Return to CIE: UC’s Virtual Book Club

If you’re looking for a fun and safe way to stay connected to UC and fellow alumni, look no further! Ursinus has partnered with PBC Guru to create a virtual book club for alumni, parents and other UC community members. The college works with PBC Guru to provide new reading selections every few months for readers to vote on. Then, individuals can read the selected text, join the discussion groups and stay connected to fellow alumni and other community members. The book club connects individuals through a private online forum where participants can discuss the current book and network with each other. Joining is completely free—just purchase the book (or borrow the book from your local library!) and participate in the online discussion.

From October to December 2020, the chosen book was Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates. A nonfiction book, it is written as a letter to the author’s teenage son about the feelings, symbolism, and realities associated with being Black in the U.S. Coates’ novel addresses issues such as police brutality, education inequality, the destruction of the Black body, how the world perceives Black people, and more. Woven together with historical references, literature from other Black authors, Coates’ own experiences, and the thoughts and actions of those around him, Between the World and Me highlights how fear, the myth of the American Dream, and the value of struggle influences every decision of most Black individuals in America. 

While UC’s virtual book club is aimed alumni and parents, it is open to a number of community members such as Students Today, Alumni Tomorrow (STAT) participants, faculty members and more. Our hope is to bring the greater community together to read different types of works, engage in meaningful discussions, and provide a safe place to talk about a number of relevant topics and how they relate to our lives and the world around us.