Alpha Chi Omega hosts an online book club just for alumnae! To sign up for the book club, join our Facebook group
AXO Book Club. Each month, we will read a new book and have a virtual discussion via the Facebook group. Every few months, we’ll extend our virtual discussion to a live video conference where we can discuss the book “face to face.” We’re excited to offer a new opportunity for alumnae across the country to connect and engage based on common interests. If you have questions about the book club, you can email
Hannah Harris, assistant director of volunteer management.
Book of the Month
April: Know My Name by Chanel Miller
April is national Sexual Assault Awareness Month and in honor of that theme, we will be reading Know My Name. The memoir allows Chanel Miller, a young woman who was sexually assaulted by Brock Turner, to tell her story. At the time of Turner’s trial, her anonymous victim impact statement became instantly viral, but despite the overwhelming evidence against Turner, he was sentenced to just 6 months in a county jail. Miller’s memoir reclaims her identity in this story of trauma and shows the power of words. It will transform the way we think about sexual assault, speaking truth and the reality of healing from trauma.
Past Books
March
Inspired by true events,
The Lost Girls of Paris by Pam Jenoff tells the mesmerizing story of a sisterhood of secret agents in WWII. The story starts with Grace Healey, who is rebuilding her life after losing her husband in the war, as she finds a suitcase filled with photographs of a dozen women. She learns that the women were part of a secret operation in WWII and many never returned home. Grace sets out to learn the truth behind the women’s stories in this mysterious and compelling novel.
February
Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid is the story of a young, captivating singer who comes of age in the late 60s/early 70s. As Daisy Jones hits the big time, another band is also rising in fame and tensions arise as they join together. Set in Los Angeles, this story is filled with rock ‘n’ roll, intrigue and entertainment.
January
Based on one of America’s most notorious real-life scandals, Before We Were Yours is a riveting adaptation of Georgia Tann’s adoption scandal where she kidnapped, and through a Tennessee-based adoption agency, sold poor children to wealthy families. The story alternates between 12-year-old Rill Foss, who fights to keep her siblings together, and Avery Stafford, a successful federal prosecutor with a prominent family involved in state and federal government. The story is riveting, wrenching and ultimately uplifting, reminding us that even though the paths we take can lead different places, the heart never forgets where we belong.
December
In our last book of 2019, we’ll learn about a strange child – not powerful like her father, Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the titans, nor alluring like her mother. She discovers that the power she holds is that of witchcraft, allowing her to transform monsters into gods.
November
In 1922, Count Alexander Rostov is sentenced to house arrest by a Bolshevik tribunal. Rostov has never worked a day in his life and must now live in an attic room while the world dives into chaos outside his windows. Unexpectedly, his new circumstances help him make emotional discoveries.
October
In honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we’re reading Big Little Lies. This story follows three women, each at a crossroads in their lives. Madeline’s youngest is starting kindergarten and her teenage daughter seems to be choosing her ex-husband over her. Celeste is a beautiful woman who has it all with a husband and rambunctious twin boys, but she grapples with how much she is willing pay for her outwardly perfect life. Jane is a young mother and new to town, which is shaken up by her arrival. This story takes on ex-husbands and second wives, mothers and daughters, school yard scandal and the dangerous little lies we tell ourselves.
September
To save precious centuries-old Arabic texts from Al Qaeda, a band of librarians in Timbuktu pulls off a brazen heist worthy of Ocean’s Eleven in this month's book: The Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu, by Joshua Hammer.
August
In this historical fiction, Barker tells of the story of the ancient city of Troy and the untold story of the women caught in the battle between Agamemmon and Achilles. When Briseis, a queen in a neighboring kingdom, finds herself as a slave to the war – she leverages her new position to fight for her people and steer the fate of the war.
July
In The Library Book, Orlean chronicles a massive fire at the Los Angeles Public Library in 1986. She dives into the aftermath of the fire to showcase the important role that libraries play in our lives. Through her reporting on the fire, she also explores the evolution of libraries across the globe and the importance each library brings to a community.
June
Where the Crawdads Sing is a heartbreaking coming-of-age story with a tantalizing tale of possible murder. In June, we’ll discuss the story of Kya Clark, a girl who lives in a marsh outside a quiet town on the coast of North Carolina in 1969. When Chase Andres is found dead, Kya becomes the suspect and also becomes entangled with two young men from the town who are intrigued by her wild beauty.
May
Our May book selection, The Art of the Gathering, explores a human-centered approach to gathering that will help you make more meaningful and memorable experiences. Parker explores how we spend our time together – at work, at home, in our communities and beyond. We’re excited to dive into this book and also discuss how we as Alpha Chi Omegas connect and gather with each other.
April
In our April pick, Kayleen Schaefer explores the evolution of the modern female friendship in Text Me When You Get Home. Through this book, Schaefer explores almost every iteration of the modern female friendship. Text Me When You Get Home is a validation of female friendships and discusses the importance of developing strong female relationships. For this book, we’ll discuss the importance and influence of female friendship in our own lives. We’ll also discuss the different types of female friendships as discussed in the books, how to focus on female friendships in our lives and how Alpha Chi Omega can play a part in those friendships.
March
Our book for March is The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin. If you knew the date of your death, how would you live your life? Set in New York City in the late 1960’s, four siblings visit a traveling psychic who claims to be able to tell anyone the day they will die. What they learn shapes their lives. Benjamin explores the ideas of self-awareness, ambition, destiny and choice in a story that is deeply moving and pulls at the unrelenting ties of familial bonds. We’ll discuss the power of belief, family connections, and destiny with this exciting and captivating read!
February
Our first book is Dare To Lead by Brené Brown. We’ll have an interesting discussion about what it means to be a brave leader and make a difference. In this book, Brené Brown challenges us to think about leadership not as titles, status or power, but rather as a way for leaders to hold themselves accountable for recognizing the potential in others and their ideas. She encourages the readers to be curious, ask questions, embrace difficult conversations and lean into vulnerability where it is necessary to do good work. We’ll talk about what daring to lead means in the context of your professional life, your personal life and your role as an Alpha Chi Omega.