November 2016

I am looking forward to attending the Miami Book Fair on November 18th-20th. The Fair has 600(!) authors in attendance. I am hosting a panel on Saturday morning the 19th at 10am called “Book Clubs: What’s Trending.” I will be talking about great book club reads for fall and winter, and I will be interviewing Gayle Forman about her latest novel, LEAVE ME, and her experience with book groups. It will be held in Rm. 8201 (Bldg. 8, 2nd Floor). Included in my talk will be tips for book groups that we have learned in the past 16 years at ReadingGroupGuides.com. I also will spotlight authors who are appearing at the Fair whose books we feel will be great for book group discussions, so groups can plot their schedules.

Many of the authors of my Bookreporter.com Bets On selections, including Ann Hood, Caroline Leavitt and Joyce Maynard, will be presenting at the Fair, and I am wrapping my weekend with Colson Whitehead’s event. Right now I am reading THE GERMAN GIRL by Armando Lucas Correa (we’ll have our review on Bookreporter this week), as he will be there; I like reading authors’ books before I meet them. It promises to be a terrific weekend, and if you are planning to attend, let me know. As we have done for other events, we would love to have reader correspondents reporting for us; we’ll supply the questions to make it simple. Because we are a sponsor, I was able to get my hands on extra passes. Many have been spoken for for Saturday; there are avails for Sunday. Interested? Then shoot me a note with the subject line “Miami Book Fair Passes.”

We love hearing ideas from book groups. Over the summer, I met a reader named Rhoda at an event in Stone Harbor. She noted that her Avalon, New Jersey book club, Litera-sea, was going to be discussing Elena Ferrante's Neapolitan Quartet. She was grappling with how to have a discussion of the four books; I reached out to the publisher who shared a guide for all four books that they had developed. Two weeks ago, Rhoda was back in touch to share what she called an “incredible evening.” Here’s what she had to say: “As the evening in October approached for our meeting, I was convinced that we could never have a meaningful discussion of this mammoth work in just a little more than two hours. We approached the four books, MY BRILLIANT FRIEND, THE STORY OF A NEW NAME, THOSE WHO LEAVE AND THOSE WHO STAY and THE STORY OF A LOST CHILD, as four chapters of a very long and complicated saga. The Neapolitan Quartet spans five decades in the lives of two women, Elena and Lina, born and raised in Naples, Italy in the second half of the 20th century, as well as stories about their families, friends and lovers.

"Seen from the perspective of the totality of this work, we were able to focus our discussion on the major themes which ran through all four books; women's friendships, women's education and opportunities, mother/daughter relationships, violence against women, gender-role stereotypes, husband/wife relationships, social mores and the historical events of that period of time. When we concluded our evening of Italian wine, cheese and pastries, we were all pleasantly surprised at how much of the content of the Neapolitan Quartet we had been able to cover in one evening of discussion. Litera-sea's members recommend Ferrante's quartet in its entirety to other book clubs without reservation. This was a long journey (it took us a year), but one that was worth taking.” We love hearing about groups trying something out of the ordinary, and we will add these notes to our blog so readers can continue to find them.

We’ve been hearing some great feedback from readers about our Book Group Checkup feature. All month we’ve been interested in the ways longtime book groups can refresh their meetings and discussions, and we’re continually updating our feature as our readers share stories and tips. Sue M. wrote, “Thanks for the checklist --- that is something after 10 years we should definitely consider. And thanks for the years of book choices we probably would never have picked up.” And Allison R. told us, ”The ‘check-in’ concept is a great idea and we should always evaluate if what we are doing is working and what can we do to improve --- in all parts of our lives!” We can definitely agree with that! A number of people have been writing in asking for our original roundup of questions; you can click here to find all those. If you have thoughts of your own you’d like to share, send me a note with the subject line “Book Group Checkup.” If you’d prefer we publish your comments anonymously, just let us know.

Many of you have read A MAN CALLED OVE and loved it. In fact, we read last week that “Fredrik Backman’s book is among his country’s most popular literary exports since THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO." Here, he talks about rejection. On Bookreporter.com, we review his latest book, AND EVERY MORNING THE WAY HOME GETS LONGER AND LONGER.

On to this month’s update!

This month's prize book in our two-month-long “What’s Your Book Group Reading This Month?” contest is THE BOOK THAT MATTERS MOST by Ann Hood, which I’ve been raving about since I read it this past summer --- I chose it as a Bets On title in August. It’s an enthralling novel about love, loss, secrets, friendship and the healing power of literature, not to mention the story of how joining a book group forever changes one woman’s life. Because the book celebrates book groups, Ann’s publisher challenged her to visit 60 book clubs before her 60th birthday on December 9th! She met that challenge and, in fact, met with 65(!) groups. You can see a photo of Ann with one of the groups above.

