In this online community, alumni can connect with each other and enjoy books related to lifelong learning, professional development, social issues and more. There is no cost to participate – just get a copy of the book to enjoy!
“Being in the Winthrop Virtual Alumni Book Club encourages me to read books I might not have been exposed to otherwise. Members vote on upcoming books to read, and the reading pace is realistic with our busy schedules. It is also a treat to attend the virtual author discussions and interact with other alumni through the online community. You are able to participate as much or as little as you like!”
-Pat Plexico Boutwell ’84
The current book is "All That Life Can Afford" by Emily Everett.
A taut and lyrical coming-of-age debut about a young American woman navigating class, lies, and love amid London’s jet-set elite.
Anna first fell in love with London at her hometown library—its Jane Austen balls a far cry from her life of food stamps and hand-me-downs. But when she finally arrives after college, the real London is a moldy flat and the same paycheck-to-paycheck grind—that fairy-tale life still out of reach.
Then Anna meets the Wilders, who fly her to Saint-Tropez to tutor their teenage daughter. Swept up by the sphinxlike elder sister, Anna soon finds herself plunged into a heady whirlpool of parties and excess, a place where confidence is a birthright. There she meets two handsome young men—one who wants to whisk her into his world in a chauffeured car, the other who sees through Anna’s struggle to outrun her past. It’s like she’s stepped into the pages of a glittering new novel, but what will it cost her to play the part?
Sparkling with intelligence and insight, All That Life Can Afford peels back the glossy layers of class and privilege, exploring what it means to create a new life for yourself that still honors the one you’ve left behind.
The reading period is May 22-July 24.
Click here to read a summary and reviews for it.
Join the Virtual Alumni Book Club by signing up at www.pbc.guru/winthrop.
Below is our reading schedule for 2026, which is a 10-week reading period for each book. This allows members time to read the book, participate in the discussion and choose if they will participate in the next reading selection.
Book 1: "The Frozen River" by Ariel Lawhon. Reading period, Jan. 2 - March 6.
Book 2: "How to Read a Book" by Monica Wood. Reading period, March 13-May 15.
Book 3: "All That Life Can Afford" by Emily Everett. Reading period, May 22-July 24.
Book 4: Reading period, July 31-Oct. 2.
Book 5: Reading period, Oct. 9-Dec. 11.
Thursday, July 16 │6 p.m.
Zoom
Emily Everett, author of the current Virtual Alumni Book Club read, "All That Life Can Afford" will host a live Author Talk on Thursday, July 16 at 6 p.m. via Zoom. "All That Life Can Afford" sweeps us across the Atlantic into an exciting world of luxury and wealth among the elite upper class. Emily Everett draws back the velvet curtain, revealing both the charm of this world and the effort it takes to keep it all from slipping away. This is a rare opportunity to hear directly from Everett about the inspiration behind the novel and the process of bringing this story to life.
Register here for the Author Talk!
Winthrop has partnered with PBC Guru to manage our book club. PBC Guru manages professional book clubs for companies and alumni associations and will be moderating the group to help make this program a great experience for all participants.
Members will connect through a private online forum where people can discuss the current book and network with each other. Joining the book club is completely free for alumni and friends. You are responsible for obtaining your own copy of each book. The group will spend two months on each book, so you'll have plenty of time to read. There will be five books throughout the year and you can join or leave any book discussion you like.
Joining the book club will introduce you to Winthrop alumni and friends across industries, generations and geographies, while accommodating your engagement when and where you are most comfortable.
Improve your mind, gain wisdom, keep up with a constantly changing world and nurture a thirst for knowledge through the discussion, reflection and sharing of perspectives with likeminded people in a safe platform.
Research has proven that when we read we become mentally stronger. From improving on focus and concentration, to developing stronger analytical thinking skills, to reducing stress, to reducing the chances of developing Alzheimer's later in life, the health benefits derived from reading are innumerable.
PBC Guru will provide 3 book selections that alumni will vote on for each reading period. Participants are sent a link to vote in the online forum. Voting occurs about in the first few weeks of the previous reading period to allow 3-4 weeks to obtain the next book.
The sign-up page will include a description of how the book club works, answers to frequently asked questions, and information about the first book. The sign-up page will still be open for new participants throughout the year.
For each book, PBC Guru sends out e-mails with content that prompt discussions in the online forum. An e-mail may include a link to a review, article, podcast, Ted Talk, video, or quote. Other specialty e-mails provide a way to announce the vote for the next book, communicate with discussion leaders, and send out periodic surveys.
The online forum is where book club members can introduce themselves, discuss the book and learn from other participants. Participants log in with the username and password that they created during the sign-up process.
Alumni can join the book club at any time and do not have to participate in every reading session. If you have questions please contact the Winthrop Alumni Association at alumni@winthrop.edu. We look forward to reading with you!
