Finally Fall...Time to Plan 2018!
In the office, this is the time of year when we start thinking ahead and planning for next year. With that in mind, we are asking, “What would you like to see on RGG that you are not seeing now?” Shoot me a note at [email protected] with the subject line “Add This to RGG” and we will consider it!
In our last update, I noted that HILLBILLY ELEGY had been a popular book group selection, and I asked for feedback about your discussions. Bernie wrote, "Our Yacht Club has SEVEN book clubs. I’m in five of them, and we’ve discussed HILLBILLY ELEGY in two clubs (both are multi-genre clubs, so it was the nonfiction choice). This book has elicited the richest discussions we’ve had in these two clubs.
The discussion leader of the first meeting came to me about a week before our discussion and was concerned the book might trigger a political argument since many reviews she read talked about the book being 'polarizing' or 'political' and that worried her. We agreed we would announce a politics-free zone at the beginning and direct everyone to talk about the book/ideas/concepts/facts for what they were without “personalizing” opinions by political affiliation. This group (as the other) is a microcosm of the country (50/50 liberal/conservative). Both groups are populated by very accomplished women from all walks of life: retired bank presidents, insurance executives, teachers, realtors, pilots, publishers, hospital administrators, White House personnel, corporate execs, etc. The first group to discuss the book had been in existence for six years, so 70+ book discussions later, I can say it was the best discussion we’d had to date. In fact, the honesty, courtesy and consideration of the discussion led to a greater friendship among the members.
The second group also had a very rich discussion. During book selection in that group, many said they wanted to read it. The club leader said no, but she was overridden. Unfortunately, the book club’s leader was so angry she boycotted the meeting. It was still a very rich discussion.”
Becki also wrote about her group’s discussion: “Many of our group grew up in working class families who strived to provide many more opportunities for their children. We became white collar professionals, dedicated to philanthropy and serving our community and too often rearing the entitled generation. As our financial situation became more secure, we seem to have developed a mindset that we had the answers. The book reminded us that we don’t have the only right answers. The authors' perspective on pay day loans, the benefit of military experience and the role of community churches in providing hope and future in at-risk families was illuminating.”
I also asked about books that had illuminated an issue for your group or whether your group had read outside your comfort zone. Michelle wrote, “I just love your newsletter. Our book club read THE SOUND OF GRAVEL this month, a nonfiction book about polygamy, and last month THE DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY, another nonfiction book about the Chicago World’s Fair. Both of these were very good reads.”
Laurie from Hilton Head, SC, wrote, “Our last book of the season last June was to be THE END OF YOUR LIFE BOOK CLUB. We decided that it was not something we wanted to deal with, so I suggested we read a light, funny book: THE 100-YEAR-OLD MAN WHO CLIMBED OUT THE WINDOW AND DISAPPEARED. I had read it and found it humorous. The group was quite divided. Some agreed with me. But others took it more literally and had an "Oh come on, that could never happen" attitude. They felt it was just too out there. But, as you know, some of the best discussions occur when everyone doesn't agree about a book. So I was not unhappy that I had suggested it."
She continued saying, “Our next book is BEING MORTAL by Atul Gawande. It has surely made me think about aging and decisions that should probably be made before one is suddenly faced with a crisis. I know that some of our members will not read this book and will not attend the meeting. I understand that for some of us, it hits too close to home. Hopefully they will be able to read this important book at a later time. Thank you for all you do for us book lovers!"
Terri wrote, “I am able to answer both questions with LILAC GIRLS. I love historical fiction, which is one genre my book club is hesitant to read. I found the story informative and fascinating, as did my book club. It has been our most popular book to date this year. In fact, it was such a hit that our next book is BEFORE WE WERE YOURS.”