In the book, Ava is invited to join a book group that has just 12 members (a member had passed away, opening up a slot). The group has decided that their goal for the year is for each member to present the book that matters most to them. (For groups that want to try something different for the upcoming year, this may be a nice suggestion for a theme!) We know that many groups have alternate plans for November and/or December, thus we are running our contest for two months. If you discuss a book each month, you can enter the contest twice and thus have two chances to win! As usual, we’re giving three groups the chance to win 12 copies; enter here by Wednesday, January 4th at noon ET for your chance to win.

Our top books from the contest that ran through October: Once again, the aforementioned A MAN CALLED OVE by Fredrik Backman and THE NIGHTINGALE by Kristin Hannah came out on top, with Yaa Gyasi’s HOMEGOING and Noah Hawley’s BEFORE THE FALL slowly gaining on them. Be sure to tell us what you are reading so we can include your group in our reporting.

Speaking of the holidays, our poll asks, “Is your group doing anything special for the holidays?” Click here and let us know!

We’re featuring three guides this month. First, we have the guide for MEANTIME, a wise and moving second novel about the bond between two sisters whose stable lives are suddenly uprooted from Katharine Noel, the award-winning author of HALFWAY HOUSE. When Claire was nine, her father fell in love with a married woman, and the two households agreed to live under one roof. Now, her stepsister Nicole has set her mind to having a baby on her own, and Claire's husband is enthusiastic about starting a family as well. But Claire wants to avoid an ordinary existence at all costs. Then Jeremy becomes seriously ill, and his high-school sweetheart Gita is a bit too eager to lend a hand in his recovery. Faced with Nicole's pregnancy and Jeremy's increasing closeness with his ex, Claire must decide what she's willing to sacrifice for independence. Click here for the featured guide.

We’re also featuring the guide for INHERITING EDITH by award-winning author Zoe Fishman. Single mother Maggie Sheets inherits a beautiful beach house with one caveat: She must take care of Edith, the ornery woman who lives in it. Edith has Alzheimer's, but she remembers clearly her daughter Liza, who took her own life, and is not happy to be left to a poorly dressed woman with a toddler in tow. But as summer days wane, a tenuous bond forms, and Edith, who feels the urgency of her diagnosis, shares a secret that she’s held close for five decades, launching Maggie on a mission that might just lead them each to what they are looking for. Click here for the featured guide.

Last but not least, we’re still featuring the guide for bestselling author Jodi Picoult’s latest, SMALL GREAT THINGS, which immediately went to #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It tells the heart-wrenching story of Ruth Jefferson, a labor and delivery nurse at a Connecticut hospital who begins a routine checkup on a newborn, only to be told a few minutes later that she’s been reassigned to another patient. The parents are white supremacists and don’t want Ruth, who is African American, to touch their child. When the baby goes into cardiac distress while Ruth is alone in the nursery, she hesitates before performing CPR and, as a result, is charged with a serious crime. Click here for the featured guide. My mom is reading this now and she is completely captured by the details that Jodi is including.

We also are happy to share that Jodi’s publisher has pulled together a Special Jodi Picoult Reading Group Kit, which includes a custom journal and pens, bookmarks, discussion guide, colored paper for discussion note-taking, Jodi’s Author’s Note and Reading Recommendations…and a copy of SMALL GREAT THINGS for the book club host. Click here to enter to win this epic Reading Group Kit.

We’ve updated our New in Paperback and Reading Roundup features for November; for the latter, Indie Next titles include the aforementioned THE GERMAN GIRL, Armando Lucas Correa’s much-buzzed about book debut about a 12-year-old girl’s harrowing experience fleeing Nazi-occupied Germany, only to discover that the overseas asylum they had been promised is an illusion; New York Times bestselling author Francine Prose’s MISTER MONKEY, a darkly humorous story that follows the exploits of a constellation of characters affiliated with an off-off-off-off Broadway children’s musical; and THE TERRANAUTS, T.C. Boyle’s latest deep-dive into human behavior and an epic story of science, society, sex and survival.

