February 2026

This month we're reading Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit. This is a semi-autobiographical novel written by Jeanette Winterson that explores her coming-of-age as a lesbian in a religious household. Our speaker has a complicated relationship with her mother and religion. Winterson weaves a fantastical narrative throughout the piece, forcing the audience to take a breather from the heaviness of our main speaker's day-to-day life.

As you're reading, think about every time oranges are mentioned. Why? What's the pattern there? Think about when Winterson breaks away from the main narrative. What follows from both plots? 

This is my second read through of this novel and so far I feel like I'm able to pick up on even more than I did the first time. It's quickly becoming one of my favorite novels I've ever read and is inspiring me in my own creative nonfiction writing. I'm curious to hear what anyone else might be thinking about this as they read.