Summer Reads, A Congregation’s Book List from the AUUF Sunday Service led by Gary Lerude on August 16, 2026

Book	Author	Member who Recommended	Comments
The Robber Bride	Margaret Atwood	Terry Rodriguez
Black AF History – The Unwhitewashed story of America	Michael Harriott	Formeeca Tripp	These are two of the books the Race and Social Change Book Club have chosen. They hold meetings at Well Red in Auburn
We Do This Till We Free Us	Miriam Kaba	Formeeca Tripp
So B. It	Sarah Weeks	Crystalinda	A Touching Coming-of-Age Novel About a Mother’s Mystery and a Girl’s Journey of Discovery for Kids
Whistler	Ann Patchett	Margaret	It very much reminded me of a life event that happened to my father.
Beat the Drum for Justice. An Historical Novel	Christopher C. Cross	Edan Scott	And it’s about American history from about 1850 until 1903 because it follows the life of a young man at first when he is about 14.
Squirrel Tales	Sarah Rowe	Staphanie	https://www.squirreltales.org – Everything you want to know about nursing a baby squirrel back to health.
The Dresden Files an 18 Book Series	Jim Butcher	Sylvia Rogers	A series of books by Jim Butcher. It’s urban fantasy where it is normal time, but settings normal, but there are all these supernatural creatures, wizards and vampires and fairies etc. It’s a mishmash of this urban fantasy and hard-boiled detective. The first book was published in 2000 and it’s still going on. He’s on number 18 and apparently there will be 25. You don’t have to read them in order, but I think you might be a little happier.
Lone Dog Road	Kent Nerburn	Emily Livant	It begins with Truant officers coming to the home of Native Americans to take the one of the sons is already going to the White boarding school, where you know what happens. They try to drum out all Native American culture. But the mother has sent the boys away, the older boy to take the younger boy, because the younger boy is neurodivergent and she knows that this would just be devastating to him. The boys go on a quest. The grandfather’s pipe, a special clay pipe, is broken. And the boys are running away, but they’re also going to where you can get the sacred stone to make a new pipe. One of the things that I loved about it is that the Culture of that Native American group. I think they were either Lakota or Dakota or some of each. Respected the neurodivergent boy’s connection with everything and his way of viewing the world in connection was very helpful and valued.
Dandelion Wine	Ray Bradbury	Marjorie Eliason	It takes place over the summer of a 12-year-old boy. It probably takes place in what, the early 1900s, maybe in In Illinois, and it’s a collection of short stories about the town that he lives in. The underlying theme of it is the inevitability of change and even death, despite the fact that this is about a young man at the brink of adulthood, and there’s sort of this allegory about his new tennis shoes that he gets. But at the same time, it’s about how all things change and eventually die, but just beautifully done. I don’t think I’ve ever read death written about with such honor for life.
A Fine and Private Place	Peter S. Beagle, Neil Gaiman	Marjorie Eliason	This classic ghost story from the author of The Last Unicorn follows Jonathan who’s been living in a cemetery with a raven as his only friend amongst the newly dead until he discovers a pair of ghostly lovers bearing an extraordinary gift—the final chance for his own happiness.
The girl with the Dragon Tattoo	Stieg Larsson	Jerry McCreary	(Books 1 – 3) (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire & The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest) I’ve liked them enough that over the years I’ve read them twice. It’s a series that starts with the girl with the dragon tattoo. And I’m going to oversimplify this, but it’s basically a story about a young girl with tremendous intellectual gifts, who was abused and misunderstood throughout her life. And through the end of the books, she overcomes that.
Chain of Ideas: The Origins of Our Authoritarian Age	Ibram X. Kendi	Jim Newton	A major premise of the book is that the great replacement theory has led to the authoritarian age that we find ourselves in. It’s a lot of short chapters, but describing all through Europe and Asia and here and South America of these right-wing politicians who are authoritarians coming into power because they claim they’re the only people that can save us from this great replacement problem that’s happening.
The Calamity Club	Catherine Stockett	Lisa Simmons	Same author wrote The Help; It’s a historical fiction from the Depression era, and I loved it. It was so good. I’m still thinking about it.
My Friends	Fredrik Backman	Carter deShazo	A kid on the run, a famous piece of art- and how their worlds collide
The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife	Anna Johnston	Carter deShazo	Very heartwarming story
Atmosphere	Taylor Jenkins Reid	Carter deShazo	Historical fiction- a physics profressor joins Nasa’s first group of women scientist in the space shuttle program in the 80s including a profound love story- this book was fantastic!
How to Read a Book	Monica Wood	Carter deShazo	Fiction- a story about intertwined lives, empathy, second chances, and the power of telling stories
How to Be an Anti- Racist.	Ibram X. Kendi	Carter deShazo
Nothing to Fear: Demystifying Death to Live More Fully	Julie McFadden, RN	Lori Lerude	I’ve been dabbling in death. For over 15 years, because when my daughter was 12, she had to have a surgery and she said, Mom, am I going to die? And that was a really hard question to answer. So, through a variety of experiences with hospice, I don’t know books on death just come at me. My most recent one, Nothing to Fear, written by a hospice nurse. She spent 10 years in ICU. And that provided a lot of experience and background to then move into hospice.
Demon Copperhead	Barbara Kingsolver	Sarah Kapp	an modern appalachian take on david copperfield
Project Hail Mary	Andy Weir	Kevan Baker	A lone astronaut must save the earth from disaster in this propulsivethriller full of suspense, humor, and fascinating science—from the author of The Martian.
Anne of Green Gables.	L. M. Montgomery	Megan Tolle	I just re-read it and it’s just so lovely. Reminds me of my childhood. Simpler times for sure. An 8-book series. Read one or all.
Personal Librarian	Marie Benedict, Victoria Christopher Murray.	Pam Wiggins	A remarkable historical fiction novel about J. P. Morgan’s personal librarian, Belle da Costa Greene, the Black American woman who was forced to hide her true identity and pass as white to leave a lasting legacy that enriched our nation.
Harlem Shuffle, Crook Manifesto, Cool Machine	Colson Whitehead	Pam Wiggins	I was addicted to Colson Whitehead’s books this summer. An extraordinary writer, he crafts vivid characters and settings against the backdrop of racist American landscapes. He completed his trilogy this summer—its protagonist survives all three books, though many friends and family lose their freedom, and often their lives, along the way. Set in NYC, the story winds through the city’s neighborhoods and famous streets.
The Nickle Boys, The Underground Railroad	Colson Whitehead	Pam Wiggins	The Nickel Boys left me numb, its unflinching portrayal of injustice settling into a heavy, lingering silence. The Underground Railroad, by contrast, gave me hope—even amid its brutality, it carried a sense that change and progress are possible. Together, they left me with two very different emotional imprints: one of quiet devastation, the other of cautious optimism.
Kin	Tayari Jones	Pam Wiggins	The book follows Vernice and Annie, two motherless girls raised in the fictional town of Honeysuckle, Louisiana, whose deep childhood bond carries them into starkly different adult lives. The novel explores mothers and daughters, friendship and sisterhood, and the complexities of being a black woman in the American South.