The New Commons brings together small reader cohorts focused on slow-reading a single text, pairing it with a work of art, and engaging in spacious, collaborative discussion with an expert guide.
EST. 2026
Join a Cohort
“I highly recommend The New Commons to book lovers everywhere. Lauren and the team have created something fresh, exciting and deeply meaningful. I can’t wait to return for more!”
— Elaine G.
Our upcoming cohorts
Join us for a four-week cohort on Pride and Prejudice this September!
“I was reminded that literature belongs to me as much as it belongs to the experts, and that reading, exploring and questioning it intentionally, in community, is not merely educational but joyful and applicable to my life and work.” — Elaine G.
SUNDAYS:
Dates: September 6, 13, 20, and 27
Times: 10:00 - 11:30am PT
MONDAYS:
Dates: September 7, 14, 21, and 28
Times: 6:30 - 8:00pm PT
Details: https://www.thenewcommons.com/prideandprejudice
Location: Virtual via Zoom
Instructor: Marisa Lainson
Use “FOUNDINGMEMBER” for 20% off on this cohort and on all cohorts you register for in the future. This membership is available to all who join a cohort by December 31st
How The New Commons works
Small Eight-Person Cohorts
We’ve designed intimate, in-depth reading experiences, where just eight people gather per cohort to participate in a spacious and generous literary dialogue.
Collective Close Reading
We seek to generously and closely understand the text together (even as we may critique it), helping readers go from “visitor” to “guide” to access it for future use.
Group Agreements and Supported Participation
Through our group agreements ethos, we seek to make each cohort a co-created dialogue space that is both liberating and intellectually inspiring—where ideas are voiced and deepened in a supported and personal way.
Truly Collaborative Discussion
Our pacing and style encourages deep listening, as well as bringing our identities and sense of selves—all as we work through challenges and questions with our peers.
Circle Community for Ongoing Guidance & Discussion
Our Circle platform is built for concurrent connection, resource sharing, and guidance on everything from dialogue tools to how to talk about film adaptations.
Prompts & Challenges—from Research to Poetry
In our Circle space, instructors facilitate discussion and reflection on each dialogue session. We encourage members to share their creative output and keep the conversation going, even after session’s over.
Cohort design & dialogue facilitation by
Lauren Frey, MA (she/her)
Founding Director & Instructor
Marisa Lainson, MFA (she/they)
Founding Instructor
Julian Mammano (they/them)
Founding Instructor
Kind words from past cohort participants
Syndee F.
“This is a very, very cool learning environment to peel back the layers of a book. I was amazed at how much fun I had! It’s like a mishmash between a book club, a class, and a workshop, and Lauren is so good and thoughtful at how she’s created the space. I especially loved the group agreements upfront — it was so helpful to know that we're probably going to have some moments of quiet as we look for answers in the text, and those moments of silence are okay, and also what makes this kind of learning space feel inclusive and inspiring. I’m telling my friends about this and can’t wait to do another one.”
Vanessa J. 
“I haven't engaged with Shakespeare like this since high school, and I really loved it. This experience showed me how well Shakespeare can conjure up these characters, which are so nuanced and frustrating at times, but also so universal. Hamlet is maddeningly illogical and contradictory, but all people are that way. I felt that I understood, and even loved Hamlet, by the end. And I feel compelled to go out and engage with how it appears in culture.”
“I was reminded that literature belongs to me as much as it belongs to the experts, and that reading, exploring and questioning it intentionally, in community, is not merely educational but joyful and applicable to my life and work. I highly recommend The New Commons to book lovers everywhere. Lauren and the team have created something fresh, exciting and deeply meaningful. I can’t wait to return for more.”
Jessica Z.Lindsey A. 
Elaine G. “I've been having so much fun with the Frankenstein cohort that it really has become something to look forward to every week. I'm SO glad that I stumbled upon The New Commons (thank you Instagram algorithm). I haven't been able to have an experience like this since high school and then college, and I appreciate how Lauren facilitates this space to have us feel comfortable with sharing our thoughts about the book in both the serious/insightful ways and also the silly/fun ways! At the end of each session, I love the incredible feeling I have that comes with getting to appreciate the book a little more and see a different angle that I hadn't considered before. I’m looking forward to the rest of the sessions.”
“I just had the pleasure of participating in the Frankenstein cohort, where I had the space to step away from everything and simply analyze the text, think critically, and awaken my imagination. The English major in me is always longing for opportunities to basically be in another English class—so for those who love deep discussions and close analysis of text, don’t miss out on this!”