Bestselling Authors Roxane Gay, Elin Hilderbrand, Austin Kleon, Kelly McGonigal, Cheryl Strayed, Jesmyn Ward, and Travel Experience Platform Atlas Obscura Launch Book Clubs with Literati

AUSTIN, Texas, May 11, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Literati, an Austin-based literary startup, today announced new book clubs hosted by celebrated authors across multiple genres, offering readers curated books every month. Set to launch June 1, the new clubs will be led by bestselling author, professor, and New York Times columnist Roxane Gay (Bad Feminist, Hunger), New York Times bestseller and "Queen of Beach Reads" Elin Hilderbrand (What Happens in Paradise), New York Times bestselling author Austin Kleon (Steal Like an Artist), health psychologist and bestselling author Kelly McGonigal (The Upside of Stress), #1 New York Times bestseller Cheryl Strayed (Wild), and two-time National Book Award winner and bestselling author Jesmyn Ward (Sing, Unburied, Sing). Award-winning media and travel experience platform Atlas Obscura has also joined Literati, offering a club focused on destinations around the world. Literati Book Club signups are open now, ahead of the clubs beginning on June 1.

"Books are absorbing and entertaining, consoling and illuminating, soul-altering and sometimes even life-saving," said Cheryl Strayed. "Reading is a solitary experience, but that experience is deepened and enriched when we share it with others. I'm excited to be able to connect with my readers in a more purposeful way through Literati and explore what it means to be human."

Also beginning June 1, Literati will support two membership options: Standard and Premium. All members gain access to the Literati app, where members, club curators, and authors connect to discuss each month's selections. Additionally, all members will have the option to buy any book, including past picks, at a special, members-only discount. Premium memberships include a print copy of the monthly book club selection. Standard memberships are available at $8.25 per month, billed annually. Premium is available for $20 per month, billed annually, or monthly at $24.99 per month.

"I was first introduced to Literati when my book, Salvage the Bones, was chosen by Susan Orlean for her book club," said Jesmyn Ward. "I believe that stories have the power to witness, to transport, and to transform. I am honored to join Literati and this lineup of iconic authors, and look forward to introducing my subscribers to a collective of outsiders whose words blaze on the page."

Literati first expanded into books for adults in October 2020, with clubs curated and led by Stephen Curry, Malala Yousafzai, Susan Orlean, Richard Branson, and the Joseph Campbell Foundation.

"We are on a mission to inspire a love of reading and a love of life at Literati. This next wave of book clubs is really author- and writer-focused," said Founder and CEO Jessica Ewing. "Authors possess a curational authority, and these seven clubs all have a distinct point of view and readership that I am really excited to host on our platform."

Each club will be personally curated, and will follow themes and ideas that each host is passionate about. The new Literati Book Clubs include:

• Roxane Gay's Audacious Book Club: Experience audacious writing—books that boldly disregard normal restraints, where writers risk it all on the page to tell compelling stories with beauty, wit, and grace. Gay's June selection is Of Women and Salt by Gabriela Garcia.
• Elin Hilderbrand's The Beach and Beyond: Dispel your traditional ideas of "beach books." This is the very best of escapist fiction. Prepare to dive into other lives and other worlds, and stay awhile. Hilderbrand's June selection is The Divines by Ellie Eaton.
• Austin Kleon's Read Like an Artist: Join Austin in the pursuit of a more creative and meaningful life. Read Like an Artist, and you'll begin to find inspiration—and a touch of humor—where you'd least expect. Kleon's June selection is How to Do Nothing by Jenny Odell.
• Kelly McGonigal's The Joy Collective: Explore new avenues of resilience, personal growth, and joy—and get your synapses firing—with rousing page-turners steeped in the science of our human brain. McGonigal's June selection is Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro.
• Cheryl Strayed's Wild Reads: Wild Reads features personal journeys rendered into narratives of courage, vulnerability, and wit—for those seeking inspiration and vicarious adventure. Strayed's June selection is Memorial Drive by Natasha Trethewey.
• Jesmyn Ward's Gathering of Voices: Be transfixed by the storied songs of Jesmyn Ward's literary kin—cultural outsiders whose worlds are so real, they feel like home. Ward's June selection is Heavy by Kiese Laymon.
• Atlas Obscura's Finding Wonder: A book club for explorers of places and ideas around the world, and around the corner. Atlas Obscura's June selection is Why We Swim by Bonnie Tsui.

To learn more about Literati, sign up for Literati Book Clubs, or download the Literati app, visit www.Literati.com

About Literati
Based in Austin, Texas, Literati is a subscription book club company for readers of all ages. The unique try-before-you-buy book club service delivers personalized stories for kids, while adults can choose book clubs based on the "Luminaries" leading them: modern-day authors, intellectuals, and other notable figures who inspire a lifelong love of learning.

SOURCE Literati

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