book Clubs
Copies of all past book club titles can be borrowed from the WRC library. Check for availability here: https://wrc.illinois.edu/resources/library
Spring 2025
Spring 2025 Book Club Schedule
click on the book titles below to learn more! Sign up links coming soon!
January *part of Stalking Awareness Month*
Join us as we discuss the sci-fi novel "Annie Bot", written by Sierra Greer. During our conversations, we will explore what it means to be a woman navigating in a patriarchal society, and what does it mean to be human? *Content warning: this book contains depictions of sexual assault & relationship violence*
Discussion will take place on Friday, January 31, from 4 - 5 pm at the WRC.
February
Join the staff of the Women's Resources Center as we discuss the revolutionary sexuality education text "Come As You Are", written by Emily Nagoski, PhD. During our conversations, we will examine the messages we've received about sex from school, parents, friends, social media, and explore what sex positivity can look like in practice in a sex-negative world.
Book discussion will take place at the Women's Resources Center on Friday, February 21, from 4 - 5 PM at the WRC.
March *part of Women's History Month*
Join the staff of the Women's Resources Center as we discuss "Mother Tongue: The Surprising History of Women's Words", written by Jenni Nuttall. During our conversations, we will examine the history of feminist language and thought, through the evolution of language.
Book discussions will take place at the Women's Resources Center on Monday, March 24 and Monday, April 7 from 4 - 5 PM. Participants will receive preview chapters in advance of the first meeting and a copy of the book when they attend.
April
Join the staff of the Women's Resources Center as we discuss "Saving Five", written by Amanda Nguyen. During our conversations, we will examine the complexities of survivor healing and activism in speaking your truth.
Book discussions will take place at the Women's Resources Center on Friday, April 18 from 4 - 5 PM. Limited copies of the book may be available to students intending to attend book club.
This book club is held in collaboration with the Asian American Cultural Center as part of our Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) programming.
Fall 2024
Fall 2024 Book Club Schedule
click on the book titles below to learn more!
SEPTEMBER *Rescheduled to November*
Disability Intimacy: Essays on Love, Care, and Desire by Alice Wong as part of Sexual Health Week
OCTOBER
In Defense of Witches: The Legacy of the Witch Hunts and Why Women Are Still on Trial by Mona Chollet
NOVEMBER
"The Body is Not an Apology: The Power of Radical Self-Love" by Sonya Renee Taylor
Summer 2024
JULY/AUGUST
Rest is Resistance: A Manifesto by Tricia Hersey, Founder of The Nap Ministry
Spring 2024
Spring 2024 Book Club Schedule
click on the book titles below to learn more!
FEBRUARY
Unf*ck Your Boundaries: Build Better Relationships Through Consent, Communication, and Expressing Your Needs by Dr. Faith G. Harper, LPC-S, ACS, ACN
House of Flame and Shadow (Crescent City, 3) by Sarah J. Maas
MARCH
Believe Me: How Trusting Women Can Change the World edited by Jessica Valenti and Jaclyn Friedman as part of Women's History Month
APRIL
The Beginning and End of Rape: Confronting Sexual Violence in Native America by legal scholar Sarah Deer (Muscogee (Creek) Nation of Oklahoma) in collaboration with Native American House as part of MMIR Red Regalia Project and Sexual Violence Awareness Month
Know My Name: A Memoir by Chanel Miller as part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month
Fall 2023
Fall 2023
click on the book titles below to learn more!
SEPTEMBER
"The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo" by Taylor Jenkins Reid as part of Sexual Health Week
"Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teaching of Plants" by Robin Wall Kimmerer as part of Ecofeminism Summit
OCTOBER
"Period: The Real Story of Menstruation" by Kate Clancy in recognition of Period Action Day
This event is co-sponsored by Women and Gender in Global Perspectives at Illinois and the WRC.