Do you love to read? Are you looking to connect with your fellow Huskies in Boston and Oakland?
If so, you might consider joining one of Northeastern University’s faculty and staff book clubs.
The book club on Northeastern’s Boston campus has been meeting consistently for about two years. In 2023, Maura Fields started working as a data analyst for the University Decision Support Office and noticed a channel for a book club on Teams. The channel hadn’t been used in a while, so she started it back up.
“When I started working here, I was looking for opportunities to meet other staff members in a way that was organic,” she says. “I was already reading and figured other people probably were as well.”
From there, a group of university faculty and staff members from all different departments and offices began meeting every six weeks to discuss their reads after work was done for the day.
Fields says the group primarily reads fiction as a break from the more technical reading many do in their day jobs. They do branch out when it comes to genre, reading a mix that includes mysteries and science fiction.
At the meetings, Fields says the group discusses the book in a fun and casual way. Their favorites have been “Rules of Civility” by Amor Towles and “The Thursday Murder Club” by Richard Osman.
Sept. 16 is the next meeting for the Boston book club. They’ll gather at Five Horses Tavern at 5:45 p.m. to discuss “Sipsworthy” by Simon Van Booy. Anyone interested in joining can reach out to Fields via email at m.fields@northeastern.edu to be added to the email list.
Meanwhile, in Oakland, the campus book club has been going strong for 28 years. Renee Jadushlever, vice president of campus administration and strategic initiatives, said the group has discussed over 300 books since its inception in 1996. Some of the faculty and staff who originally joined have since retired, but still return to campus for discussion.
The Oakland book club focuses on fiction and votes based on member suggestions to decide their next read.
Jadushlever said the group meets at Adam’s Plaza during lunchtime and the members have their discussions while eating together.
“Given the great weather, we are able to meet outside most of the year,” she said.
The group meets monthly and generally reads fiction books under 400 pages. In the summer, they choose a longer book and don’t meet in July or August.
They will meet next on Oct. 1 from noon to 1 p.m. to discuss “The Poppy Fields” by Nikki Erlick. Those interested in joining can contact Jadushlever at r.jadushlever@northeastern.edu for more information.