LibraryReads is spotlighting bestselling author Alice Hoffman’s FAITHFUL, a soul-searching story about a young woman struggling to redefine herself and the power of love, family and fate; THE FATE OF THE TEARLING, the highly-anticipated third and final book in Erika Johansen’s strange and brilliant fantasy series; and SWING TIME, the latest from acclaimed author Zadie Smith, a dazzlingly energetic and deeply human story about friendship and music and stubborn roots, and how we can survive the things that shape us.

I stay away from politics on our websites, but I will say this: Please vote tomorrow. It’s a privilege, and there are millions of people around the world who would kill (literally) to have a chance to vote. You have that right. Exercise it. And read up on the issues that may be on the ballot (the language on some of these are written in such a convoluted way that you'll want to take a look before you are standing in the voting booth), as well as the people running, and vote for those, too. End of sermon.

Read on, and have a great discussion with your group this month!

Carol Fitzgerald ([email protected])

P.S. For those of you who are doing online shopping for books, if you use the store links below, ReadingGroupGuides.com gets a small affiliate fee on your purchases. We would appreciate your considering this!
 

Each month, we ask book groups to share the titles they are reading that month and rate them. From all entries, three winners will be selected, and each will win 12 copies of that month’s prize book for their group. Note: To be eligible to win, let us know the title of the book that YOUR book group is CURRENTLY reading, NOT the title we are giving away.

This month's prize book is THE BOOK THAT MATTERS MOST by Ann Hood, an enthralling novel about love, loss, secrets, friendship and the healing power of literature --- not to mention the story of how joining a book group forever changes one woman’s life. To enter, please fill out the form on this page by Wednesday, January 4th at noon ET.

THE BOOK THAT MATTERS MOST by Ann Hood (Fiction)
An enthralling novel about love, loss, secrets, friendship and the healing power of literature, by the bestselling author of THE KNITTING CIRCLE.

Ava’s 25-year marriage has fallen apart, and her two grown children are pursuing their own lives outside of the country. Ava joins a book group, not only for her love of reading but also out of sheer desperation for companionship. The group’s goal throughout the year is for each member to present the book that matters most to them. Ava rediscovers a mysterious book from her childhood --- one that helped her through the traumas of the untimely deaths of her sister and mother. Alternating with Ava’s story is that of her troubled daughter Maggie, who, living in Paris, descends into a destructive relationship with an older man.

Ava’s mission to find that book and its enigmatic author takes her on a quest that unravels the secrets of her past and offers her and Maggie the chance to remake their lives.

-Click here for the reading group guide.
-Click here to read a review on Bookreporter.com.
-Click here to see why we're betting you'll love this book.
 

Schedule a time to pause and evaluate what’s going on with your group with a Book Group Checkup. It gives your group an opportunity to do a self-check to be sure its goals are still being met. Pick a month that you are going to do this and make it an open forum where people discuss a number of questions, or you can have people write their comments anonymously. Here are some topics that we have come up with to include:

• How happy have we been with the selections we have read this year? Rate them.
• How are our meetings structured, and what do we want to keep the same or change up?
• How do we think we can improve our discussions?
• Should members attend the meeting if they have not read the book?
• Should every member be expected to contribute to the discussion, or are “just listeners” okay?
• How can we better discipline ourselves to stay on track during the meeting?
• What do we want to try differently in the months ahead?
• Does everyone still want to be a part of the group?
• Or is everything running just fine?
   

We want to share feedback from you on the site. Shoot me your ideas with the subject line “Book Group Checkup.” Want to see what one group had to say? Click here to see what they are sharing about their groups.

 

MEANTIME by Katharine Noel (Fiction)
Katharine Noel --- the award-winning, critically acclaimed author of HALFWAY HOUSE --- returns with a wise and moving second novel about the bond between two sisters whose stable lives are suddenly uprooted.

Claire Hood has never had a typical upbringing. When she was nine, her father fell in love with a married woman, and the two households agreed to live under one roof. Nicknamed “the Naked Family,” they were infamous in the community for their eccentric, free-spirited lifestyle. Now, Claire and her stepsister Nicole are both in their 30s and living in San Francisco. Nicole has set her mind to having a baby on her own, and Claire’s husband, Jeremy, longs to start a family as well. But Claire wants to avoid an ordinary existence at all costs.

When Jeremy becomes seriously ill, his high school sweetheart, Gita, is a bit too eager to lend a hand in his recovery. As Claire’s suspicion of their relationship grows, she feels increasingly distant not only from the people she loves, but also from the kind of person she'd imagined herself to be. Faced with Nicole’s impending motherhood and Jeremy’s increasing closeness with his ex, Claire must resolve lingering childhood hang-ups and decide what she’s willing to sacrifice for independence.

