Back to the Books...and News of
Some Upcoming Book Events!
Though I have not been to school in decades, September still sparks a time of new beginnings. I may not be packing up my laptop to head to class, but I am making lists of things I want to accomplish, both with my reading and around the house. Right before I took a week off at the end of August, I curated a group of books that I wanted to read, from the piles around the house and on my bookshelves. Sometimes I can spend too much time looking for what I want to read, instead of just reading. It’s worked out well! I read six books over vacation, which you can read more about in this issue of the Bookreporter.com newsletter.
I heard from more readers about books to pair together, as well as holiday reads for book groups; I love hearing your suggestions! I am going to throw out a new question: Has your group ever done anything that is charity-inspired? If so, did it relate to a book or come out of a book discussion?
For book pairings, Joan from Palm Beach County, who has been with her book group for three years, wrote, “Our book club just met this week, and we have picked THE BETTENCOURT AFFAIR and THE PERFUME COLLECTOR for our December reads. Previously we did SISTERS IN LAW and NOTORIOUS RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. We had two ladies facilitate, and it was very successful!"
Barb from Illinois wrote, “I belong to a mystery/thriller book group, and we have read two books dealing with a connection/relationship and discussed them together in a single meeting. They were BLOOD WORK by Michael Connelly and PULSE by Edna Buchanan. Both featured recipients of heart transplants, and both authors dealt with them in entirely different ways. One recipient was so careful to follow doctor's orders, and the other just went ahead and did what he wanted to do. Both books were written many years ago, and I'm sure heart transplant surgery has advanced during that time. We did enjoy both books. Our group will be celebrating our 20th anniversary next month.”
Jill wrote, “I am the current coordinator for a book group that has met for almost 50 years (with one original member still active). For the past number of years, we've skipped reading a book for December and done poetry readings. Each member brings favorite poems (two or three) to share with the group. We've enjoyed old familiar favorites and been introduced to new poets and poems. Many club members have shared treasured memories of poems read to them as children. We've also been able to have the current Poet Laureate of our state come to read a selection of his current work. Everyone is so busy in late November and December that not having to read a book is a relief. We originally were planning this for only one year....but now it's our December tradition.”
Belinda wrote with ideas for holiday-themed reads: “Just finished reading your newsletter and thought I would tell you about this book, CHRISTMAS BELLS by Jennifer Chiaverini. I just finished reading it and have chosen it for our Book Club to read as our Christmas selection for this year. Two other books we have read for Christmas are A REDBIRD CHRISTMAS by Fannie Flagg and LITTLE WOMEN by Louisa May Alcott. By the way, the movie The Man Who Invented Christmas is being released on November 22nd and is based on the book. Our book club read this years ago, and we are excited to see the movie.
Meggan from "The Happy Bookers Club" wrote, “For November/December reading, our club recommends THE 13th GIFT by Joanne Huist Smith. This is the true story of a family who recovers from tragedy with help from mysterious strangers.”
Eileen Spinelli from "The Pageturners Book Club" wrote, “My book club (we're into our 26th year) meets for a festive dinner at a restaurant in December. Even more than usual, we love to socialize and share our holiday plans at that meeting, so we have found that a short or quick read works best for us, especially since everyone is so busy at that time of year. Like your reader's group, we prefer to avoid any of the 'romance' or overly sentimental stories that appear at that time of year.
"Here are some of our favorites: SKIPPING CHRISTMAS by John Grisham is a short, funny read that shows that even when you try to avoid the commercialism and chaos of Christmastime, the spirit of Christmas and family will still manage to find you. WISHIN’ AND HOPIN’ by Wally Lamb is a funny, nostalgic look at a fifth-grader's family and school life at Christmas. And THE HANDMAID AND THE CARPENTER by Elizabeth Berg is a retelling of Mary and Joseph's story. Sometimes we find that a short story can be a good choice. We've read THE GIFT OF THE MAGI by O. Henry and A CHRISTMAS MEMORY by Truman Capote. Sometimes we find that the book really doesn't need a Christmas theme; it just needs to give us time to pause and examine a philosophical or spiritual theme. One year we read THE LAST LECTURE by Randy Pausch, which helped us focus on the important things in life, as Christmas should. Last year, we read THE STORIED LIFE OF A.J. FIKRY by Gabrielle Zevin, which gave us a warm story and a chance to talk about the love of books.
