Our Rebel Book Club Hall of Fame puts the spotlight on our global community of curious minds, to showcase their unique personalities, wild breadth of talents and passions, whilst digging into their connection with non-fiction.
Introducing Emily Goddard, Discovery @ RBC
Emily Goddard is part of our team here at RBC, having joined in December 2019 with 'In Extremis' as her first read.
As our Discovery Manager at RBC, Emily works on lots of different projects, such as content, social media and all of our digital touchpoints.
Emily also helps to organise our monthly events and produces our podcast, 'The Books That Made Me'.
Emily’s Nonfiction Recommendations
Emily’s top 3 recommendations for someone new to nonfiction are:
- Mindf*ck by Christopher Wylie
- Rising Strong by Brene Brown
- The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker
Time to get up close and personal…
1. How did you end up here at RBC?
Someone I used to work with told me about it in the early days, but I was moving out of London and couldn't join in at the time. Then in 2019, I saw a job on Escape the City and was delighted to find Rebel Book Club existed outside of London too. So I excitedly signed up and applied for the job at the same time... 3 years later, here I am :)
2. What makes you pick up a book?
Usually if it's about something I've been thinking about that's going on in the world, be that culture, politics or people (I love memoirs, probably because I've always loved and studied psychology).
3. Tell us about something you’ve done as a result of a nonfiction book?
Changed my digital security, changed my clothes shopping habits for the better, found organisations / charities to support, taken part in community activism.
4. What makes you get out of bed in the morning?
A really strong cup of tea and sunshine coming in through the window.
5. How do you take your tea?
Very strong english breakfast tea (Yorkshire or Clipper to be precise) with oat milk and a dash of honey.
6. Does reading come naturally to you?
It actually doesn't, but I absolutely love what I learn from nonfiction books so I push myself to sit + read. I wish I could just stare at the book covers and all the content it go into my head somehow! Reading isn't a natural ritual for me - I'm more of a TV watcher, conversational podcast or music listener. So I now enjoy audiobooks on my dog walk, or when driving / doing chores, as it's a more in tune with how I learn best.
7. Tell us about your business/passion project and how can we support it?
I love working for Rebel Book Club, so please do check out our back-catalogue of content - we've had some amazing speakers. But I have also been very active in raising awareness about ME/CFS (Myalgic encephalomyelitis) and the politics around it, plus the lack of research and funding for patients. Check out the research work of the Open Medicine Foundation.
8. Favourite RBC book so far and why?
Mindf*ck, because the impact of the Cambridge Analytica scandal has had such vast and lasting impact on society, media and politics around the world.
9. Favourite RBC meet-up so far and why?
I love hearing directly from authors or experts, so some of the lockdown events were actually my favourites. Hearing from Geralyn Dreyfous (Producer of the Great Hack) for Mindf*ck, Dr. Dame Sue Ion talking about nuclear power after reading Midnight in Chernobyl, or Dr. Monique Charles (Professor of Grime) after we read Rise Up aka the #Merky Story - there have been so many amazing guests, you really never know where it's going to go!
10. Why should someone join RBC?
The energy around learning. It's such an electric community. The passion for nonfiction is contagious and the people you meet - both members + speakers - are really inspiring! Knowing you're reading alongside people from all over the world + getting to bounce ideas is pretty special.
How can I become a Rebel Reader?
Simple…
- Head to our membership page and check out which membership is right for you (we offer one-off or subscription options, all-in or flexible).
- Hit the ‘Join’ button and we’ll take you through a few simple questions and sign you up.
- As soon as you’re a member, you’ll be welcomed by our community, offered links to join our various social networks based on location or special interests, invited to vote on which book comes next, and invited to all of our community socials + events, featuring experts + authors!
