I convinced my friends who never read to do a book club and I have to pick the first book/lead the convo. They are more so there for the wine and snacks/yap time than the reading. I want something that will hold their wavering attention and get them into reading.
This group of friends is between 23-30 and met this year in NYC. The reason that is relevant is I would love something we all relate to in some way or another so we have something to talk about and relate back to our lives and potentially bring us all closer together.
Someone had the idea of The Midnight Library? Any other good recs?
by lexaaam01
12 Comments
my year of rest and relaxation by otessa moshfegh
normal people by sally rooney
A Field Guide to Getting Lost by Rebecca Solnit, Nine Stories by J.D Salinger
I would *not* recommend The Midnight Library. We had the same book for a book club in my area (similar demographics to yours) and everyone hated it. I did not finish it myself.
We all loved Project Hail Mary though, so that might be a better choice.
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab was one of my favorite recent reads and seems like it would appeal to your demographic. Very unique story and beautiful writing. Part of the story is set in NYC also.
I just finished The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter. It was fun! https://a.co/d/dy8Me0r
It won’t necessarily relate back to your lives, but people will read the whole book.
The best sellers lists is often the choice for selecting a group novel. They are bestsellers because they are popular to a wide range of audience . They publish the books online by year . I would have a discussion night or 2 having group pick a book
I’d actually say try out a graphic novel first. It’s fast and generally easier to read, and it might help build confidence in your choices for them. Personally, I’d say Solanin would be a great start! It’s very much a reflection on life and growing into adulthood. Good luck!
Sammy’s Hill by Kristin Gore is a good one because it’s low stakes but a pretty gripping rom com, relatable and funny main character, and easy to jump in.
Hard to say without knowing anything about them. What are there normal hobbies and interests?
Anxious People by Fredrick Backman is a book I’ve recommended to a lot of people. My wife has also read in her book club and they all seemed to like it.
On its surface it’s a mystery novel about an accidental hostage situation during a flat viewing. It’s a book that’s very well paced and does a good job at gradually revealing the layers of its wide array of characters.
I think a lot of my wife’s bookclub listened to it on audio, which is always a good option for people who want to get into reading.
I would suggest a novella. Shorter reading with less pressure to tackle a beast of a book to get the group started. “Convenience Store Woman,” a Japanese novella about a woman with autism who works in a Konbini. Or, “All Systems Red,” by Martha Wells. These novellas are part of a series, but the first one stands well on its own, and is smart, and has sharp humor. If you want something with more gravity, perhaps, “The Firekeeper’s Daughter,” about people living on the Ojibwe reservation at the US-Canada border. Drug trafficking is involved. It’s technically YA I think, but tackles some hefty subjects. The characters are younger, and it provoked a lot of discussion for our group.
Project Hail Mary is one of the better, accessible and well-loved sci-fi books of the last few years. Great book with a great ending. PHM is a normal length.
If you are concerned about some of your friends not finishing the book or losing interest halfway through, a second option includes All Systems Red, the first novella in the Murderbot Diaries series. It has an interesting main character that is easy to follow, lots of action that grabs you from the first few pages and the length is very accessible.
A third option is Ready Player One. If most of your friends are younger 20’s and like to game, the fast, contest-like story is fun and easy to follow/finish.
Make a suggestion to your friends. One of the biggest hurdles to reading is *finding the time*. If a few members are concerned that they just can’t work it out, suggest that they try audiobooks. It allows them to multi-task while listening and they can appreciate and discuss the books just as much as everyone else. To that end, I would also suggest **World War Z.** (Please forget about the bad movie). The audiobook is fantastic and the story itself is broken up into different vignettes/short stories told with different voice actors. Great book, GREAT audiobook. PHM is also one of the best audiobooks out there.
Finally, if you find your younger crowd is doing audiobooks down the line, make them do the first Dungeon Crawler Carl. It will tie you up for months and give you endless conversations.
I would also suggest taking the top 10 suggestions here in this post, adding a bried description of each and tell your friends to vote for their top 3. Go with the one that gets the most votes. If they are engaged, they will be more escited about their choice.