Books That Are Perfect for Book Clubs
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Lilac Girls
Martha Hall Kelly
Inspired by the life of a real World War II heroine, this remarkable debut novel reveals the power of unsung women to change history in their quest for love, freedom, and second chances.
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The Source of Self-Regard
Toni Morrison
Arguably the most celebrated and revered writer of our time now gives us a new nonfiction collection–a rich gathering of her essays, speeches, and meditations on society, culture, and art, spanning four decades.
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Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine
Gail Honeyman
Soon to be a major motion picture produced by Reese Witherspoon, Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine is the smart, warm, and uplifting story of an out-of-the-ordinary heroine whose deadpan weirdness and unconscious wit make for an irresistible journey.
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The Great Believers
Rebecca Makkai
A dazzling new novel of friendship and redemption in the face of tragedy and loss set in 1980s Chicago and contemporary Paris, The Great Believers conveys the scale of the trauma that was the early AIDS crisis.
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My Sister, the Serial Killer
Oyinkan Braithwaite
A short, darkly funny, hand grenade of a novel about a Nigerian woman whose younger sister has a very inconvenient habit of killing her boyfriends.
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The Female Persuasion
Meg Wolitzer
Charming and wise, knowing and witty, Meg Wolitzer delivers a novel about power and influence, ego and loyalty, womanhood and ambition. At its heart, The Female Persuasion is about the flame we all believe is flickering inside of us, waiting to be seen and fanned by the right person at the right time.
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Mary B
Katherine J. Chen
Set before, during, and after the events of Pride and Prejudice, Katherine J. Chen’s vividly original debut novel pays homage to a beloved classic while envisioning a life that is difficult to achieve in any era: that of a truly independent woman.
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Normal People
Sally Rooney
Sally Rooney brings her brilliant psychological acuity and perfectly spare prose to a story that explores the subtleties of class, the electricity of first love, and the complex entanglements of family and friendship.
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The Girl Who Smiled Beads
Clemantine Wamariya
In The Girl Who Smiled Beads, Clemantine provokes us to look beyond the label of “victim” and recognize the power of the imagination to transcend even the most profound injuries and aftershocks. Devastating yet beautiful, and bracingly original, it is a powerful testament to her commitment to constructing a life on her own terms.
It seems like everyone is in a book club these days–seriously, everyone. Women and men, old and young, from all backgrounds and walks of life. I’m sure that you–the person reading this–are in one, too. I am, and I love it.
Lately, I’ve been thinking about why this resurgence is happening. Why are so many people gravitating towards reading together? Books have been around forever and (hopefully) always will be, but this is new; this is recent. With everyone I talk to, and everywhere I turn, I learn more about book clubs. So what makes now different? What’s driving us all to make reading a non-solo adventure?
After some thought, it hit me: Book clubs are saving us all. They’re our saving grace in a time of unrest and unpredictability–a spark of light at the end of a long, dark tunnel. Not all heroes wear capes, sometimes they just have covers and words. If you are in a book club, I know you’ll understand. And if you’re not, I hope this will inspire you to give it a go. Here are 13 reasons why book clubs are saving the world.
What We're Reading This Week
Get recommendations for the greatest books around straight to your inbox every week.1. Book clubs bring people of all backgrounds together to talk about great propellants of change: books.
2. They provide people with a sense of community and remind them that they are not alone.
3. Book clubs champion diverse thought and points of view. From the members in the club to the authors of the books, voices that are not always heard finally have a chance. Empathy is built and strengthened, which is no small feat.
4. Lifelong friendships are formed through bonding over the same book.
5. Wine and cheese platters are everything. Seriously.
6. When everything else seems unstable, you can rely on your regularly scheduled meetings to put your mind at ease.
7. They create a chance for conversation, which seems simple but really helps those who might not have an outlet for such things.
8. Reading and finishing a book that you picked with a special group feels intimate and even more rewarding.
9. You will learn things about each story from your book club that you may have not noticed on your own.
10. They provide an escape from reality.
11. You will read books that you may have not picked for yourself.
12. Regular reading becomes a must because you don’t want to miss a meeting or discussion.
13. Book clubs are uniting and not dividing, which is a huge deal today.
Featured image: @andreeas via Twenty20
