Online book club
"Books may well be the only true magic."
― Alice Hoffman
Connect with the Athabasca University community through this enriching initiative designed in celebration of AU’s 50th anniversary.
Join the conversation, expand your bookshelf, and explore topics related to personal growth, lifelong learning, and professional development in a private online forum.
Participation in the alumni book club is free. Simply pick up a copy of the current book at your library, local bookstore, or online. The group will read a book every two months - choose one or all, whatever works for your schedule.
More information and how to join can be found here.
The Henna Artist
By Alka Joshi
Vivid and compelling in its portrait of one woman’s struggle for fulfillment in a society pivoting between the traditional and the modern, The Henna Artist opens a door into a world that is at once lush and fascinating, stark and cruel.
Escaping from an abusive marriage, seventeen-year-old Lakshmi makes her way alone to the vibrant 1950s pink city of Jaipur. There she becomes the most highly requested henna artist—and confidante—to the wealthy women of the upper class. But trusted with the secrets of the wealthy, she can never reveal her own…
Known for her original designs and sage advice, Lakshmi must tread carefully to avoid the jealous gossips who could ruin her reputation and her livelihood. As she pursues her dream of an independent life, she is startled one day when she is confronted by her husband, who has tracked her down these many years later with a high-spirited young girl in tow—a sister Lakshmi never knew she had. Suddenly the caution that she has carefully cultivated as protection is threatened. Still, she perseveres, applying her talents and lifting up those that surround her as she does.
By clicking the Sign Up button you will be redirected to AU’s Online Book Club administered by PCB Guru. This is a third-party service and by signing up you will be subject to the third-party’s Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Athabasca University will not be managing your profile or individual services provided through PBC Guru. Athabasca University will have administrative access to the Online Book Club to manage the portal and content specific to Athabasca University, including the wording of auto-reply emails sent by the third-party to individual users. It will also have access to some personal information of users only for the purposes of evaluating user engagement. Athabasca University will not collect, use or disclose any user personal information for any other purposes. By signing up for this service, you acknowledge that Athabasca University is authorized to collect and use your personal information for the stated purposes. If you have any questions related to the collection, use or disclosure of personal information, please contact Tara Friesen, Manager, Alumni and Community Engagement at tfriesen@athabascau.ca or 403.294.7319.
Updated March 15, 2022 by Digital & Web Operations, University Relations (web_services@athabascau.ca)