"I was happy to hear you were considering doing a feature on this topic, because to tell the truth, we are stumped for an idea for this Christmas. I'm the leader of the book club, but we usually all have suggestions. No one has a strong idea this year. I'm considering BREAKFAST WITH BUDDHA by Roland Merullo, which has nothing to do with Christmas, but does tell the amusing story of a skeptic who is given the chance to see what he might be missing in his life."
I loved hearing from all of you. Now to our update...
In theaters October 6th is The Mountain Between Us, starring Kate Winslet and Idris Elba, which is based on Charles Martin’s bestselling book of the same name. To celebrate its upcoming theatrical release, we’re giving three groups the chance to win 12 copies of the book in our “What’s Your Book Group Reading This Month?” contest. In THE MOUNTAIN BETWEEN US, a blizzard strands gifted surgeon Ben Payne and magazine writer Ashley Knox in Salt Lake City. These two strangers agree to charter a plane together in hopes of returning home. But then tragedy strikes, and they find themselves in Utah’s most remote wilderness in the dead of winter. Their chances for survival appear grim, but their reliance on each other sparks an immediate connection, which soon evolves into something more. To enter the contest, please fill out the form on this page by Tuesday, October 10th at noon ET. Be sure to check out the guide and our review on Bookreporter.com. You can see the trailer here.
In August’s “What’s Your Book Group Reading This Month?” contest, here are the five books mentioned most frequently as titles that our book groups read: THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD by Colson Whitehead, A MAN CALLED OVE by Fredrik Backman, HILLBILLY ELEGY: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D. Vance, SMALL GREAT THINGS by Jodi Picoult, and A GENTLEMAN IN MOSCOW by Amor Towles. Curious about the titles that occupy slots 6-15 on the list? Scroll further down the newsletter to see those!
We have two new featured guides to tell you about. First up is THE OTHER ALCOTT, Elise Hooper’s debut novel about Louisa May Alcott’s youngest sister. May Alcott grows up wanting to experience the world beyond Concord, Massachusetts. While her sister Louisa crafts stories, May is a talented and dedicated artist in her own right. When Louisa’s LITTLE WOMEN is published, its success eases the financial burdens the Alcott family has faced for so many years. However, May is taken aback by the novel’s portrayal of Amy March, who comes off as selfish and spoiled. Is this what Louisa really thinks of her? This leads May to embark on a quest to discover her true identity, as an artist and a woman. Click here for the guide. I can remember reading LITTLE WOMEN in a green canvas tent behind our house when I was growing up. Every time I think about that book, that memory is sparked. It’s interesting how just reading a title can often remind me of where I read a book. I wonder if that happens to any of you.
Our second featured guide is SWING TIME by Zadie Smith, which was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction and was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize. Now available in paperback, the book tells the story of two African American girls who dream of becoming professional dancers, though only one has talent. Their close yet complicated childhood friendship ends abruptly in their early 20s. Tracey makes it to the chorus line but struggles with adult life, while her friend travels the world as an assistant to a famous singer, Aimee. But when Aimee develops grand philanthropic ambitions, the story moves from London to West Africa, where the origins of a profound inequality are not a matter of distant history, but a present dance to the music of time. Be sure to check out the guide and our review on Bookreporter.com.