MEANTIME is a heartfelt, insightful story of how individuals shape and reshape their families while discovering their truest sense of self. With humanity, grace and humor, Katharine Noel examines the complex, delicate connections between spouses, siblings, parents and children.

-Click here for the reading group guide.
 

INHERITING EDITH by Zoe Fishman (Fiction)
For years, Maggie Sheets has been an invisible hand in the glittering homes of wealthy New York City clients, scrubbing, dusting, mopping, and doing all she can to keep her head above water as a single mother. Everything changes when a former employer dies leaving Maggie a staggering inheritance. A house in Sag Harbor. The catch? It comes with an inhabitant: The deceased’s 82-year-old mother Edith.

Edith has Alzheimer’s --- or so the doctors tell her --- but she remembers exactly how her daughter Liza could light up a room, or bring dark clouds in her wake. And now Liza’s gone, by her own hand, and Edith has been left --- like a chaise or strand of pearls --- to a poorly dressed young woman with a toddler in tow.

Maggie and Edith are both certain this arrangement will be an utter disaster. But as summer days wane, a tenuous bond forms, and Edith, who feels the urgency of her diagnosis, shares a secret that she’s held close for five decades, launching Maggie on a mission that might just lead them each to what they are looking for.

-Click here for the reading group guide.
 

The Miami Book Fair, now in its 33rd year, is an eight-day event that kicks off Sunday, November 13th with the popular Evenings With… series, featuring six nights of readings and discussions with noted authors from the United States and around the world.

On Friday, the Street Fair gets under way. The highlight of the Street Fair is the Festival of Authors, with more than 450 authors reading and discussing their work, including the Latin American and Spanish authors who participate in the IberoAmerican Authors Program. Thousands of South Florida schoolchildren will help kick off the Street Fair, making the trip downtown Friday to hear authors and participate in Children’s Alley activities, including theater, arts-and-crafts, storytelling and readings by children’s book authors. Comics and graphic novels are once again featured, and a new section just for kids and teens, as well as presentations over the weekend by renowned graphic novelists and illustrators.

During Street Fair weekend, November 18-20th, more than 250 publishers and booksellers exhibit and sell books, with special features like the antiquarians, who showcase signed first editions, original manuscripts and other collectibles.

Authors attending the event this year include T.C. Boyle, Geraldine Brooks, Jade Chang, Eoin Colfer, Armando Lucas Correa, Alan Cumming, Edwidge Danticat, Gayle Forman, Emily Giffin, Nathan Hill, Ann Hood and many, many more. Click here for the full list.
 

CRUEL BEAUTIFUL WORLD by Caroline Leavitt (Fiction)
Caroline Leavitt always brings a fresh approach to her writing. From the moment that I open one of her books, I know I am going to be in for something special and unexpected. CRUEL BEAUTIFUL WORLD is set in the early '70s. Lucy is 16 when she runs away from home with William, one of her teachers, to live on a farm in rural Pennsylvania. It’s all about love, until it’s not. Her much older half-sister, Iris, who she knows as her aunt, and her teenage sister, Charlotte, are frantic to find her. Love, loss and longing all figure into the story, which is written in Caroline’s signature style that pulls apart everyday lives and finds the deeper stories in them by getting into her characters' hearts and heads. Each page begs you to read another.

-Click here to read more of Carol's thoughts on the book.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review on Bookreporter.com.


SMALL GREAT THINGS by Jodi Picoult (Fiction)
For years, my favorites of Jodi Picoult’s 26 books were NINETEEN MINUTES and MY SISTER’S KEEPER. Each of them struck a real chord with me. When I heard the premise of SMALL GREAT THINGS, I was similarly intrigued. It so delivered, making it the third of her books that I highly recommend. Indeed I have found myself “book-talking” this book to friends, colleagues and fellow readers for the last few months. When I read an early copy, it was during a very busy week, and I remember putting aside many tasks to finish it.

-Click here to read more of Carol's thoughts on the book.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review on Bookreporter.com.
-Click here for the reading group guide.


THE OTHER EINSTEIN by Marie Benedict (Historical Fiction)
Albert Einstein brings to mind the words “brilliant” and “eccentric,” along with a vivid visual of his shock of white hair. THE OTHER EINSTEIN by Marie Benedict looks at the man behind the science through the eyes of Mileva “Mitza” Marić, the woman who was his partner in his life --- and, it seems, in his work. Mileva was the physicist who stood at his side to unlock some of the biggest scientific theories of the 20th century. She also was the woman who championed him and held their family together against formidable odds.

