I’ve been in a book club for about 12 years. In that time we’ve chosen our books so many different ways, from online voting, to a crazy point allocations, to simply taking turns picking. Sometimes these methods have wrought amazing book lists and other times less so. When we choose books, we’re looking for a combination of an enjoyable read and a great discussion generator. The following is a list of 12 books (one for each month) that my book club has read over the years that were both good reads and terrific discussions. Half of these are fiction and half are nonfiction. Enjoy!
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides is an epic historical fiction about a hermaphrodite in the early twentieth century. This novel spans three generations and is set in Greece and Detroit.
The Infidel by Ayann Hirst Ali is a memoir of a political activist that chronicles her strict Muslim childhood and subsequent escape. Also featured in books about striving for a better world.
The Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer is an epic love story about a Hungarian-Jewish architecture student during World War II. This beautiful, moving tale will bring you to tears.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot is nonfiction. An impoverished woman with cancer, Henrietta’s cells were studied by scientists to build multi-million dollar industries without consent or compensation.
Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick is a journalistic masterpiece that exposes the daily misery of North Koreas in the 1990s through interviews with 15 people who fled the country.
Brain on Fire by Susannah Cahalan is a fascinating memoir that chronicles Cahalan’s descent into madness and her doctors’ attempts to diagnose and cure her.
East of Eden by John Steinbeck is the only “classic” on the list. The story of the Trasks and Hamiltons has a real Cain and Abel feel to it. It is set in the early 20th century on farms in California.
Beartown by Fredrik Backman was an unexpected hit as it centers on a small town that pins all their hopes on a youth hockey team and gives the boys on it a free pass.
What is the What by Dave Eggers is a novel based on the true story of Valentino Achak Deng. Deng was one of the Lost Boys of Sudan. This is the story of his dangerous and long flight from his village at the age of seven.
Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer is a nonfiction book about that exposed the underbelly of Mormon fundamentalism. It’ll make your jaw drop.
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro is about three children who attend a special boarding school and come realize that what makes them “special” also makes them cursed.
The Road by Cormac McCarthy is the story of a father and son attempting to survive in a destroyed America. It is a dark, sad tale about love and survival.
In the comments below, feel free to share your book club’s all-time favorite book. Have you read any of these? What did you think?
You’re invited to the
Bookish Road Trip Facebook group.
