I’ve been involved in book clubs for over 10 years now, and I’ve learned a thing or two in that time. There’s more to picking a book than just randomly naming a title. We consider page length, age and availability of the book, subject matter and overall appeal to the group. We have the occasional miss, although sometimes a book we didn’t like will spark some great discussion. But we’ve also had some surprising hits along the way. If your book club is looking for titles for future meetings, or you’re just looking for a good book, here’s a list to get you started.
Family sagas appeal on many levels. There are lots of characters and character relationships to discuss. There are always plenty of skeletons in the closet. And we often recognize ourselves or our own relatives in these stories. For family sagas, try:
Beach Music, by Pat Conroy
The Corrections, by Jonathan Franzen
Crow Lake, by Mary Lawson
The Lace Reader, by Brunonia Barry
Prodigal Summer, by Barbara Kingsolver
The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, by David Wrobelewski
Historical novels can open up a lot of different avenues for discussion. Not only are there the characters and plotlines to discuss, but also what else was going on in the world at the same time that might have contributed to the plot. Different social norms can be quite an eye-opener, too.
The Binding Chair, by Kathryn Harrison
Blood of Flowers, by Anita Amirrezvani
The Bonesetter’s Daughter, by Amy Tan
Daughter of Fortune, by Isabelle Allende
One Thousand White Women, by Jim Fergus
People of the Book, by Geraldine Brooks
Finally, there are no rules when it comes to great book club reads. Some of our most surprising, interesting and popular discussions were of books ranging from classics to epics to nonfiction. If you’re looking to read outside the box a little, you might just be pleasantly surprised.
The English Patient, by Michael Ondaatje
The Glass Castle, by Jeanette Walls
The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald
New York, by Edward Rutherfurd
To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
Tuesdays with Morrie, by Mitch Albom
Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Your fellow readers and I would love to know!
Next time, hidden gems—some of the best books and authors you’ve never heard of.
1 comment:
I agree, that's totally true. BY the way for all those persons who haven't read The Glass Castle... Hurry up! This book is so recommendable... it's content blew my mind.
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