-Click here to read more of Carol's thoughts on the book.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review on Bookreporter.com.
 

Here are this month's books we featured on Teenreads.com that we think will appeal to an adult audience:

THE RAINS by Gregg Hurwitz (Science Fiction/Horror)
In one terrifying night, the peaceful community of Creek's Cause turns into a war zone. Chance Rain and his older brother, Patrick, have already fended off multiple attacks from infected adults by the time they arrive at the school where other young survivors are hiding. Most of the kids they know have been dragged away by once-trusted adults who are now ferocious, inhuman beings. The parasite that transformed them takes hold after people turn 18 --- and Patrick's birthday is only a few days away. Determined to save Patrick's life and the lives of the remaining kids, the brothers embark on a mission to uncover the truth about the parasites --- and what they find is horrifying.

WRECKED by Maria Padian (Fiction)
Everyone on campus has a different version of what happened that night. Haley saw Jenny return from the party, shell-shocked. Richard heard Jordan brag about the cute freshman he hooked up with. When Jenny accuses Jordan of rape, Haley and Richard are pushed to opposite sides of the school’s investigation. Now conflicting versions of the story may make bringing the truth to light nearly impossible --- especially when reputations, relationships and whole futures are riding on the verdict.

THE WEIGHT OF ZERO by Karen Fortunati (Fiction)
Seventeen-year-old Catherine Pulaski knows Zero is coming for her. Zero, the devastating depression born of Catherine’s bipolar disorder, almost triumphed once; that was her first suicide attempt. In an old ballet-shoe box, Catherine stockpiles medications, preparing to take her own life before Zero can inflict its living death on her again. Before she goes, though, she starts a short bucket list. The bucket list, the support of her family, new friends, and a new course of treatment all begin to lessen Catherine’s sense of isolation. The problem is, her plan is already in place, and has been for so long that she might not be able to see a future beyond it.
 

Word of Mouth Contest: Tell Us What You're Reading --- and You Can Win Two Books!

Tell us about the books you’ve finished reading with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars. During the contest period from November 4th to November 18th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of NIGHT SCHOOL: A Jack Reacher Novel by Lee Child and NO MAN'S LAND by David Baldacci.

To make sure other readers will be able to find the books you write about, please include the full title and correct author names (your entry must include these to be eligible to win). For rules and guidelines, click here.

-Click here to enter the contest.
-To see reader comments from previous contest periods, click here.


Sounding Off on Audio Contest: Tell Us What You're Listening to --- and You Can Win Two Audiobooks!

Tell us about the audiobooks you’ve finished listening to with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars for both the performance and the content. During the contest period from November 1st to December 1st at noon ET, two lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win the audio versions of Wally Lamb's I'LL TAKE YOU THERE, performed by George Guidall, and Michael Chabon's MOONGLOW, performed by George Newbern.

To make sure other readers will be able to find the audiobook, please include the full title and correct author names (your entry must include these to be eligible to win). For complete rules and guidelines, click here.

-Click here to enter the contest.
-To see reader comments from previous contest periods, click here.

 

Each month, we share top book picks from Indie Next and LibraryReads, as well as the Target Book Club title and Pennie's Pick for Costco.

Indie Next titles include THE GERMAN GIRL, Armando Lucas Correa’s much-buzzed about book debut about a 12-year-old girl’s harrowing experience fleeing Nazi-occupied Germany, only to discover that the overseas asylum they had been promised is an illusion; New York Times bestselling author Francine Prose’s MISTER MONKEY, a darkly humorous story that follows the exploits of a constellation of characters affiliated with an off-off-off-off Broadway children’s musical; and THE TERRANAUTS, T.C. Boyle’s latest deep-dive into human behavior and an epic story of science, society, sex and survival.

Library Reads is spotlighting bestselling author Alice Hoffman’s FAITHFUL, a soul-searching story about a young woman struggling to redefine herself and the power of love, family and fate; THE FATE OF THE TEARLING, the highly anticipated third and final book in Erika Johansen’s strange and brilliant fantasy series; and SWING TIME, the latest from acclaimed author Zadie Smith, a dazzlingly energetic and deeply human story about friendship and music and stubborn roots, and how we can survive the things that shape us.
 

