in 2022, i kept seeing this book everywhere. i loved the cover. i was too intimidated by the length of the piece to ever want to read it for myself. even as a person with a bachelor of arts in english from the university of colorado at boulder, i have always been intimidated by literature. mainly, i believe it is a fear that stems from losing myself completely to something for so long. i can’t wait to talk to my therapist about that sometime.

i finished “A Little Life” in about 18 hours. this is not your expectation. i want you to take time with the book. i want you to pick it up, read a bit, put it down, and view your life differently. i want you to have extreme care with yourself and others during your time with the novel. it covers some extremely heavy and graphic content with beauty, brilliance, and serenity. each page is an aspect of truth. listen.

the content of Yanagihara’s “A Little Life” involves and is not limited to child abuse, human trafficking, strong language, drug use, self-harm, violence, suicide, and sexuality. please proceed with caution and care to yourself. if at any time, you would like to speak to someone, please reach out to Text HOME to 741741 to reach a volunteer Crisis Counselor.

murphy. (they/them) is a two-spirited, pansexual, hard-of-hearing, indigenous american. they live in southwest washington d.c. with their husband, dog, and cat. they have a bachelors in english from the university of colorado at boulder and a master of arts in communicaton management - marketing communications from the university of denver university college.

they enjoy pranayama (breathwork), ballet, arts, and teaching. spiritually, they identify as a judeo-christian buddhist universalist. they consider themselves a continuation of the awakening, community, and teaching. they enjoy making playlist on spotify while playing the meditation bell.

if you are ever in the d.c./dmv area, we meet at southwest duck pond (Washington, DC 20024).

we will also livestream during this time on instagram and make content available in a reel series with accessibility considerations.

your expectations as a participant are entirely up to you. read however much you want, answer when you feel comfortable. attend or miss sessions. learn and grow.