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
September: Educated by Tara Westover
In honor of the back-to-school season, we’ll be reading Tara Westover’s memoir,
Educated. Tara was born into a family of survivalists in the mountains of Idaho and was 17 the first time she set foot in a classroom. When a brother got himself into college, Tara decided to explore other options in life. Her quest for knowledge changed how she viewed the world, taking her over oceans and across continents, to Harvard and Cambridge. Only then would she wonder if she’d traveled too far, if there was still a way home.
Past Books
August
The Secrets We Kept is a thrilling tale of secretaries turned spies, in which we follow a CIA plot to infiltrate the hearts and minds of the USSR, not with propaganda, but with the greatest love story of the 20th century: Doctor Zhivago. Sally is a glamorous and sophisticated seasoned spy who has honed her gift for espionage all over the globe. She uses charisma and charm to pry secrets out of powerful men. Conversely, Irina is a complete novice, and while under Sally's wing she quickly learns how to be a spy. At the center of this novel is a powerful belief that a piece of art can change the world.
July
Little Fires Everywhere is about long-held secrets and the strength of motherhood. In a quiet suburb of Cleveland, everything is going smoothly until a single mom and her teenage daughter rent a house from the Richardsons, disrupting everyone’s idyllic life. Mia and her daughter Pearl have a healthy disregard for the carefully ordered community and soon cause chaos. Mia also brings with her a mysterious past, which becomes the focus of this dramatic novel. Mrs. Richardson becomes obsessed with uncovering Mia’s secrets – but at what cost?
June
This beautifully written novel tells the story of two young girls growing up on a Korean island in an all-female diving collective. Their story unfolds over the course of decades starting with Japanese colonialism and journeys into the era of cellphones. The young girls develop a deep friendship that is tested and challenged as they come of age and experience war and violence in their homeland. In a rare story about a culture where women are in charge, we explore the theme of women’s friendships and the incredible forces that shape them.
May
In this month's book by Fredrik Backman, Ove is a grumpy old man whose world is turned upside down when an energetic young couple moves in next door with their young daughter. This heartwarming story is the perfect lighthearted novel to take us into the summer season.
A Man Called Ove has been described as comical and endearing when an unexpected friendship emerges over unkempt cats and the not-so-ancient art of backing up a U-Haul leads to a flattened mailbox.
April
April is national Sexual Assault Awareness Month and in honor of that theme, we read Know My Name by Chanel Miller. 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.
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 2019
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 2019
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 2019
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 2019
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 2019
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 2019
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 2019
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 2019
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 2019
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 2019
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 2019
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.