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 2025
Shoeless Joe by W.P. Kinsella
Fiction / Magical Realism
Published in 1982
Shoeless Joe is a lyrical and magical novel that explores the power of dreams, memory and redemption. Set in the cornfields of Iowa, the story follows Ray Kinsella, a devoted baseball fan who hears a mysterious voice whisper, “If you build it, he will come.” Driven by faith and wonder, Ray builds a baseball field on his farm, a decision that draws the legendary Shoeless Joe Jackson — and other long-gone players — back into the world of the living. As the field becomes a place where past and present meet, Ray sets off on a journey to find reclusive author J.D. Salinger, believing the writer is somehow connected to the field’s magic.
With its blend of nostalgia, baseball lore and spiritual yearning, Shoeless Joe is a deeply heartfelt novel about second chances and the enduring power of belief. Kinsella weaves together themes of family, forgiveness and the American mythos, using baseball as a metaphor for the dreams we dare to pursue. Both whimsical and profound, the novel reminds readers that sometimes the most extraordinary things can happen when we listen to the quiet callings of the heart.
This meeting for discussion of Book #213 is currently scheduled for September 6 at 4 PM.
October 2025
The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix
Horror
Published in 2020
The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires is a darkly comic and chilling tale that blends Southern charm with supernatural horror. Set in 1990s suburban Charleston, the story follows Patricia Campbell, a housewife whose only escape from the monotony of domestic life is her true-crime book club. But things take a terrifying turn when a mysterious and charismatic stranger arrives in town — and children start to go missing. As Patricia and her friends begin to suspect something sinister, they find themselves drawn into a deadly confrontation that tests their courage, loyalty and resilience.
Hendrix crafts a gripping narrative that’s both a nostalgic homage to vampire lore and a sharp critique of the societal expectations placed on women. Beneath its gory thrills and suspenseful twists lies a powerful exploration of female friendship, gaslighting and the ways in which evil often hides in plain sight. With wit, heart and plenty of blood, The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires redefines what it means to be a hero — and a monster — in the modern South.
This meeting for discussion of Book #214 is currently scheduled for October 18 at 5 PM.