Visible Man Review
Here’s an example of how book clubs can be so much more than a social way to get your wine-and-cheese fix…in other words, how a book club can actually be a wonderful way to both give and receive support as well as find community.
An article in the Chicago Tribune earlier this week profiled Alex Breland, founder of The Visible Man Review book club. Yes, that’s a nod to Ralph Ellison’s famous novel Invisible Man — that’s because Breland and the members of this book club are Black men. “The thought was we’re visible, meaning Black men. My thought was that’s a cool literary reference and gets to my point of what I think is important, which is figuring out a way for us to be supportive, visible for each other.”
This article made me so happy to read. First of all, I hate that it is so rare to hear about men gathering to discuss books they’ve read. This is a whole other thing, but how is it that “reading” is so often relegated to the domain of women…as if “reading” is all about #cozyvibes or #momlife and “lol I didn’t read the book”? But more importantly, this article showcases exactly how discussing books together can be a source of empowerment. Here’s what some members of VMR said in this piece.
* “I’m really thirsty for learning…I enjoy listening to older Black men and their experiences and how they perceive the world.”
* “The thought to share [my love of reading and what I learn] with anybody never occurred to me. I always read, but it was a personal activity…Having a group to fellowship with helps. I can’t recall doing that recreationally outside of a structured classroom before joining this book club.”
* “More than anything, I see this as a space of healing…We’ve read some books that have really allowed us to discuss the Black male experience, which is traumatic. But it’s also given birth to discussions around how can we heal?”
* “I would say more than other environments I’ve been in, it’s the one place where I feel like I can be [everything] in one place. I can be my attorney self, my father self, an artistic guy.”
You can follow VMR on Instagram at @visiblemanreview.
originally published on instagram