Freshman creates new Downtown Phoenix book club

ASU freshman Emily Timm used to read to avoid her two younger brothers on long road trips. Now she reads several a books a month out of pure joy.

Timm wants to bring that joy to Arizona State University’s Downtown Phoenix campus by creating a monthly book club.

“Books are a bit of an escape and a way to unwind during the semester,” Timm said, a 19-year-old freshman enrolled in Barrett, The Honors College and the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. “A book club is also a good way to meet people, make new friends and learn more about ourselves and each other."

The Downtown Phoenix Book Club will hold its first meeting at 4:30 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 10 at the Starbucks lounge inside of Taylor Place, 120 E. Taylor St. The meeting is open to the public.

Jill Johnson, senior program coordinator at Barrett, The Honors College, said Timm’s idea is a perfect opportunity for students and faculty to share their common love of reading.

“Emily told me that as a college student, she spends so much time reading only required texts for class and missed reading just for fun,” Johnson said. “I came to find out that she’s not alone – many students love reading recreationally and chatting about books with others.”

Timm said the monthly meetings will be facilitated by ASU faculty members, who will select and discuss their favorite books. Marianne Barrett, an associate professor at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, selected Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin for the Dec. 10 meeting.

For more information on The Downtown Phoenix Book Club, call Emily Timm at (480) 239-9267 or e-mail her at etimm@asu.edu.