As Fall approaches, and the school year gets more overwhelming with schoolwork, some people need to find outlets to help alleviate stress. Joining clubs at MHS is a great opportunity to become part of new communities of people who can help each other navigate high school. 

Book Club could be a perfect fit. Founded by three current sophomores in their freshman year, Book Club is a space where literature and community are celebrated. 

As one of the directors, Elliana Wanless, ‘25, said, “We like to focus not just on talking about books but [also] building a fulfilling and open community.” 

Book clubs decide what books to read by creating a list of possible titles. For each book suggested, the members talk about the content, author and rationale on why the book was included in the list of suggestions. After the members discuss all the possible books, they hold a unanimous vote to decide which book they will move forward with. 

Book Club’s chosen book for this month is Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr, a book that, according to the New York Times, is “a paean to the nameless people who have played a role in the transmission of ancient texts and preserved the tales they tell.” 

“Cloud Cuckoo Land follows 5 different characters that, although live in 6 completely different centuries, are connected by their mutual love for the same book,” stated Goodreads. “Doerr’s cast includes an orphan girl and farmer’s boy in Constantinople in the 1400’s, an environmental activist setting off a bomb in a library in 2020 and a girl on a mission to a distant planet in the not-so-distant future. In telling the story of their lives, we also see the journey of an ancient story through time.” 

“It’s a story about a story and how it connects people in different ages from the past to the future,” said Wanless. 

So far, Wanless especially enjoys the book’s use of language. 

“The descriptive language in the book is notable and incredibly amazing,” she said. “The language and shifting from time periods makes the book pretty dense to read, which makes it really amazing for book club.” 

For those interested in Book Club, the club meets every Monday in room 1524 from 3 to 4 pm.