That Weird, Nerdy
(Banned) Book Club
Read Boldly. Resist Censorship.
Join the Fight.
A book club for passionate readers who want to defend intellectual freedom, join the resistance against hate and fascism, and connect with a community of like-minded nerds.
2025 has been one hell of a dumpster fire of a fascist hellhole in the US…
- You’re feeling helpless and hopeless in the face of rising authoritarianism and hate.
- You’re becoming even more outraged by censorship and feel helpless to stop it.
- You’ve been ranting about banned books to your friends… but they don’t quite get it.
- You crave meaningful conversations with people who share your passion for intellectual freedom.
- You want to take action, but you’re not sure where to start.
I’m right there with you.
As soon as I woke up to the results of the election…and ever since then…the feelings of dread, despair, and hopelessness began to take over.
But…as things progressed over the next days and weeks, an idea popped into my head of how we can maybe, slowly, build our own resistance, while preserving our energy and capacity, and learning new things along the way.
A book club seemed like a possibility that I could actively pursue…something that could grow into a community…
And a banned book club…
Now that opened up whole new doors in my brain…
Because that could build a resistance.
When you’re part of a movement that celebrates banned books…things SHIFT.
- You stop feeling isolated and start feeling empowered.
- You find your people…the ones who understand the power of words and share your values.
- You learn, grow, and evolve, become confident in taking action, and begin to believe that even as one person, you can start to make a difference.
Welcome to
That Weird, Nerdy (Banned) Book Club!
I didn’t want this to be just a book club.
I wanted to create a community of bold readers fighting censorship, celebrating the stories that challenge us, and taking action to make a difference.
So what does one actually…do…in a banned book club?
Well…lots of stuff…
Bi-Monthly Book Selection
Every other month, we’ll focus on a different banned book, with discussion guides, journaling prompts, and other resources related to the book provided to guide you along your reading journey.
Live Virtual Discussions
We’ll connect virtually…at the very least…once a month to discuss the book and how it makes us feel, what we’re learning from it, how it may or may not apply to what’s happening in our mess of a world right now. Plus, we can continue the discussions throughout the month in our Slack community.
Charity Donations
Each month, a portion of the proceeds of the book club will go towards the nonprofit of choice for that month, based on the membership tiers. We’ll also provide a way where you can make one-time donations to the nonprofit in addition to your membership tier.
Through these features (and more to come as we grow!) the ultimate goal is for you to feel as though you’ve…
- Gained a sense of purpose and empowerment around the topics and books we’ll focus on each month.
- Grow connections with a community that values intellectual freedom.
- Become more confident in your own strength and ability to resist the incoming regime and fight against oppression and hatred when you see it.
We’re not just going to be reading books. We’re going to take action the way we know how.
You get to choose to engage as much or as little as you want.
This also isn’t going to be a magic solution – it’s going to take time, patience, and a willingness on all our parts to learn and grow as we take in these books.
But with a focus on community, knowledge, and activism, That Weird, Nerdy (Banned) Book Club aims to deliver both CONNECTION and IMPACT – exactly what we need for true RESISTANCE.
Meet your host!
Hey! I’m Sarah Bowser!
I’m a quirky book nerd who’s been fiercely defending books, intellectual freedom, critical thinking, and creativity since high school debates over Fahrenheit 451, Animal Farm, and 1984.
As a coach and author, I’ve built my business through helping quirky, distracted people turn chaos into clarity. And what better way to create clarity out of the chaos than reading?
So, now I’m combining my love of reading, (banned) books, and chaos taming with my mission to create spaces for meaningful action and connection.
That’s why I created That Weird, Nerdy (Banned) Book Club—to turn readers into resistance fighters.
Exclusive Resource: That Weird, Nerdy Banned Books Tracker
In order to go forward and take action after reading each banned book, we need a way to capture all of our thoughts, ideas, and inspiration.
So I’ve put together a Notion database that you’ll be able to copy and use for yourself, so that you can track your banned book reads, reflect on both their societal impact and the impact they’ve had on you personally, take notes during our virtual meetings, and brainstorm ways that you want to take action based on how the books inspire you.
If you’re ready to read some fantastic banned books and kick off your resistance and activism journey – join us!
Book Club tiers starting at $10 per month.
Want a sneak peak at the banned book plan for 2026?
January & February
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You
by Jason Reynolds & Ibram X. Kendi
Supporting:
NAACP
March & April
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
by Jesse Andrews
Supporting:
Camp Fire
May & June
Flamer
by Mike Curato
Supporting:
The Trevor Project
July & August
Sold
by Patricia McCormick
Supporting:
Love Justice International
September & October
Looking for Alaska
by John Green
Supporting:
Foundation to Decrease World Suck
November & December
Being Jazz
by Jazz Jennings
Supporting:
Transgender Law Center
Plus…
A dedicated community space on Slack to discuss the book throughout the month, in between our virtual sessions.
A resource vault with a section dedicated to each book and its resources, any interviews and Q&As, activism ideas, and more!
Choose your membership tier:
$10 per month
Full access to the book club, resources, and community. Half the cost of the membership goes to the month’s chosen nonprofit.
$15 per month
Full access to the book club, resources, and community
PLUS an additional $5 donation to the the month’s chosen nonprofit
$20 per month
Full access to the book club, resources, and community
PLUS an additional $10 donation to the the month’s chosen nonprofit
With the current fascist evil happening (as of January 2026), additional donations will be made each to the ACLU – specifically, in January at least, the ACLU in Minnesota.
(So, with a $10 per month tier – $5 each month to our regular monthly non-profit and $5 to the ACLU.)
This is for you if…
- You love books and believe in intellectual freedom.
- You want to turn frustration about censorship into meaningful action.
- You’re ready to fight for our rights amidst the incoming authoritarian regime in the US…
This is NOT for you if…
- You don’t believe censorship is an issue.
- You’re looking for a traditional, surface-level book club.
- You voted for and support the incoming fascist government in the US.