Welcome to the Book Club: Explore. Reflect. Connect.
Connecting readers with each other. And history with humanity and today.
Dive into the heart of South Africa, Palestine, and beyond with our book club series based on On the Road to Jericho.
Each month, we’ll gather to discuss the evolving narrative of Eleanor’s life and its powerful themes that resonate in today’s world.
Over the next nine months, we'll explore themes of resilience, identity, and hope through monthly discussions that connect Eleanor's experiences with our own.
Whether you’re a seasoned reader or new to book clubs, this is your chance to connect with a vibrant community of readers, engage in meaningful conversations that bridge the past and present and discover the joy of storytelling.
Together, let’s uncover the layers of adventure and heartache that shape us.
Your story is part of this journey! I hope you’ll join us.
The Book Club is open to all paid subscribers.
Book Club #1: Apartheid South Africa
Saturday, November 9 2024, 10am ET (US)/ 5pm South Africa
Middle of the night for you? Leave your time zone in a comment below and we’ll see what we can do.
Apartheid feels like history.
But it isn’t.
It’s effects linger on today. And any South African older than than 34 years old was born while South Africa was still under apartheid.
In our first book club we’ll look at the lived reality, and enduring impact, of those years.
Book Club #2: The Messy Middle—Between Apartheid and Post-Apartheid
Saturday, December 7 2024, 10am ET (US)/ 5pm South Africa
Middle of the night for you? Leave your time zone in a comment below and we’ll see what we can do.
Eleanor was at University studying constitutional law right at the negotiations for a new South Africa were taking place, against a background of horrific violence.
This month we’ll explore the complex, transitional period of South African history.
In this “messy middle,” South Africa stood on the brink of transformation, as old structures of oppression were challenged, and the path to freedom was paved with both hope and chaos.
Book Club #3: Post Apartheid South Africa—Heady days
Saturday, January 4, 2025, 10am ET (US)/ 5pm South Africa
Middle of the night for you? Leave your time zone in a comment below and we’ll see what we can do.
Apartheid was over. Mandela was president. South Africa had a young, vibrant democracy.
But with freedom came immense challenges—political, economic, and social—leaving the country grappling with the legacy of racial division while striving for unity and progress.
We’ll delve into the hopes, complexities, and realities of post-apartheid South Africa.
Book Club #4: Egypt in the 1990s
Saturday, February 8, 2025, 10am ET (US)/ 5pm South Africa
Middle of the night for you? Leave your time zone in a comment below and we’ll see what we can do.
Eleanor is now in Cairo, immersed in studying Arabic at the British Council.
This chapter of her journey brings us into a vibrant and complex Egypt—a country on the cusp of change, navigating its own challenges while playing a key role in the region’s geopolitics.
We’ll explore themes of being an expatriate, cultural immersion, diplomacy, and the subtle, everyday ways in which we all navigate our identities in new contexts.
Book Club #5: The Oslo Accords—the Hope; the Reality
Saturday, March 8, 2025, 10am ET (US)/ 5pm South Africa
Middle of the night for you? Leave your time zone in a comment below and we’ll see what we can do.
Fresh from Egypt and newly posted to Palestine (1997–2001), Eleanor arrives filled with optimism, believing in the promise of the Oslo Accords.
This was a time brimming with hope. However, as Eleanor quickly discovers, the reality on the ground is far more complicated, with rising tensions, unmet expectations, and a fragile peace.
This month we'll discuss her experiences against the backdrop of a world caught between hope and hard truths, and reflect on what the Oslo Accords have truly meant for Palestine.
Book Club #6: Not So Fast. Parallels Are Tricky
Saturday, April 3, 2025, 10am ET (US)/ 4pm South Africa
Middle of the night for you? Leave your time zone in a comment below and we’ll see what we can do.
Eleanor encounters many comparisons between South Africa and Palestine, and makes them herself.
While these parallels can provide insights, they can also oversimplify the complex histories and lived experiences of these regions.
This months we’ll carefully explore some of the similarities drawn between South Africa and and Palestine, while also examining the distinct nuances that make these comparisons challenging.
Book Club #7: Faith in the Holy Land
Saturday, May 3, 2025, 10am ET (US)/ 4pm South Africa
Middle of the night for you? Leave your time zone in a comment below and we’ll see what we can do.
As Eleanor navigates her life and work in Palestine, her faith is challenged in profound and unexpected ways.
The Holy Land, a place revered by many for its spiritual significance, also presents her with the harsh realities of division, conflict, and injustice.
This month we’ll explore how faith and spirituality evolve—or are tested—in the midst of a complex and divided world’ and the intersection of faith and reality.
Should one maintain hope, belief, and a sense of purpose when doing so can be seen as naïve?
Book Club #7: Not All Work and No Play— Discovering Joy in Palestine.
Saturday, June 7, 2025, 10am ET (US)/ 4pm South Africa
Middle of the night for you? Leave your time zone in a comment below and we’ll see what we can do.
While Eleanor’s work in Palestine is marked by the weight of political tension and conflict, her time there was also filled with moments of joy, adventure, and discovery.
Too often, the narrative of Palestine is dominated by conflict, but this months we’ll explore the vibrant, everyday life that flourishes amidst it—the friendships, the laughter, the beauty of the landscape, and the rich culture that is Palestine.
Let’s celebrate the parts of Palestine that don’t make headlines, but are full of joy and life.
Book Club #8: Shock, Change and Loss
Saturday, July 5, 2025, 10am ET (US)/ 4pm South Africa
Middle of the night for you? Leave your time zone in a comment below and we’ll see what we can do.
Now acting head of mission, Eleanor must confront the upheaval of the Second Intifada.
This month we reflect on themes of resilience, adaptation, and the complexities of leadership in times of crisis—issues that resonate deeply in our own world today.
Book Club #9: Life after Trauma—the Hope of Post-Traumatic Growth
Saturday, August 9, 2025, 10am ET (US)/ 4pm South Africa
Middle of the night for you? Leave your time zone in a comment below and we’ll see what we can do.
Eleanor’s finished her posting. She’s embarking on her new life. She’s literally turning a new page and starting a new story.
What have we learned through her story? Is it possible to emerge from trauma not just to survive, but to thrive?
In 2024, as discussions around mental health and resilience continue to gain importance, Eleanor's story provides a lens through which we can examine our own responses to adversity, and the potential for personal transformation in the wake of hardship.