We also have two additional guides to bring to your attention. LOVE AND OTHER CONSOLATION PRIZES is a new work of historical fiction from Jamie Ford, whose debut novel HOTEL ON THE CORNER OF BITTER AND SWEET was a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection. His latest book (which also will be a Bets On pick) introduces readers to 12-year-old Ernest Young, a half-Chinese orphan, who is raffled off at the 1909 World’s Fair in Seattle. The winning ticket belongs to the flamboyant madam of a high-class brothel, where Ernest becomes the new houseboy and befriends Maisie, the madam’s precocious daughter, and a bold scullery maid named Fahn. Fifty years later, in the shadow of Seattle’s second World’s Fair, Ernest struggles to help his ailing wife reconcile who she once was with who she wanted to be, while trying to keep family secrets hidden from their grown-up daughters. Click here for the guide and here for our Bookreporter.com review. Jamie has pulled together a walking tour of Seattle, where you can see many of the locations he mentions in his two books. And above, you can see Jamie with members of the book group "Readers in the Hood" after he spoke at the Bee Book Club in Sacramento. Many thanks to "Readers in the Hood" member Marsha Toy Engstrom for the photo!
Our final new guide for this update is SING, UNBURIED, SING, the highly anticipated new work of fiction from Jesmyn Ward, whose novel SALVAGE THE BONES was a National Book Award winner. Jojo and his toddler sister, Kayla, live with their grandparents, Mam and Pop, on a farm on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. Their drug-addicted mother, Leonie, is simultaneously tormented and comforted by visions of her dead brother; Mam is dying of cancer; and Pop tries to run the household and teach Jojo how to be a man. When the white father of Leonie’s children is released from prison, Leonie and her kids travel across the state for Parchman farm, the Mississippi State Penitentiary, on a journey that is filled with both danger and promise. You can see the guide here and our Bookreporter.com review here.
If you don't like a book that you're reading for your book group, what do you typically do? That’s our latest poll question; click here to let us know how you approach this!
Our previous poll asked what you do when you read a book that you think would be perfect for your book group’s discussion. 62% of you save it on a list for when your group makes its selections, while 54% make a note and mention it at your next meeting. Click here for all the results, including the answers that readers submitted in the “Other” category.
Don’t miss our Reading Roundup and New in Paperback features, which we’ve updated for September. On Bookreporter.com, we have our ongoing Word of Mouth and Sounding Off on Audio contests, where we’re giving away some outstanding hardcovers and audiobooks. And this year’s Fall Preview contests are now underway on Bookreporter.com; each 24-hour giveaway gives you the chance to win a book that we know will be talked about this fall. More details on these contests and features can be found later in this newsletter.
The official lineup has been confirmed for this year’s Hachette Book Club Brunch, a fabulous day of literary programming for book clubs and booklovers in the New York City area. It is returning for its sixth year on Saturday, October 21st at the New York Society for Ethical Culture. Readers will hear from a panel of narrative nonfiction authors (including Liza Mundy, author of CODE GIRLS), a panel of fiction authors (including Betsy Carter, author of WE WERE STRANGERS ONCE), and award-winning author Emma Donoghue, who will be discussing her book, THE WONDER, which is now available in paperback. The event will cap off with a special book club discussion with Madeline Miller, author of the forthcoming novel, CIRCE. All attendees will receive an advance copy of the novel to prepare for this very exciting discussion, as well as lunch and a tote bag full of books at the time of the event. Click here to buy your ticket today.
Random House is back with one of their popular signature events, Off the Page, on Thursday, November 9th at the Tishman Auditorium at The New School in New York City. Off the Page presents authors in thought-provoking conversation, exclusive access to the hottest books, tips for the holidays, and a chance to connect with other avid readers throughout a day of dynamic programming. The stellar lineup includes Salman Rushdie, the founding editors from Food52, Kelly Corrigan, Lucy Kalanithi, Khizr Kahn, Elizabeth Berg, Lisa Wingate and Emily Ruskovich. Click here for all the details and to purchase your ticket.
I will be moderating two panels at the Morristown Festival of Books on Saturday, October 14th. Mark your calendars for that event now. I will share the list of authors who I am interviewing in our next newsletter!
Once again we are passing along a link to the Fall/Winter Preview that was shared at BookExpo back in June. Many of these titles are now in stores, so please take a look to get some ideas of what to read with your book group.
We hope you enjoy your next discussion with your group!
Carol Fitzgerald ([email protected])
P.S. For those of you who are doing online shopping, if you use the store links below, ReadingGroupGuides.com gets a small affiliate fee on your purchases. We would appreciate your considering this!
