Why did a dyslexic who struggles to read start a book club? To be a better reader and to learn. As an adult, reading is how I truly learn and retain information.
The book club started as a way to achieve a goal on my list. It is now an action I continue to achieve monthly.
In 2011 I decided that I was going to read a book a month. All of the leadership books, talks, and events I went to all said the same thing, “You have to be putting new stuff in if you want new stuff to come out.” I had a bookcase full of unread books. The first list was of twelve of those books. But I knew that just because I wanted to do this, it wasn’t going to make it happen. I needed to have some accountability to someone other than myself. So, I started a book club and put it out on meet-up, at the time. Now I had to have my book read and be at a location to lead a meeting. I took away the chance to run and hide from my goal.
In 2012 the book club started, we are now going into our twelfth year and some of the members have moved on, the location has changed, and it’s no longer open to the public, but I almost always get my book read, notes outlined, and have a small list of questions for the group to discuss. I am grateful to the people who partnered with me to help me have greater success.
I have also figured out how I learn and retain the most information with this brain, and it is not how they were teaching me in school. It is a combination of audio, while reading along in the book while taking metacog notes, and then teaching others what I have learned.
Want to know more about goal setting the neurodiverse way, check out this article.
https://joygenea.com/why-goals-work/
If you are wondering what we are going to read in the book club for 2024 check it out.
PDF downloadable book club list
2024 Book Club List
JANUARY- Stolen Focus: Why You Can’t Pay Attention–and How to Think Deeply Again, Johann Hari
CLICK HERE to check it out.
FEBRUARY- Born a Crime, Trevor Noah
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MARCH- The Culture Map, Erin Meyer
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APRIL- The Autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt, Eleanor Roosevelt
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MAY- Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less, Alex Soojung-Kim Pang
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JUNE- The Soul of America: The Battle for Our Better Angels, Jon Meacham
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JULY- CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best Leaders from the Rest, Carolyn Dewar, Scott Keller, Vikram Malhotra
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AUGUST- Walk Like You Have Somewhere to Go: My Journey from Mental Welfare to Mental Health, Lucille O’Neal
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SEPTEMBER- Noise: A Flaw in Human Judgement, Daniel Kahneman, Olivier Sibony, Cass R. Sunstein
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OCTOBER- Educated: A Memoir, Tara Westover
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NOVEMBER- Going Infinite: The Rise and Fall of a New Tycoon, Michael Lewis
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DECEMBER- Belonging: The Science of Creating Connection and Bridging Divides, Geoffrey L. Cohen
CLICK HERE to check it out.