Last year my housemate and I started a neighborhood book club that has been a huge success, and as we're getting ready to choose our next few months of books, I'm looking for book ideas. To choose what we're going to read next, we have anyone who wants to nominate a book, and then everyone votes on the books that sound interesting to them, and the top three end up being our books for the next three months.
Thus far we've read and (for the most part) really enjoyed:
– How to Stop Time by Matt Haig
– The Frozen River by Ariel Lawton
– Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
– Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
– The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
The group is currently all women (although we're open to men and gender diverse folks joining) between the ages of 30-70.
Our parameters for books are: nothing overly smutty (although some romance is ok), nothing too preachy or super religious, and books that generally have a 4 star rating or higher on StoryGraph or Goodreads.
It seems like the group is ok diving into difficult topics, but generally doesn't like books that are written in a super dark tone. The group doesn't seem to be super into sci-fi or fantasy, although some magical realism is ok. We've especially enjoyed the historical fiction we've read!
We try to choose books that will have at least a few copies at the library for ease of borrowing so we don't want anything too obscure. And in looking back at that list, I'm noticing that everything we've read thus far is by a white author, so I'd love to nominate a book by an author of color!
So what would you recommend for our book group? I'm also totally open to answering any questions you might have about the logistics of running a neighborhood book group!
by Find_My_Footing
6 Comments
h{{A Brothers Price by Wen Spencer}}.
h{{This is how you lose the time war by Gladstone}}.
h{{Agent of Change by Sharon Lee}}
Here’s some of my book clubs favourites over the last couple years!
The Blue Castle by LM Montgomery
Cry the Beloved Country by Alan Paton
Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier
Leave it to Psmith by PG Wodehouse
My Cousin Rachel by Daphne DuMaurier
True Grit by Charles Portis
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
The Bees by Laline Paull
Remarkably Bright Creatures
Kitchens of the Great Midwest
Ella Minnow Pea
Margo’s Got Money Troubles
City of Girls
Atmosphere (or any of TJRs other books)
Stone Yard Devotional
The Round House (indigenous author – she is a national treasure – any of her books would be great to try!)
Geek Love
I Who Have Never Known Men
Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman (historical fic with magical realism) – most of her books you’d all probably enjoy. I particularly love Magic Lessons and Museum of Extraordinary Things
Shit Cassandra Saw (if you all want to venture into a great short story collection)
Edit: Sorry, I didn’t see your note about non-white authors, so updated about Louise Erdrich of The Round House. You could try Braiding Sweetgrass if you want to try some narrative non-fiction. My Sister the Serial Killer would be fun for the group, if you all want to try a light thriller. Look into Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi too!
Pachinko Novel by Min Jin Lee
Moloka’i Novel by Alan Brennert
The House of the Spirits Novel by Isabel Allende
I just read The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick and it would work well for a women’s book club. It was a super quick read for me – I finished it in about 2 days.
All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker.