At 5 p.m. on Friday, March 13, 2020, along with millions of other Americans, I packed up my computer, about half a dozen file folders and some personal belongings; locked my office door; and drove home, fully expecting to return in six weeks. In the meantime, I envisioned languid mornings at my local café, sipping a latte while I typed on my laptop. Of course that didn’t happen; most dining establishments closed down immediately and we were confined to our homes — and home-brewed coffee — for the foreseeable future.
Almost two years later, many things haven’t changed, and many more have. I am still working from home, and probably will be on a permanent basis, which suits me just fine. On the other hand, I immediately had to adjust to the absence of my weekly pub-trivia gatherings with friends, which have yet to resume. It became clear from the start that I would have to seek out new kinds of social and recreational opportunities. And that is what led me to the AWC Book Club.
Though I love to read books, I hadn’t had much time for pleasure reading since beginning a master’s degree program in 2019. But the shuttering of my usual socializing venues meant that I would have more time on my hands. I found the book club, which meets every couple of months via Zoom, while perusing the AWC website in search of interesting online offerings. I signed up immediately.
I love discovering books and authors that I wouldn’t normally read or know about. I found the AWC Book Club in late 2020 when they were reading fictional works by Black novelists. I had the opportunity to read Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid and Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Both books not only gave me insight into the female Black experience in America (and Nigeria), but they were enjoyable to read as well.
Since then, I have read and discussed books in genres that I don’t usually pursue: young adult mystery and suspense (A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson), LGBTQ+ memoir (No Blanks, No Pauses by Shelly McNamara), contemporary romance and women’s fiction (Our Italian Summer by Jennifer Probst, All Adults Here by Emma Straub).
I enjoyed some books more than others, but I think I learned something from each one —and from the wonderful group of women who join moderators Chloe Kasper and Kennedy Polanski for most of the discussions. I have learned much about these women, too, and have come to consider them friends. It was through this group that I, an independent member of AWC since 1983, learned about and became involved with the recently formed Eastern Pennsylvania professional chapter, where I have met and made yet more new friends.
And I started many more books that I did not finish, because life gets in the way sometimes. Work, grad school, and family responsibilities usually take precedence. I have temporarily moved my book club indulgence to the back burner, with the intention of returning as soon as I finish my master’s degree in May. I know a world of new books and new friends will be waiting for me when I am ready, more than two years after I locked my office door that Friday afternoon in March and drove home without looking back.
About the Author
A lifelong Pennsylvania resident, Bev Molnar has worked for Penn State University as a marketing communications and public relations specialist for the past 28 years. Previously, she worked in the financial and health care sectors. She joined AWC in 1983 as a student at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and is currently a member of the Eastern Pennsylvania professional chapter.
