Imagine you’re at your peak of health and young adulthood, a promising opera career just ahead of you…and then you’re diagnosed with a fatal disease and given only five years to live. The Encore: A Memoir in Three Acts is about the life of Charity Tillemann-Dick, a soprano singer who performed in opera houses all over the world, all while enduring the immense complications of Idiopathic Pulmonary Hypertension and two (yes, TWO) double lung transplants.

My friend, Charity, passed away last two weeks ago on April 23, at age 35, but her story and tenacity to live and pursue what she loved despite her disease still inspires many. In homage to the beautiful person she was and the light she still shines, we are reading her beautiful memoir. We hope you’ll join us as we honor her this month and read about Charity’s perseverance and experiences of living close to death through her own candid, honest words.

Stay tuned for artwork later this month, and follow along with @larsbookclub.

Hello, readers! Have you enjoyed The Secret Garden? It’s the perfect book for this spring season, and whether it’s your first or fifth time reading it, the story is enchanting. We’ve got some discussion questions for you below—there’s so much good stuff to talk about in this book, you guys! We’d love to hear your thoughts! Share them with us on Instagram @larsbookclub .

This month’s poster and bookmark is by featured illustrator, Helen Dealtry, one of my absolute favorites. Her depiction of flowers is other worldly, just like the book, which is why we thought she was the perfect person for the job! We’ll be featuring her later in the month with an exclusive interview, but for now, download her poster and bookmark below and read some follow-up questions to the book!

Read on →

It’s April! Whether you’ve still got snow on the ground or not, we’ve probably all caught spring fever by this point, right? Spring is a season of rebirth and renewal, themes readers have found and cherished in this month’s book, The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. If you haven’t read this magical classic, you’re in for a treat!

Orphaned, sickly, and unlikable, young Mary Lennox is taken in by her unknown uncle to live at the gloomy and mysterious Misselthwaite Manor located on the Yorkshire moor. Spoiled and selfish, Mary’s life soon changes as she meets new people, finds new interests, and more importantly, a garden that’s been closed and untouched for ten years. This is a story of healing, growth, and second chances. Join us as we read The Secret Garden this month—and also compare different movie versions! You’ll have to share your favorite one. 😉 Stay tuned for discussion questions and artwork later this month!

Buy The Secret Garden here
Watch The Secret Garden (the 90’s version is beyond gorgeous and it’s by Francis Ford Coppolla.)

Helloooo readers! We’re well into March (and spring!) and hope you’re enjoying A Big Important Art Book: Now With Women! Has it opened your eyes to the art women have made and ARE making all over the world? Pretty amazing, right? We’ve got some questions below and fabulous art printable for you! This month, our poster and book mark were illustrated by one of our favorite artists, Australian artist and designer, Beci Orpin, who leads the way in collage art and bright and quirky products and illustrationgs (pssst–you HAVE to check out her new portfolio site. It’s a piece of art!) We’ll be featuring an interview with Beci on Sunday, so stay tuned! 

Beci illustrated a quote from fine artist, Bobbie Burgers, that reads “be willing to destroy” because we all should be, no?!  Read on →

Hi readers! March brings us to the start of spring (hooray!), but also a certain day we’d love to mention: International Women’s Day, which is March 8th. To celebrate the women around this world, we chose a book that does just that—A Big Important Art Book (Now With Women!) by Danielle Krysa. Creator of The Jealous Curator blog, Krysa is an author extraordinaire and talented artist herself. In this book, she shares the profiles of more than 45 female artists from around the world, giving us fabulous ideas on how WE can become artists as well! Depending on how long you’ve been reading with Lars Book Club, you might know that Danielle Krysa is a much-loved author here. We’ve read Your Inner Critic Is a Big Jerk a couple years ago, and we’re happy to feature another of her books this month! Follow along @larsbookclub and stay tuned for artwork later this month. Enjoy!

Head over to @LarsBookClub to enter to win a copy of the book in our giveaway!