"What's Your Book Group Reading This Month?" Contest:
Enter to Win 12 Copies of THE MOUNTAIN BETWEEN US by Charles Martin for Your Group
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 MOUNTAIN BETWEEN US, an atmospheric, suspenseful and gripping story of two people finding love while fighting to survive. First published in 2010, this bestselling novel by Charles Martin has been made into a major motion picture starring Kate Winslet and Idris Elba, and is set to release on October 6th. To enter, please fill out the form on this page by Tuesday, October 10th at noon ET.
THE MOUNTAIN BETWEEN US by Charles Martin (Romance)
When a blizzard strands them in Salt Lake City, two strangers agree to charter a plane together, hoping to return home. Ben Payne is a gifted surgeon returning from a conference, and Ashley Knox, a magazine writer, is en route to her wedding. But when unthinkable tragedy strikes, the pair find themselves stranded in Utah’s most remote wilderness in the dead of winter, badly injured and miles from civilization. Without food or shelter, and only Ben’s mountain climbing gear to protect themselves, Ashley and Ben’s chances for survival look bleak, but their reliance on each other sparks an immediate connection, which soon evolves into something more.
Days in the mountains become weeks, as their hope for rescue dwindles. How will they make it out of the wilderness? And if they do, how will this experience change them forever? Heart-wrenching and unputdownable, THE MOUNTAIN BETWEEN US will reaffirm your belief in the power of love to sustain us.
- Click here for the reading group guide.
- Click here to read a review on Bookreporter.com.
Click here to enter the contest.
New Featured Guide: THE OTHER ALCOTT
by Elise Hooper
THE OTHER ALCOTT by Elise Hooper (Historical Fiction)
Stylish, outgoing, creative, May Alcott grows up longing to experience the wide world beyond Concord, Massachusetts. While her sister Louisa crafts stories, May herself is a talented and dedicated artist, taking lessons in Boston, turning down a marriage proposal from a well-off suitor, and facing scorn for entering what is very much a man’s profession.
Life for the Alcott family has never been easy, so when Louisa’s LITTLE WOMEN is published, its success eases the financial burdens they’d faced for so many years. Everyone agrees the novel is charming, but May is struck to the core by the portrayal of selfish, spoiled “Amy March.” Is this what her beloved sister really thinks of her?
So May embarks on a quest to discover her own true identity, as an artist and a woman. From Boston to Rome, London and Paris, this brave, talented and determined woman forges an amazing life of her own, making her so much more than merely “The Other Alcott.”
Click here for the featured guide.
New Featured Guide: SWING TIME by Zadie Smith
Now Available in Paperback
SWING TIME by Zadie Smith (Fiction)
Two brown girls dream of being dancers --- but only one, Tracey, has talent. The other has ideas: about rhythm and time, about black bodies and black music, what constitutes a tribe, or makes a person truly free. It’s a close but complicated childhood friendship that ends abruptly in their early 20s, never to be revisited, but never quite forgotten, either.
Tracey makes it to the chorus line but struggles with adult life, while her friend leaves the old neighborhood behind, traveling the world as an assistant to a famous singer, Aimee, observing close up how the one percent live.
But when Aimee develops grand philanthropic ambitions, the story moves from London to West Africa, where diaspora tourists travel back in time to find their roots, young men risk their lives to escape into a different future, the women dance just like Tracey --- the same twists, the same shakes --- and the origins of a profound inequality are not a matter of distant history, but a present dance to the music of time.
- Click here to read a review on Bookreporter.com.
Click here for the featured guide.
New Guide: LOVE AND OTHER CONSOLATION PRIZES
by Jamie Ford
A Bookreporter.com Bets On Title
LOVE AND OTHER CONSOLATION PRIZES by Jamie Ford (Historical Fiction)
For 12-year-old Ernest Young, a charity student at a boarding school, the chance to go to the World’s Fair feels like a gift. But only once he’s there, amid the exotic exhibits, fireworks and Ferris wheels, does he discover that he is the one who is actually the prize. The half-Chinese orphan is astounded to learn he will be raffled off --- a healthy boy “to a good home.”
