Book Club

Welcome to the Free Women’s Collective (FWC) Book Club!

We were the original FWC group and we started a monthly virtual book club in January 2020.

Our virtual book club is open to all- and you don’t even need to have finished reading the book to attend. Once a year or so we have a call for book nominations and then we vote on books to read for the year. We meet virtually the first Monday of the month from 7pm- 8:30pm and we use the same zoom channel as the Sangha.

Men are very welcome to read books, participate in our discussions, and nominate books for us all to read, but voting on books is reserved for women. Our goal is to give us an opportunity to expand our understanding of Buddhism by reading books and then having discussions where we share quotes, can ask questions, and can try to tie in concepts with daily life.

Feel free to take notes as you read with what has sparked your interest. We hope to try to bring light and life to the many outstanding women authors, but we occasionally read a good book or two by males.

It is a safe easy relaxed zone where all are welcome and encouraged to get to know each other and share some life thoughts in our monthly zoom meetings. Check out what we are reading and join us!! For any questions, please email BookClubFWC@gmail.com. Happy reading!

Free Women’s Collective Book Nominations for all of 2022:

Be sure to carefully consider all the 23 great books that have been nominated. Then vote by choosing your top 6 and email your selections to BookClubFWC@gmail.com by November 15.

In no particular order:

Anger: Wisdom for Cooling the Flames by Thich Nhat Hanh

I Give You My Life by Ayya Khema

Keeping The Dalai Lama Waiting & Other Stories: An English Woman’s Journey to Becoming a Buddhist Lama by Lama Shenpen Hookham

The Buddha Within by Susan K. Hookham

Time to Stand Up: An Engaged Buddhist Manifesto for Our Earth — The Buddha’s Life and Message through Feminine Eyes by Thanissara

Tales for Transforming Adversity: A Buddhist Lama’s Advice for Life’s Ups and Downs by Khenpo Sodargye

Start Where You Are: A Guide to Compassionate Living by Pema Chödrön

A Monastery Within: Tales from the Buddhist Path by Gil Fronsdal

What Makes You Not a Buddhist by Dzongsar Jamyong Khyentse

Rebel Buddha: A Guide to a Revolution of Mind by Dzogchen Ponlop
Everyday Buddhism: Real-Life Buddhist Teachings & Practices for Real Change by Wendy Haylett

No Mud, No Lotus by Thich Nhat Hanh
The Wise Heart by Jack Kornfield

The Joy of Living by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche
Peaceful Heart, The Buddhist Practice of Patience by Dzigar Kongtrul
Graceful Exits: How Great Beings Die (Death stories of Hindu, Tibetan Buddhist, and Zen masters) by Sushila Blackman