The Boulder Friends Meeting Book Group began in September 2013, initiated by a Friend who wanted a time and place for spiritual discussions on literary topics. The group, which is open, meaning that someone can come for only one meeting, or attend them consistently, has met monthly since that time, excluding June (IMYM) and December (Holidays).
It was originally designed to be held in a Worship Sharing Format, but due to some Friends’ difficulty with this, it has evolved into a more free-ranging discussion, in which individuals can chime in with thoughts whenever so moved. Most months we have about 10 attending; Friends account for the bulk of those in the group, but we have a faithful Buddhist and were fortunate to have a former Nun attend our discussion of Karen Armstrong’s Spiral Staircase.
We have discussed themes, such as Nature, Sanctuary and Gratitude, an author who has written several books, and we each read whichever one we chose (Pema Chodron), non-fiction books like Ta Nehesi Coate’s Between the World and Me and fiction, including Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese and People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks. We have also read biography, notably of Margaret Fell and Elizabeth Fry. Please see the compete History of our books and themes to understand the breadth of our interests. Books or themes are decided a few months before, usually by consensus, and interested individuals are reminded monthly by email. As previously mentioned, all are welcome and can be added to the mailing list by emailing Rebecca (Becky) Hutchins at rehvision@gmail.com.
History Of Boulder Friends Meeting Spiritual Book Group, covened by Rebecca Hutchins, topics chosen by consensus:
September 2013 A poem that moves me
October 2013- writings on nature
November 2013 Gratitude
December 2013 No Meeting
January 2014 The Little Prince by Antoine de St. Exupery
February 2014 Consider the Blackbird by Harvey Gilman
March 2014 any writing by Pema Chodron
April 2014 Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry
May 2014 Buffalo Gals & … by Ursula LeGuin
June 2014 And There Was Light by Jacques Lusseyran
July 2014 No Meeting
August 2014 Love of Impermanent Things by Mary Rose O’Reilly
September 2014 Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd
October 2014 A Hidden Wholeness by Parker Palmer
November 2014 Seasons of the Sacred Earth by Cliff Seruntine
December 2014 No Meeting
January 2015 Museum of Extraordinary Things by Alice Hoffman
February 2015 Hidden Wholeness CD Parker Palmer
March 2015 Hidden Wholeness Clearness Committees
April 2015 Spiral Staircase by Karen Armstrong
May 2015 Lila by Marilynne Robinson
June 2015 No meeting
July 2015 Learning to walk in the Dark by Barbara Brown Taylor
August 2015 Poetry with a nature theme
September 2015 Book on the Taboo against knowing who you are by Alan Watts
October 2015 Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
November 2015 Discussion of “Sanctuary”
December 2015 No meeting
January 2016 Tao Te Ching translated by Stephen Mitchell
February 2016 People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks
March 2016 Margaret Fell, Mother of Quakerism by Isabel Ross
April 2016 “Betsy” a biography of Elizabeth Fry by Jean Hatton
May 2016 Between the World and Me by Ta Nehesi Coates
June 2016 No meeting
July 2016 Ordinary Life by Tracy Smith
August 2016 Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
September 2016 How Does Raven Know? by Margaret Wheatley
October 2016 Into the Magic Shop by James R. Doty, M.D.
November 2016 Rewilding Our Hearts by Marc Bekoff (he attended)
December 2016 No Meeting
January 2017 Sisters of the Yam by bell hooks
February 2017 Our Life is Love by Marcelle Martin
March 2017 The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
April 2017 Healing the Heart of Democracy by Parker Palmer
May 2017 Becoming Wise-An Inquiry into the Art of Living,
Chapters 2 & 3 by Krista Tippett
June 2017 No Meeting
July 2017 Dancing Sitting Still-Healing the World from a Place of Prayer by Richard Rohr
August 2017 Book, poem or essay on Nature
September 2017 Chapters 4-6 of Becoming WISE-An Inquiry Into the Art of Living by Krista Tippett
October 2017 Waking Up White by Debbie Irving
November 2017 Wisdom Jesus by Cynthia Bourgeault
December 2017 No Meeting
January 2018 Beyond the Beautiful Forevers by Rebecca Boo
February 2018 Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann
March 2018 Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders