Please help me find this book.

[MeaganS]

I read a book about a year or two ago.  I want to think that it was a book on education, but it might not have been, although it was non-fiction. If not on education, then it was a biography.  It was written by a woman.  The part that I remember discussed how women (I want to think upper class) used reading as a means of self-education since other forms of higher education were unavailable to them.  And they used book clubs as a way to share ideas and discuss what they've read.  Basically book clubs were an informal self-education intellectual activity in lieu of university access.

 

Does this sound familiar to anyone?  I am giving a class on the value of self-education and I was hoping to quote this book, but I can't for the life of me remember where I read it.

[Orthodox6]

Wish I had more time to "chase this rabbit" for you!  Although I don't know what specific book you seek, here are three links to material possibly of value to you.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Natural-Allies-ASSOCIATIONS-AMERICAN-American/dp/0252063201

 

http://www.amazon.com/Book-Clubs-Women-Reading-Everyday/dp/0226492621

 

https://prezi.com/bkcr9ks_tjuz/womens-book-clubs-from-19th-century-self-educators-to-the/

[Jayne J]

In SWB's lecture on self-education she mentioned women and book clubs as a part of the history of self education.

[Miss Tick]

I, too, thought of SWB. She talks about that in TWEM along with why it is valuable to have a reading/discussion partner.