Ideas That Work: Broaden Your Horizons With a Book Club

Reading about a wide range of topics and people helps to build awareness about the importance of cultural diversity, says Crystal N. Johnson-Mann, MD, an assistant professor of minimally invasive and bariatric surgery at University of Florida Health in Gainesville. Dr. Johnson-Mann formed a virtual book club with colleagues she connected with on Twitter. They meet online about every two months to discuss a book, typically non-fiction, that centers on the life experience of others that they would not normally read about. The group is now reading In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado. Dr. Johnson-Mann searches for topics of interest by scanning reviews of non-fiction titles by The New York Times, The New Yorker and Goodreads. “We’ve really enjoyed the books and the discussions surrounding them,” says Dr. Johnson-Mann. “Members of the group say learning about the experiences of others has shaped their general outlook in a positive way, which impacts their everyday lives.” OSM