November’s roundup of New in Paperback fiction titles includes 15th AFFAIR by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro, a Women's Murder Club thriller that finds Detective Lindsay Boxer chasing an elusive, possibly very dangerous suspect --- her husband, Joe; Joyce Maynard's UNDER THE INFLUENCE, a poignant novel about the true meaning --- and the true price --- of friendship; THE PASSENGER by Lisa Lutz, the story of a woman who creates and sheds new identities as she crisscrosses the country to escape her past; and ORPHAN X, the opening installment of Gregg Hurwitz's series that introduces readers to Evan Smoak, aka the Nowhere Man, whose personal mission it is to help those with nowhere else to turn.

Among this month’s nonfiction offerings are Carly Simon's memoir BOYS IN THE TREES, which reveals her remarkable life, beginning with her storied childhood as the third daughter of Richard L. Simon, the co-founder of publishing giant Simon & Schuster, and ultimately delving into her meteoric solo career that would result in 13 top 40 hits, including the #1 song "You're So Vain"; THE GEOGRAPHY OF GENIUS, which finds Eric Weiner traveling the world to show how creative genius flourishes in specific places at specific times; and THE RISE OF GERMANY, a masterful book by James Holland, who draws on his many years of research to reconsider the strategy, tactics, and economic, political and social aspects of the Second World War.

-Find out what's New in Paperback for the weeks of October 31st, November 7th, November 14th, November 21st and November 28th.

 

The following guides are now available on ReadingGroupGuides.com:

THE BOOK THAT MATTERS MOST by Ann Hood (Fiction)
An enthralling novel about love, loss, secrets, friendship and the healing power of literature, by the bestselling author of THE KNITTING CIRCLE.

THE FORTRESS: A Love Story by Danielle Trussoni (Memoir)
From the critically acclaimed New York Times bestselling author of FALLING THROUGH THE EARTH and ANGELOLOGY comes a beautifully written and haunting new memoir that follows the author and her young family to a small village in France where they soon settle into the house of their fantasies, a medieval stone fortress that soon becomes a dark and prescient metaphor for the author’s failing marriage.

INHERITING EDITH by Zoe Fishman (Fiction)
A poignant breakout novel, for fans of J. Courtney Sullivan and Elin Hilderbrand, about a single mother who inherits a beautiful beach house with a caveat --- she must take care of the ornery elderly woman who lives in it.

MEANTIME by Katharine Noel (Fiction)
MEANTIME by Katharine Noel is a beautifully wrought, emotionally riveting novel about two fiercely independent sisters drawn together in the wake of life-changing events as they reimagine their futures and redefine their beliefs in family.

THE SLOW WALTZ OF TURTLES by Katherine Pancol (Fiction)
In this mega-bestseller from France and the follow-up to THE YELLOW EYES OF CROCODILES, a woman contends with divorce, family trouble and even murder in her journey to discover who she really is.

SMALL GREAT THINGS by Jodi Picoult (Fiction)
With richly layered characters and a gripping moral dilemma that will lead readers to question everything they know about privilege, power and race, SMALL GREAT THINGS is the stunning new page-turner from #1 New York Times bestselling author Jodi Picoult.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS: Women Men Work Family by Anne-Marie Slaughter (Nonfiction)
Anne-Marie Slaughter offers her vision for what true equality between men and women really means, and how we can get there.


Please note that these titles, for which we already had the guides when they appeared in hardcover, are now available in paperback:

THE GUEST ROOM by Chris Bohjalian (Fiction)
From the New York Times bestselling author of MIDWIVES and THE SANDCASTLE GIRLS comes the spellbinding tale of a party gone horribly wrong: two men lie dead in a suburban living room, two women are on the run from police, and a marriage is ripping apart at the seams.

THE MAGIC STRINGS OF FRANKIE PRESTO by Mitch Albom (Fiction)
A magical novel about the world’s greatest musician and the power of talent to change our lives, from #1 New York Times bestselling author Mitch Albom.

THE SWANS OF FIFTH AVENUE by Melanie Benjamin (Historical Fiction)
The New York Times bestselling author of THE AVIATOR’S WIFE returns with a triumphant new novel about New York’s “Swans” of the 1950s --- and the scandalous, headline-making and enthralling friendship between literary legend Truman Capote and peerless socialite Babe Paley.

 

Is your group doing anything special for the holidays? (Check as many as apply.)

Yes, we have holiday-themed meetings.
Yes, we read holiday-themed books.
Yes, we prepare special meals for our meetings.
Yes, we exchange gifts.
Yes, we do a charity-related project.
Yes, we do a cookie exchange.
Yes, we do a book swap.
No, we meet as usual.
No, we take a break from meeting during the holiday months.
Other...