The winning ticket belongs to the flamboyant madam of a high-class brothel, famous for educating her girls. There, Ernest becomes the new houseboy and befriends Maisie, the madam’s precocious daughter, and a bold scullery maid named Fahn. Their friendship and affection form the first real family Ernest has ever known --- and against all odds, this new sporting life gives him the sense of home he’s always desired.
But as the grande dame succumbs to an occupational hazard and their world of finery begins to crumble, all three must grapple with hope, ambition and first love.
Fifty years later, in the shadow of Seattle’s second World’s Fair, Ernest struggles to help his ailing wife reconcile who she once was with who she wanted to be, while trying to keep family secrets hidden from their grown-up daughters.
LOVE AND OTHER CONSOLATION PRIZES will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick. You can read Carol's commentary in the September 22nd Bookreporter.com Weekly Update newsletter.
- Click here to read a review on Bookreporter.com.
- Click here to read our interview with Jamie Ford.
Click here for the discussion guide.
New Guide: SING, UNBURIED, SING by Jesmyn Ward
SING, UNBURIED, SING by Jesmyn Ward (Fiction)
In Jesmyn Ward’s first novel since her National Book Award–winning SALVAGE THE BONES, this singular American writer brings the archetypal road novel into rural 21st-century America. Drawing on Morrison and Faulkner, THE ODYSSEY and the Old Testament, Ward gives us an epochal story, a journey through Mississippi’s past and present that is both an intimate portrait of a family and an epic tale of hope and struggle. Ward is a major American writer, multiply awarded and universally lauded, and in SING, UNBURIED, SING she is at the height of her powers.
Jojo and his toddler sister, Kayla, live with their grandparents, Mam and Pop, and the occasional presence of their drug-addicted mother, Leonie, on a farm on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. Leonie is simultaneously tormented and comforted by visions of her dead brother, which only come to her when she’s high; Mam is dying of cancer; and quiet, steady Pop tries to run the household and teach Jojo how to be a man. When the white father of Leonie’s children is released from prison, she packs her kids and a friend into her car and sets out across the state for Parchman farm, the Mississippi State Penitentiary, on a journey rife with danger and promise.
- Click here to read a review on Bookreporter.com.
Click here for the discussion guide.
September's Reading Roundup: Top Picks from
Indie Next, LibraryReads, Target and Costco
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.
This month's Indie Next titles include GEORGE AND LIZZIE by “America’s librarian” Nancy Pearl, an emotionally riveting debut novel about an unlikely marriage at a crossroads; THE HEART’S INVISIBLE FURIES, John Boyne’s sweeping, heartfelt saga about the course of one man's life, beginning and ending in post-war Ireland; and THE RESURRECTION OF JOAN ASHBY by first-time novelist Cherise Wolas, a story about sacrifice and motherhood, and the burdens of expectation and genius.
Library Reads is spotlighting Celeste Ng's LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE, a compelling novel that traces the intertwined fates of the picture-perfect Richardson family and the enigmatic mother and daughter who upend their lives; HANNA WHO FELL FROM THE SKY by award-winning author Christopher Meades, a magical, provocative tale of forbidden love and one girl's struggle for liberation; and THE CHILD FINDER, a haunting novel from Rene Denfeld about an investigator who must use her unique insights to find a missing little girl.
Click here for the complete roundup.
Our Most Popular Book Group Selections for
August's "What's Your Book Group Reading
This Month?" Contest
September’s New in Paperback Roundups
on Bookreporter.com
September’s roundup of New in Paperback fiction titles includes MOONGLOW by Michael Chabon, a novel of truth and lies, family legends and existential adventure --- and the forces that work to destroy us; David Baldacci’s THE FIX, which marks the return of the detective who can forget nothing, Amos Decker, who previously starred in MEMORY MAN and THE LAST MILE; THE WONDER by Emma Donoghue, in which an English nurse who is brought to a small Irish village to observe what appears to be a miracle --- a girl said to have survived without food for months --- soon finds herself fighting to save the child's life; and VICTORIA, the nationally bestselling novel by Daisy Goodwin, who draws on Queen Victoria’s diaries to bring the young 19th-century monarch, who would go on to reign for 63 years, richly to life.
