About

Speaking Books

“Speaking Books” Book Club is a book club comprised of an interesting diverse group of women,  Beneidra, Brandy, Gina,  Janet, Sharon, Yvonne  and myself (founder Jeanine Jones, Speak To Me Books). The Women in this group are mothers, wives, singles and girlfriends. Some of us graduated from southern HBCU'S while others were educated in Mid-Western universities, never the less we  revel in reading.

Even though the majority, well, all of us are teachers we welcome any woman who likes to read and we encourage each other to bring a friend to the next gathering. Food, fellowship and fun are what we have when we get together and discuss hot topics. In line with my true love for literature and absolute affinity for poetry, I was inspired to do the book club by the Well–Read Women’s’ Book Club, a book club that I was a part of some years ago when I had only been in Memphis for a couple of years. It was started by Inger Upchurch who manages some of the Memphis Public Library branches.

Over the years, the Oprah Book Club has been a great inspiration of course. I followed that club for the longest time. Sybil, of the Tom Joyner morning show, is another great club that I follow. I just love a great story. I love to read and I love to see others read. Sharing views and opinions on books amongst other things is what I mostly enjoy about the group. I have started a few other book clubs in some high schools, taking the name-sake of the Well-Read Women, dropping Women an adding the school’s Mascot.  The first one I started was with Yvonne when we worked at a school together. It was very successful. Our students’ won the MCS Reads contest two years in the row. The second one is in its grassroots stages and was just begun in August of this year when school opened. We are incorporating it into our school-wide literacy plan, which consist of a book club, a service learning project and a literacy café. Promoting Literacy is one of my passions. And today I am just enjoying myself with some of my girls who happen to love a good read, which brought about “Speaking Books” Book Club.

“Speaking Books” motto is “The Cover Doesn’t Tell the Tale”. The club meets once a month. We chit-chat over dinner, lunch, breakfast or brunch, sharing our stories about the last book. From time to time we catch a movie afterwards.  Some of us read the Secret Life of Bees and saw the movie together a few years ago and kind of patterned it unofficially then. We like to explore the literature before Hollywood puts its twist on it, that way we get the authors’ view. After seeing a wide genre of movies over the years ranging from Colored Girls to Bad Teacher (hoping and praying we did not see ourselves in the film) and several café outings we decided to do more than just see a movie. We are all avid readers’ (hence the shared profession) who love to laugh, share information and ideas.

This powerful movement of "ladies in literacy" goes beyond our common love of books. Some of us are authors’ and have very interesting ideas and projects as a result of our time together, which results in countless collaborations, a support system, friendships and bonds.  Our first official selection, The Help,  (see The Help Book Review) which a good friend of mine refused to read as a result of the content  and the controversy,) surrounding the historical fiction novel, sparkedso many ideas and projects amongts the ladies. Janet intends to require it (The Help) as a required reading for her African American History class as she teaches the civil rights era. Yvonne, who did not see the movie with us but did read the book and attend lunch perhaps spun the most philanthropic idea. She is in the developmental stages of setting up an organization and website to advocate support and funding for “ the real Ableen” (Aibileen character from The Help played by Viola Davis).  Beneidra has summoned members of the group to contribute to “My Husband Is... What Other Women Don’t Know” an anthology she has been developing for a while.

Despite the controversy of The Help, some of us were calling each other through-out our read, finding others so engulfed that they were trying to stop their teething toddlers from devouring the banana and grape peel colored cover to pieces.  So we are looking for page turners that provoke thought, inspire and humor us from time to time.

If  you like to read, chit chat with the girls over dinner, lunch, breakfast or brunch, enjoy a good movie every so often,  then we welcome you (you do not have to be a teacher) to join the “Speaking Books”  movement. This year we will embark on a journey of exploring literary arts at its best, reading great titles from great authors. We will be reading a series of books for educators in September written by Sharon M. Draper including Not Quite Burned Out, but Crispy Around the Edges.  These optional selections will encourage and inspire teachers as we journey through the 2011-2012 school year and take our scholars to the next level.

Beneidra has chosen our selection for the month of October. We will reading The Strawberry Letter: Real Talk, Real Advice, Because Bitterness Isn't Sexy by Shirley Strawberry  of the Steve Harvey Morning  Show. The women of “Speaking Books” knows that “the cover doesn’t tell the tale”. Read with us and join us to reflect on your journey...

~Literacy is Life~ Live!

JJ