Goodreads to host Emma Watson's new 'feminist book club'

Emma Watson has named My Life on the Road by Gloria Steinem (Oneworld Publication) as the first title for her "feminist book club" - and selected free book-recommendation website Goodreads to host it.

Watson tweeted her 20m fans a link to her group page on Goodreads yesterday (7th January) after announcing she wanted to set up a feminist book club on Wednesday (6th January).

Goodreads, which has been owned by Amazon since April 2013, hosts the book group where she will select a new "feminist" book to read every month to discuss.

The actress and Women Goodwill ambassador for the United Nations explained in a post on Goodreads that she had started reading "as many books and essays about equality" as she could "get her hands on" as part of her UN role, and that she wanted to share what she was learning with fans as well as hear their thoughts.

Watson has decided to call the book club "Our Shared Shelf" after asking fans for help with deciding on a name for it. The profile image for her shared reading space a speech bubble that reads "Feminism is for Everyone".

Addressing her fans "Dear readers", she said on Goodreads: "As part of my work with UN Women, I have started reading as many books and essays about equality as I can get my hands on. There is so much amazing stuff out there! Funny, inspiring, sad, thought-provoking, empowering! I’ve been discovering so much that, at times, I’ve felt like my head was about to explode… I decided to start a Feminist book club, as I want to share what I’m learning and hear your thoughts too. 

"The plan is to select and read a book every month, then discuss the work during the month’s last week (to give everyone time to read it!). I will post some questions/quotes to get things started, but I would love for this to grow into an open discussion with and between you all. Whenever possible I hope to have the author, or another prominent voice on the subject, join the conversation.

"If you fancy it, please join up and participate. Everyone is welcome. I would be honoured! Emma x"

Watson helped launch the "He for She" campaign at the UN in September 2014 - a solidarity movement for gender equality that strives to "bring together one half of humanity in support of the other half of humanity, for the benefit of all” - with a memorable speech.

The actress who played Hermione in the Harry Potter films tweeted on 2nd January that she "Can't wait to see Noma Dumezweni as Hermione on stage this year", following controversy surrounding the casting of a black woman in the role for JK Rowling's new play "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child".

Picture: IMDB.