Among our nonfiction highlights are BEING MORTAL, in which practicing surgeon Atul Gawande tackles the hardest challenge of his profession --- how medicine can improve not only life but also the process of its ending; BORN TO RUN, a revelatory memoir by legendary rock star Bruce Springsteen, who tells for the first time the story of the personal struggles that inspired his best work; THE LOST CITY OF THE MONKEY GOD, bestselling author Douglas Preston's shocking and riveting account of his pioneering journey into the unknown heart of the world's densest jungle; and BETWEEN BREATHS, Elizabeth Vargas' inspiring memoir in which she discusses her accounts of growing up with anxiety and how she dealt with it as she came of age, to her eventually turning to alcohol for relief.
See what's New in Paperback for the weeks of
September 4th, September 11th, September 18th and September 25th.
Bookreporter.com Bets On: STAY WITH ME,
YOUNG JANE YOUNG and UNRAVELING OLIVER
STAY WITH ME by Ayobami Adebayo (Fiction)
I love powerful slim novels where each page matters as the writing is streamlined and thoughtful. That is what I found reading Ayobami Adebayo’s debut novel, STAY WITH ME. It opens in the early 1980s where two university students, Yejide and Akin, have met and fallen in love. At a time when polygamy is actively practiced in Nigeria, they embrace a modern approach to relationships, vowing to have a single marriage.
- Click here to read more of Carol's commentary.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read a review.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
YOUNG JANE YOUNG by Gabrielle Zevin (Fiction)
In YOUNG JANE YOUNG, Gabrielle Zevin, who many of our readers know from THE STORIED LIFE OF A.J. FIKRY, has written a book that at its core looks at what happens when you are young and make a mistake. Well, not just any mistake, but rather you have an affair with your very high-profile boss, a Congressman, when you are an intern and you get outed for it. Where does one go on after this? Well, if you are Aviva Grossman, you leave South Florida and head to Allison Springs, Maine --- and you change your name to Jane Young and become an event planner. Yes, you are following me here, an event planner in Maine.
- Click here to read more of Carol's commentary.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read a review.
UNRAVELING OLIVER by Liz Nugent (Psychological Thriller)
About six months ago, I read an advance copy of Liz Nugent’s UNRAVELING OLIVER in a few hours while my husband was watching a golf match in the other room. I was so excited about it that it’s been hard to not have it in stores to share with our readers until a couple of weeks ago. What kept me plastered to that couch? Liz’s plotting chops as they produced one reveal after the next. One really does unravel Oliver Ryan from page one. Ahhhh Oliver!
- Click here to read more of Carol's commentary.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read a review.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here for more books we're betting you'll love.
Bookreporter.com's Suspense/Thriller Author
Spotlight & Contest: BEST DAY EVER by Kaira Rouda
We have 50 copies of BEST DAY EVER by Kaira Rouda --- a gripping, tautly suspenseful tale of deception and betrayal --- to give away to readers who would like to read the book, which releases on September 19th, and share their comments on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, September 21st at noon ET.
BEST DAY EVER by Kaira Rouda (Psychological Thriller)
Paul Strom has the perfect life: a glittering career as an advertising executive, a beautiful wife, two healthy boys and a big house in a wealthy suburb. And he's the perfect husband: breadwinner, protector, provider. That's why he's planned a romantic weekend for his wife, Mia, at their lake house, just the two of them. And he's promised today will be the best day ever.
But as Paul and Mia drive out of the city and toward the countryside, a spike of tension begins to wedge itself between them and doubts start to arise. How much do they trust each other? And how perfect is their marriage, or any marriage, really?
Forcing us to ask ourselves just how well we know those who are closest to us, BEST DAY EVER crackles with dark energy, spinning ever tighter toward its shocking conclusion. In the bestselling, page-turning vein of THE COUPLE NEXT DOOR and THE DINNER, Kaira Rouda weaves a gripping, tautly suspenseful tale of deception and betrayal dark enough to destroy a marriage…or a life.
