Chapter One Book Group
Chapter One is a community of friends committed to enriching our lives through shared experience of the written word and meaningful discussion. The group was established in January 2008 and is currently celebrating its eighteenth year.
Each month, Chapter One dives into a new book selected directly from group nominations. Selections can vary as much as our members.
The group continues to meet and celebrate literature each month in the Chillicothe area of Ohio.
September 2026
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz
Fiction
Published in 2007
Oscar de León dreams of becoming a legendary science fiction writer, finding true love and escaping the crushing weight of loneliness. But growing up as an awkward Dominican American in New Jersey, Oscar struggles to fit into either the worlds he inhabits or the stories he adores. As his family wrestles with the echoes of a dark past stretching from the Dominican Republic to the United States, Oscar's life becomes entwined with a history marked by dictatorship, exile, heartbreak and an ancient family curse said to haunt every generation.
Blending razor-sharp humor, unforgettable characters and a dazzling mix of history, pop culture and myth, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao is a powerful exploration of identity, family and the stories we inherit. Junot Díaz crafts an ambitious and deeply human novel that moves effortlessly between laughter and tragedy, revealing how love, hope and resilience can endure even under the shadow of fate. Richly inventive and emotionally resonant, this Pulitzer Prize-winning novel is a modern classic that lingers long after the final page.
This meeting for discussion of Book #225 is currently scheduled for September 5 at 5 PM.
October 2026
The Hollow Inside by Brooke Lauren Davis
Fiction/Thriller
Published in 2021
Sixteen-year-old Phoenix has spent most of her life on the road with Nina, the woman she calls Mom, surviving through charm, deception and theft. But when Nina brings them back to her hometown of Jasper Hollow, she has something more dangerous in mind: revenge against Ellis Bowman, the man she claims destroyed her life. Phoenix is supposed to help expose his secrets, but when she is caught spying on the Bowman family, a quick lie unexpectedly earns her a place inside their home. For the first time, Phoenix gets a glimpse of the family – and the sense of belonging – she has always wanted.
The deeper Phoenix digs, however, the less certain the story becomes. A death, a disappearance and a tangled history of betrayal begin to contradict everything Nina has told her, while Phoenix finds herself falling for Ellis's daughter, Melody. Torn between loyalty to the woman who raised her and the family she is beginning to love, Phoenix must decide how much truth she is willing to uncover – and what she is willing to sacrifice for revenge. With its atmosphere of small-town secrets, shifting loyalties and moral grayness, The Hollow Inside is a gripping and emotionally charged thriller about family, identity and the dangerous stories we tell ourselves about the people we love.
This meeting for discussion of Book #226 is currently scheduled for October 31 at 5 PM.