By 1808Delaware
There is something quietly appealing about a book club that feels rooted in place. At Gallant Farm, just outside Delaware, that sense of place is part of the experience. You are not just reading about the past. You are sitting in it.
This spring, Preservation Parks of Delaware County is inviting readers back to the Gallant Farm Literary and Cowpie Society, a book club with a personality all its own. The name alone tells you this is not a typical gathering. The selections confirm it. The group leans into works connected to the 1930s and 1940s, or books that speak to the broader spirit of that era. The result is a mix of history, fiction, and reflection that fits naturally with the farm’s historic setting.
Anyone age 12 and older can join, and the tone is intentionally welcoming. This is less about academic analysis and more about thoughtful conversation among people who enjoy a good book and a shared sense of curiosity.
A Season Built Around Story
The Spring 2026 lineup brings together three distinct voices, each offering a different window into the past.
March 29, 2:00 PM
Ladies of Liberty: The Women Who Shaped Our Nation
by Cokie Roberts
Cokie Roberts’ work is a strong opening choice, especially for a group that appreciates overlooked stories. Ladies of Liberty focuses on the women behind the American Revolution and early republic, figures who influenced events in ways that traditional histories often ignore.
Roberts writes with a journalist’s clarity, weaving letters, diaries, and firsthand accounts into a narrative that feels immediate. Readers will encounter names like Abigail Adams, Mercy Otis Warren, and Eliza Pinckney, but more importantly, they will see how these women shaped political thought, managed households during wartime, and quietly influenced the direction of a young nation.
It is not a dense academic text, which makes it a good fit for discussion. There is plenty to talk about without anyone feeling like they are back in a lecture hall.
April 29, 6:30 PM
The Enchanted April
by Elizabeth von Arnim
If March is grounded in history, April shifts toward atmosphere and escape.
The Enchanted April tells the story of four English women who leave behind their gray, constrained lives for a month in an Italian castle. What begins as a simple holiday becomes something more subtle and transformative.
Published in 1922 but deeply reflective of early 20th-century social norms, the novel explores independence, friendship, and the quiet reshaping of identity. It is a gentle book, but not a shallow one. Beneath the charm is a careful look at how environment and companionship can change a person.
For a group meeting at a historic farm in spring, the choice feels intentional. The setting of renewal mirrors the season itself.
May 27, 6:30 PM
Travels with Charley: In Search of America
by John Steinbeck
By May, the club turns outward.
John Steinbeck’s Travels with Charley is part travelogue, part meditation on American identity. In 1960, Steinbeck set out across the country with his poodle, Charley, hoping to reconnect with a nation he felt he no longer fully understood.
What he found was a patchwork of regions, attitudes, and contradictions. The book moves easily between humor and reflection, capturing roadside conversations, changing landscapes, and moments of quiet observation.
It is not a conventional narrative, which makes it ideal for discussion. Readers tend to bring their own experiences into the conversation, comparing Steinbeck’s America with the one they know today.
That kind of exchange is exactly what this book club is built for.
More Than a Book Club
What sets the Gallant Farm Literary and Cowpie Society apart is not just the reading list. It is the setting and the intention behind it. Meeting at Gallant Farm, located at 2150 Buttermilk Hill Road, places these conversations in a space that already carries history. The environment encourages people to slow down, listen, and engage in a way that feels increasingly rare.
There is also a smart curatorial hand at work here. These are not random selections. They are books that invite discussion without requiring expertise, and that connect, directly or indirectly, to broader historical themes.
How To Join
The Gallant Farm Book Club is open to anyone age 12 and older. There is no indication of a formal registration barrier, which lowers the threshold for participation. For more information, or to confirm details, you can contact Gallant Farm at 740-595-3020.
If you have been thinking about joining a book club but have not taken the step, this is a good entry point. The setting is approachable, the selections are thoughtful, and the expectations are clear. All you really need to bring is a willingness to read and a bit of curiosity about the past.