Click here to read more in our Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight
and enter the contest.
Announcing Bookreporter.com's Fall Preview
Contests and Feature
Fall is known as the biggest season of the year for books. The titles that release during this latter part of the year often become holiday gifts, and many are blockbusters. To celebrate the arrival of fall, we are spotlighting a number of outstanding books that we know people will be talking about in the days and months to come.
We will be hosting a series of 24-hour contests for these titles on select days in September and October, so you will have to check the site each day to see the featured prize book and enter to win. We also are sending a special newsletter to announce the day's title, which you can sign up for here.
This year's featured titles are:
Click here to read all the contest details
and learn more about our featured titles.
Enter Our Ongoing Bookreporter.com Contests:
"Word of Mouth" and "Sounding Off on Audio"
The following guides are now available on ReadingGroupGuides.com:
ANY DREAM WILL DO by Debbie Macomber (Fiction)
Beloved and bestselling author Debbie Macomber returns with a powerful stand-alone novel about a woman forced to start her life anew, embarking on the most courageous journey of all --- to a place where she learns what love and trust really mean.
LOVE AND OTHER CONSOLATION PRIZES by Jamie Ford (Historical Fiction)
From the bestselling author of HOTEL ON THE CORNER OF BITTER AND SWEET comes a powerful novel, inspired by a true story, about a boy whose life is transformed at Seattle’s epic 1909 World’s Fair.
THE OTHER ALCOTT by Elise Hooper (Historical Fiction)
Elise Hooper’s debut novel conjures the fascinating, untold story of May Alcott --- Louisa’s youngest sister and an artist in her own right.
SING, UNBURIED, SING by Jesmyn Ward (Fiction)
Drawing on Morrison and Faulkner, THE ODYSSEY and the Old Testament, Jesmyn Ward gives us an epochal story, a journey through Mississippi’s past and present that is both an intimate portrait of a family and an epic tale of hope and struggle.
STAY WITH ME by Ayobami Adebayo (Fiction)
This celebrated, unforgettable first novel, shortlisted for the prestigious Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction and set in Nigeria, gives voice to both husband and wife as they tell the story of their marriage --- and the forces that threaten to tear it apart.
SWING TIME by Zadie Smith (Fiction)
A New York Times bestseller, finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction, and longlisted for the Man Booker Prize, SWING TIME is an ambitious, exuberant novel moving from North West London to West Africa, from the multi-award-winning author of WHITE TEETH and ON BEAUTY.
Please note that these titles, for which we already had the guides when they released in hardcover, are now available in paperback:
BEING MORTAL: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande (Health/Medicine)
In the New York Times #1 bestseller BEING MORTAL, Atul Gawande tackles the hardest challenge of his profession: how medicine can not only improve life but also the process of its ending.
BOOKS FOR LIVING: Some Thoughts on Reading, Reflecting, and Embracing Life by Will Schwalbe (Memoir/Literature)
For Will Schwalbe, reading is a way to entertain himself but also to make sense of the world, and to find the answers to life’s questions big and small. In each chapter, he discusses a particular book and how it relates to concerns we all share.
LOVE WARRIOR: A Memoir by Glennon Doyle (Memoir)
A memoir of betrayal and self-discovery by bestselling author Glennon Doyle, LOVE WARRIOR is a gorgeous and inspiring account of how we are all born to be warriors: strong, powerful and brave; able to confront the pain and claim the love that exists for us all.
This Month's Poll: Not Liking Your
Book Group Read --- What Do You Do?
If you don't like a book that you're reading for your book group, what do you typically do?
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I finish the book so I can participate in the discussion.
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I skim the rest of the book so I can participate in the discussion.
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I stop reading the book, but try to participate in the discussion as much as I can.
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I stop reading the book and just listen in on the discussion.
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I stop reading the book and don't attend the discussion.
Click here to vote in the poll by Tuesday, October 10th at noon ET.
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