The Redhead Project Book Club: connecting global redheads in their love of ginger books

The shared experience of being a natural redhead is a strong one. Books have been written, documentaries filmed, photographs snapped, and beauty products created, all to celebrate the MC1R gene and its capability of creating beautiful red hair.

So when a new medium of sharing these redhead experiences arrives on our laps, we are so there. The Redhead Project, known for their ongoing series of studio personality portraits of natural-born redheads has this summer launched their Redhead Project Book Club, connecting gingers from all over the world in their love of fiction and non-fiction related to red hair.

The first book to be discussed at the club is RED: A History of the Redhead, a firm Ginger Parrot favourite, and the New York Times bestseller written by Jacky Colliss Harvey, who is based in London and New York City. Jacky is the oracle of all things redhead, so it’s the perfect inaugural title to be discussed at the club! Kate Lorenz from the Project will be leading the weekly book club discussion on a thread on their Substack Chat.

Kate told us: “I wanted to launch it thoughtfully with a book that would resonate with and inspire the project’s global redhead community, encouraging a new community of bibliophiles to engage in conversation about the unique experience of being a redhead.”

How do you get involved? Simply subscribe to the Redhead Project’s free Substack newsletter to join the book club and to participate in online reading discussions. There will be a live online author talk with Jacky Colliss Harvey, set for 30 August at 11:30am-12.30pm EST. Whether you’re keen to join the book club or not, Ginger Parrot readers are specially invited to join the Zoom author talk via the link/details at the end of this article.

And for an extra bit of fun, on the day following the author event (31 August), the book club will host a group photo opportunity, planning to get as many redheads together as possible. This will take place at 1pm at Pier 57 Rooftop Park in New York City by co-creator of the Redhead Project, Keith Barraclough – the same day as the Redhead Days event takes place in the Netherlands!

If you won’t be in NYC that day but would still like to get involved, redheads anywhere can virtually participate in a group photo: Have someone take your photo (or take a selfie) at 1pm your local time and email it to redheads@keithbarraclough.com to include in a collage of redheads worldwide that the Redhead Project team will create! Remember to include your name, city / (state), country where your photo is taken, and your Instagram handle (optional).

Good news! Ginger Parrot readers can get their hands on RED: A History of the Redhead by Jacky Colliss Harvey at a 20% discount by using REDHEADPROJECT for purchases made on the publisher’s website