Theta Book Club 2026

This year, books have been pulled from the Canada Reads List and each month also includes a film, alternative media, art, and a song to complement the theme. You can participate through any of the mediums, not just the book! Some months have two themes you can choose from.

Open to both alumnae and collegiate members at no cost.

We meet online at 8pm on the first Sunday of every month and we'd love to have you join us.
Click the button below to connect with our host, Ashley Ross, and to get a zoom link to the event.

February 15: Gothic Domestic Mystery

Book: Celestina’s House – Clarissa Trinidad Gonzalez
Film: Eerie (2018) – Filipino gothic thriller
Alternative Media: NFB short film on Filipino folklore
Art: The Nightmare by Henry Fuseli – iconic gothic imagery of fear and the uncanny.

Song: Haunted – Beyoncé

March 1: Migration & Belonging

Book: Everything Is Fine Here – Iryn Tushabe
Film: The Farewell (2019) – Navigating family and cultural identity
Alternative Media: NPR podcast Code Switch episode on immigrant narratives
Art: The Immigrants by Jean-Paul Lemieux – portrays isolation and longing in migration.

Song: Coming to America – Neil Diamond

April 12*: Resilience & Sports

* (moved by a week to accommodate Easter)

Book: Crossroads – Kaleb Dahlgren
Film: Humboldt: The New Season (documentary)
Alternative Media: Podcast Hockey Feels episode on healing after tragedy
Art: The Hockey Game by Ken Danby – a classic Canadian depiction of hockey culture.
Song: Eye of the Tiger – Survivor

May 3: Mental Health & Humor

Book: Never Been Better – Leanne Toshiko Simpson
Film: Silver Linings Playbook (2012) – Mental health and resilience
Alternative Media: Podcast The Happiness Lab episode on coping strategies
Art: The Scream by Edvard Munch – iconic representation of anxiety and inner turmoil.

Song: Shake It Out – Florence + The Machine

June 7: Indigenous Identity & Healing

Book: A Minor Chorus – Billy-Ray Belcourt
Film: Indian Horse (2017) – Residential school trauma and resilience
Alternative Media: CBC podcast Unreserved episode on Indigenous storytelling
Art: The Indian Church by Emily Carr – celebrates Indigenous spirituality and resilience.
Song: Stolen Land – Bruce Cockburn

July 5:
Two Themes

Identity & Grief
Book: Julie Chan Is Dead – Liann Zhang
Film: The Farewell or Nomadland (2020) – Loss and reinvention
Alternative Media: Podcast Griefcast episode on cultural grief
Art: At Eternity’s Gate by Vincent van Gogh – raw depiction of grief and despair.
Song: Tears in Heaven – Eric Clapton

Trauma & Survival

EBook: Slice The Water – PP Wong
Film: A Ghost Story (2017) – Loss and memory
Alternative Media: Spoken word performance on grief and resilience
Art: Guernica by Pablo Picasso – powerful depiction of trauma and resilience.
Song: Stronger – Kelly Clarkson

August 2:
TWO THEMES

Queer Romance & Sports Culture
Book: Heated Rivalry – Rachel Reid
Film: Love, Simon (2018) – LGBTQ+ coming-of-age story
Alternative Media: Podcast You Can Play on queer athletes
Art: Two Figures by Francis Bacon – intimate yet tense representation of human connection.
Song: Same Love – Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

Second Chances & Relationships

Book: It’s Different This Time – Joss Richard
Film: Before Sunrise (1995) – Serendipitous romance
Alternative Media: TED Talk on love and timing
Art: The Kiss by Gustav Klimt – timeless symbol of love and fleeting moments.
Song: Someone Like You – Adele

September 6: Small-Town Secrets

EBook: Searching for Terry Punchout – Tyler Hellard
Film: Mystic River (2003) – Secrets and consequences
Alternative Media: True crime podcast episode on small-town dynamics
Art: Nighthawks by Edward Hopper – evokes isolation and hidden stories in small-town life.
Song: Small Town – John Mellencamp

October 4: Diaspora & Friendship

Book: Oxford Soju Club – Jinwoo Park
Film: Mongrels (2024) – Korean immigrant family drama
Alternative Media: Short film What Did They Say? by Kevin Jin Kwan Kim
Art: Friendship by Egon Schiele – expressive portrayal of companionship and vulnerability.
Song: Lean on Me – Bill Withers

November 1: Psycho-logical Speculative Fiction

Book: Foe – Iain Reid
Film: Hereditary (2018) – Psychological horror and isolation
Alternative Media: CBC Gem series Esprit de Corps (short horror stories)
Art: The Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dalí – surreal exploration of time and reality.
Song: Mad World – Tears for Fears

December 6: Historical Speculative Love

EBook: The Cure for Drowning – Loghan Paylor
Film: Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019) – Forbidden love in history
Alternative Media: Audio drama from CBC’s PlayME series
Art: Ophelia by John Everett Millais – romantic tragedy intertwined with nature.
Song: Unchained Melody – The Righteous Brothers

January 3: TWO THEMES

Family & Food
Book: Restaurant Kid – Rachel Phan
Film: The Farewell or Eat Drink Man Woman (1994)
Alternative Media: CBC podcast Tai Asks Why episode on family traditions
Art: The Potato Eaters by Vincent van Gogh – communal eating as a symbol of family bonds.
Song: We Are Family – Sister Sledge

Intergenerational Hunger & Heritage

Book: The Hunger We Pass Down – Jen Sookfong Lee
Film: Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance (documentary)
Alternative Media: CBC radio feature on food and cultural memory
Art: Campbell’s Soup Cans by Andy Warhol – commentary on food, culture, and identity.
Song: Bread and Roses – Judy Collins