A Wilson Museum-inspired book discussion series.
There are all sorts of great books out there that can be connected to our museum and mission in some way – from how we think about museums, to encountering more about the cultures and objects we share through our exhibits, to fun ways to explore history. And rather than just read and think about these on her own, Executive Director Julia Gray wants to invite you all to read and talk about some of these books with her! The discussions will be offered both in-person and on Zoom.
Our 2025 book discussion series will contain three books:
The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World by Robin Wall Kimmerer | Tuesday, May 20
The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters | Tuesday, September 16
Tangleroot by Kalela Williams | Tuesday, November 18
Participation in all three is not required. Join whichever discussion piques your interest!
Noni Reid has grown up in the shadow of her mother, Dr. Radiance Castine, renowned scholar of Black literature, who is alarmingly perfect at just about everything.
When Dr. Castine takes a job as the president of the prestigious Stonepost College in rural Virginia, Noni is forced to leave her New England home and, most importantly, a prime internship and her friends. She and her mother move into the “big house” on Tangleroot Plantation.
Tangleroot was built by one of Noni’s ancestors, an enslaved man named Cuffee Fortune—who Dr. Castine believes was also the original founder of Stonepost College, and that the school was originally formed for Black students. Dr. Castine spends much of her time trying to piece together enough undeniable truth in order to change the name of the school in Cuffee’s honor—and to force the university to reckon with its own racist past.
Meanwhile, Noni hates everything about her new home, but finds herself morbidly fascinated by the white, slaveholding family who once lived in it. Slowly, she begins to unpeel the layers of sinister history that envelop her Virginia town, her mother’s workplace, her ancestry—and her life story as she knew it. Through it all, she must navigate the ancient prejudices of the citizens in her small town, and ultimately, she finds herself both affirming her mother’s position and her own—but also discovering a secret that changes everything.
Kalela Williams has always loved books, cats, and history. As a child, she began scrawling stories in marbled composition books. As a teenager, she’d blow out her birthday candles and wish for a greater light—to illuminate history through fiction, which makes her debut novel, Tangleroot, literally a dream come true. Kalela has made a career in literary events, directing everything from the citywide read program One Book, One Philadelphia, to the Virginia Festival of the Book. Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, Kalela now lives in the central Virginia town of Staunton with her partner, with who she runs a story-centered organization, The Off Center. Kalelawilliams.com | https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250880673/tangleroot/
Support our local bookstore and library by purchasing a book through Compass Rose Books or by borrowing it through the Witherle Memorial Library. All book discussions in the series are free. Please register for this discussion using the button above.
Titles in our 2025 book discussion series.
