The Bullock Book Club

Where history and literature meet

Discover the breadth and depth of Texas writing by celebrating where history and literature meet. The Bullock Book Club reccomends the following works of fiction and non-fiction that provide connections to museum exhibitions and programs. Designed for established book clubs or any museum-goer looking for a great read, the Bullock Book Club is a resource for groups and individuals alike.

The Bullock Book Club presents periodic selections throughout the year in tandem with the rotating exhibition schedule. Guests are invited to read these selections and join us at select programs with related content.

*The Bullock Book Club is open all but space is limited at programs and registration is requested. You must register individually for each event.

Selections:

Tomlinson Hill: The Remarkable Story of Two Families Who Share the Tomlinson Name - One White, One Black by Chris Tomlinson

"As much for the many fascinating individual stories it contains, "Tomlinson Hill" is trenchant for the way it takes readers, step by step, from "slave times" to today, illustrating the direct effect that the legacy of slavery has on African-American lives in the present. It's not a pretty story, but it's an endlessly compelling one, and, clearly, it needs to be told again and again." - Laura Miller, Salon

Related exhibition: Purchased Lives: The American Slave Trade from 1808 to 1865 ; Look for this Bullock Book Club pick in the Museum Store and pick up your copy today!

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

"The unforgettable New York Times best seller begins with the story of two half-sisters, separated by forces beyond their control: one sold into slavery, the other married to a British slaver. Written with tremendous sweep and power, Homegoing traces the generations of family who follow, as their destinies lead them through two continents and three hundred years of history, each life indelibly drawn, as the legacy of slavery is fully revealed in light of the present day."  - Barnes & Noble

Related exhibition: Purchased Lives: The American Slave Trade from 1808 to 1865

The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd

"The Invention of Wings, a powerful and sweeping historical novel by Sue Monk Kidd, begins, fittingly, with an image of flight: Hetty “Handful”, who has grown up as a slave in early nineteenth century Charleston, recalls the night her mother told her that her ancestors in Africa could fly over trees and clouds. That day, Handful’s mother, Charlotte, gave her daughter the gift of hope— the possibility that someday she might regain her wings and fly to freedom.  Throughout Kidd’s exquisitely written story, Handful struggles, sometimes with quiet dissidence, sometimes with open rebellion, to cultivate a belief in the invincibility of her spirit and in the sacred truth that one does not need actual wings in order to rise."  - Penguin Publishing Group

Related exhibition: Purchased Lives: The American Slave Trade from 1808 to 1865

Help Me Find My People: The African American Search for Family Lost in Slavery by Heather A. Williams

"'Who are your people?' It’s a question exchanged often by black Southerners to identify kith and kin. But few remember that its roots can be traced to the after­math of the Civil War. Once emancipated, former slaves desperately searched for family members who had been sold away from them. Their plaintive entreaty — 'Help me to find my people' — provides the title and the subject of Heather Andrea Williams’s latest book.'  - Imani Perry

Related exhibition: Purchased Lives: The American Slave Trade from 1808 to 1865 ; Look for this Bullock Book Club pick in the Museum Store and pick up your copy today!

Have you read one of these books or toured a related exhibition at the Bullock Museum? What about the story resonated most with you? What other books would you recommend? Please share you reactions, thoughts, or recommendations by emailing education@thestoryoftexas.com and add "Bullock Book Club" in the subject line. Keep an eye out for our next Bullock Book Club event and RSVP to join us for conversation on select titles.