Connect with Spartans and friends in a vibrant online community united by a love of reading. Join engaging discussions on a variety of topics — from the comfort of your own space. It’s easy to participate; simply borrow the book from your library or purchase a copy.
With a new book selection every two months and the flexibility to join or skip sessions as you like, this offers a fun, low-pressure way to stay connected with and inspired by fellow Spartans.
Current Book: “Custodians of Wonder” by Eliot Stein - "Stein’s ode to the past is an antidote to today’s travel equivalent of fast fashion, reminding us there’s so much more to this world if we slow down and 'dare to listen.'" – National Geographic
About the Club
There are no meetings — participate whenever and wherever it’s convenient for you! As long as you have internet access, you can join the discussion. See the details below to learn more about how the program works.
- This is a flexible, online forum moderated by the professionally managed book club organization, PBC Guru.
- Discussions, networking and questions take place in a private forum, with weekly emails guiding the conversation.
- Members can join discussions, share insights and participate by borrowing or purchasing the book.
- A new book is selected every two months through a group vote, but participation is optional.
- Even if you’ve read the book before, engaging with the Spartan community offers fresh perspectives and meaningful discussions.
- Jan. 2 – March 6: “A Devil Went Down to Georgia” by Deb Miller Landau
- March 13 – May 15: “How to Read a Book” by Monica Wood
- May 22 – July 24: TBD
- July 31 – Oct. 2: TBD
- Oct. 9 – Dec. 11: TBD
Have a suggestion for a book you'd like us to consider reading? Email Elizabeth Wheeler. Our preferred genres are fiction, historical fiction, mystery/thriller, biography and history.
From shadowing Scandinavia’s last night watchman to meeting a 27th-generation West African griot and visiting Cuba’s final official cigar factory “reader,” Eliot Stein uncovers a nearly lost world. “Custodians of Wonder” is a vivid look at the ten key people who are maintaining some of the world's oldest and rarest cultural traditions. Part travelogue, part memoir, he shares their stories with curiosity and care.
Along the way, he reflects on what might we lose if these custodians prove to be the last.
National Geographic notes that "Stein’s ode to the past is an antidote to today’s travel equivalent of fast fashion, reminding us there’s so much more to this world if we slow down and 'dare to listen.'"
Eliot Stein is a journalist and editor at the BBC who has spent years profiling individuals around the world preserving unique cultural traditions. “Custodians of Wonder” grew out of his BBC Travel column “Custom Made.” His work has also appeared in The New York Times, Wired, The Guardian, The Washington Post, National Geographic, The Independent and The Best Travel Writing anthology.
2025
- Jan. 3 - March 7: "James" by Percival Everett
- March 14 - May 16: "The Mango Tree" by Annabelle Tometich
- May 23 - July 25: "The Berry Pickers" by Amanda Peters
- Aug. 1 - Oct. 3: "Birding to Change the World" by Trish O'Kane
- Oct. 10 - Dec. 12: "Wild Dark Shore" by Charlotte McConaghy
2024
- "The Lost City of the Monkey God" by Douglas Preston
- "By Her Own Design" by Piper Huguley
- "We Should Not Be Friends" by Will Schwalbe
- "Demon Copperhead" by Barbara Kingsolver
- "The Ride of Her Life" by Elizabeth Letts
2023
- "The Reading List" by Sara Nisha Adams
- "Horse" by Geraldine Brooks
- "The Last Green Valley" by Mark Sullivan
- "Fellowship Point" by Alice Elliott Dark
- "This Tender Land" by William Kent Krueger
2022
- "ArtCurious" by Jennifer Dasal
- "The Henna Artist" by Alka Joshi
- "The Lincoln Highway" by Amor Towles
- "The Case of the Murderous Dr. Cream" by Dean Jobb
- "The Plot" by Jean Hanff Korelitz
2021
- "A Woman of No Importance" by Sonia Purnell
- "Beartown" by Fredrick Backman
- "Long Bright River" by Liz Moore
- "Hidden Valley Road" by Robert Kolker
- "American Spy" by Lauren Wilkinson
Are you a Spartan Author?
We’d love to hear from you! We're compiling a list of Spartan authors and their book(s) to share. To provide your information, email Elizabeth Wheeler.
In fairness to all Spartan authors, please understand that we currently do not plan to feature any Spartan authors as a book club selection.