Today, the Washington Nationals and first baseman Josh Bell announced the start of Josh Bell¡¯s Book Club, a monthly book club for adults focused on self-improvement.

Each month throughout the 2021 season, Josh will lead an hour-long, virtual discussion about a book that he has selected to feature in the club. Josh has purposefully chosen books for the club that offer concepts, mindsets, and inspiration for being and becoming better people, reflected in the tagline for the program: ¡°Books. Betterment. Progress.¡± Nationals fans, book lovers, and all those interested in exploring self-improvement, seeking out good, or pursuing progress are invited to participate in the free program.

¡°I¡¯m excited to announce the start of my book club and share my love of reading and self-improvement with others,¡± said Josh Bell. ¡°I¡¯m hoping that this club helps everyone dive inside themselves and allows them to reflect on their own habits and upbringings. I think that everyone has the opportunity to grow through reading and everybody should try to go 1-0 every day. Hopefully this book club will provide an opportunity for all of us to do that!¡±

Anyone interested in reading the book and taking part in the discussion will be able to register about two weeks prior to the event each month. The first discussion is scheduled to take place on Sunday, May 23 from 7 to 8 p.m. More information about the program, including future meeting dates and registration info, is available at nationals.com/BookClub.?

Librarians from Prince George¡¯s County Memorial Library System and Fairfax County Public Library, the preferred library partners of Josh Bell¡¯s Book Club, will co-host and guide the monthly discussions along with Josh, and special guests may also join the discussions.

Josh¡¯s selection for May¡¯s discussion is The Mental Game of Baseball: A Guide to Peak Performance by H.A. Dorfman and Karl Kuehl. In the book, the authors present their practical and proven strategy for developing the mental skills needed to achieve peak performance at every level of baseball. The book is intended for anyone who wants a more in-depth look at the makeup of the complete baseball player.

Future books for the club will be announced on a month-by-month basis and will include a wide range of topics.