The ALI Book Club is a free program that aims to help international students practice their English reading and conversation skills. These informal hour-long groups will be led by native English-speaking USC students, are first come first served and capped at 5 students per session.

This spring, we will read twelve different short stories, one per week of the program. Please see the list below for the reading schedule. For the best experience, please read the short story of the week before attending a book club session so that you may be able to contribute to the conversation.

Free PDF versions of all the short stories we will read this semester will be available to download at ali.usc.edu/ali-book-club/. 

Spring 2021 Schedule

• Running Feb. 1 - April. 23
• Mondays and Wednesdays @ 1pm
• Tuesdays and Fridays @4pm

How to Join

Please note that only current students may join. You will need to use your USC email to enter the Zoom room. Enter by clicking the links to each room below.

Mondays @ 1pm

Tuesdays @ 4pm

Wednesdays @ 1pm

Fridays @ 4pm

Book Club Reading Schedule

• Week 1: Feb. 1 – Feb. 5
  • To Build a Fire by Jack London

• Week 2: Feb. 8 – Feb. 12
  • Sleep by Haruki Murakami

• Week 3: Feb. 1 – Feb. 5
  • Bernice Bobs Her Hair by F. Scott Fitzgerald
• Week 4: Feb. 15 – Feb. 19
  • The Thing Around your Neck by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

• Week 5: Feb. 22 – Feb. 26
  • The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connel

• Week 6: Mar. 1 – Mar. 5
  • Sonny’s Blues by James Baldwin

• Week 7: Mar. 8 – Mar. 12
  • The Skylight Room by O. Henry

• Week 8: Mar. 15 – Mar. 19
  • The Veldt by Ray Bradbury

• Week 9: Mar. 29 – April 2
  • The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter
  • Tale of Bluebeard by Edric Vredenburg

• Week 10: April 5 – April 9
  • The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins

• Week 11: April 12 – April 16
  • The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas by Ursula K. Le Guin
• Week 12: April 19 – April 23
  • Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin

Please email all questions about ALI Book Club to hacco@usc.edu