I’m here today . . . to invite you to join us for our current Read With Us selection . . .

Gilead by Marilynne Robinson

Bonny and Carole and I usually select what we call a “contemporary classic” for our winter Read With Us book. Gilead was first published in 2006, and in the ensuing twenty years has become book #1 in the now 4-book Gilead series. It has won numerous book awards, including the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, the National Book Critics Circle award, and was an Oprah’s Book Club pick. In short, it’s a well-regarded book.

But you know what?

The first time I read this book (shortly after it was published), I almost couldn’t get past the “religiosity” (not sure that’s a word?) of the book. I liked the book. I liked the writing. But somehow I wasn’t in the mood for the book at that point.

I picked it up again . . . 10 years later. I can’t remember why. But it was summer and it was hot and I was up north at our cabin and I read the book in a day. I was totally in the mood for Gilead in that moment. And I hardly noticed the “religiosity” of the book . . . because I was lost in the writing and what the author was saying through the voice of her protagonist, John Ames. That second time I read Gilead . . . I was breathless at the end. I found it simple, spare, and full of insight. That second time, I realized it wasn’t just a book about faith in the religious sense (although there is that), but that it’s a book about FAITH . . . in life, in family, in the ordinary-ness of our days, in the meaning and purpose when it all gets summed up in the end.

So if you pick up Gilead . . . and you’re thinking it’s just too religious for you . . . remember my experience. Try to think of faith . . . in a broader and more universal sense than just a “Christian thing.” I think that’s what makes this book (and actually the entire Gilead series now) so beloved. It transcends the “religiosity.” It’s a gentle, thoughtful novel that has some beautiful things to say about life. It is a book to be savored. (And now I’m looking forward to savoring it for the third time . . . )

Gilead is currently available in most bookstores (if you’re lucky enough to have one nearby), or on Amazon in paperback ($10.35), Kindle ($5.99), and audio (Audible $13.12 or 1 credit). The book and audiobook are generally available through local libraries and Libby, too, although availability and wait times vary.

Our book discussion day for Gilead is Tuesday, March 17, 2026. Bonny, Carole, and I will each post discussion questions on our blogs that day, and then – later in the evening (7:00 pm Eastern time zone) – we’ll be hosting a live book discussion/meet-up on Zoom. If you’d like to join the Zoom (and we’d really love it if you do) please let me know in the comments or send me an email with your confirmation (there’s a link in sidebar or on the Read With Us page, too).

I’ve just updated the Read With Us page . . . to include all kinds of information about our selection. You’ll be able to find synopses, information about the author, links to reviews and interviews, and a really helpful character list.

Grab your book, get comfortable, and . . .
Read With Us!