Judy, who is a longtime reader, wrote, “I am in two book clubs, and I just came from one and wanted to recommend this to you. Brian Platzer, the author of BED-STUY IS BURNING, came to our meeting to discuss this novel, his first, with us. The discussion was most enlightening, and I thought of sharing this with you. Brian moved to Bedford Stuyvesant with his family. They are the only white family on his block. I really liked the book, and it provided a lot of interesting feedback.” Reading Judy’s note reminded me that I heard Brian speak about this book prior to its publication. I asked him about what his neighbors' reactions had been to it, and he said they were appreciative in how they were portrayed.
Andrew wrote, ”Our book club read two books by William Forstchen: ONE SECOND AFTER and ONE YEAR AFTER. The books, although novels, deal with the destruction of the US power grid by an EMD and the aftermath of the situation. The discussion that ensued at the book club was among the most lively and caused us to do more research into the possibility of it actually happening and what we would do if faced with the situation. We also are preparing to read two more books on the topic .
Now to our latest update...
Remember to enter our special contest for ODD CHILD OUT, a new psychological thriller from Gilly Macmillan, who received an Edgar nomination for her debut novel, WHAT SHE KNEW. We have 10 copies to give away; to enter, please fill out this form by Wednesday, November 8th at noon ET. When I was at the Morristown Festival of Books, I asked one of the uber readers who plans the festival who she would like to see there, and one of her first choices was Gilly. It's tough to get her there since she lives in the UK.
Also continuing is our latest “What’s Your Book Group Reading This Month?” contest, where three groups will win 12 copies of MUDBOUND, Hillary Jordan’s award-winning debut novel that will be adapted into a film, releasing on Netflix and in select theaters on November 17th. To enter, please fill out the form on this page by Wednesday, November 8th at noon ET.
In our previous “What’s Your Book Group Reading This Month?” contest, here are the five books mentioned most frequently as titles that our book groups read: SMALL GREAT THINGS by Jodi Picoult, the aforementioned HILLBILLY ELEGY: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D. Vance, THE WOMAN IN CABIN 10 by Ruth Ware, A MAN CALLED OVE by Fredrik Backman, and the aforementioned BEFORE WE WERE YOURS by Lisa Wingate. Rounding out the top 15 are HOMEGOING by Yaa Gyasi, NEWS OF THE WORLD by Paulette Jiles, THE TEA GIRL OF HUMMINGBIRD LANE by Lisa See, THE WOMEN IN THE CASTLE by Jessica Shattuck, A GENTLEMAN IN MOSCOW by Amor Towles, THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN by Paula Hawkins, THE HANDMAID'S TALE by Margaret Atwood, THE NEST by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney, MY BRILLIANT FRIEND by Elena Ferrante, and THE OTHER EINSTEIN by Marie Benedict.
A MAN CALLED OVE, which released over three years ago, continues to be a popular book group selection, as you can see from the results above. That’s why we’re especially excited about a new Facebook Live Book Club project from Off the Shelf, where you’ll have the opportunity to win a complete set of Fredrik Backman’s books. Scroll further down the newsletter for all the details!
We have three new discussion guides to tell you about. First up is MERRY AND BRIGHT, another delightful holiday novel from Debbie Macomber. For those of you looking for a holiday read to discuss, this may be it! Merry Knight is busy taking care of her family, preparing for the holidays, and trying not to upset her overbearing boss at the consulting firm where she temps. She’s not even thinking about her social life, much less having a man in her life. Unbeknownst to her, Merry’s well-meaning mom and brother create an online dating profile for her (leaving out her photo), and the matches start rolling in. Soon Merry finds herself chatting with a charming stranger. But meeting face-to-face is far more intimidating, and her special friend is the last person Merry expects --- or desires. Click here for the guide and here for our review on Bookreporter.com.
Next up is THE RULES OF MAGIC, which is the prequel to Alice Hoffman’s 1995 bestseller, PRACTICAL MAGIC. For the Owens family, love is a curse that began in 1620, when Maria Owens was charged with witchery for loving the wrong man. Hundreds of years later, in New York City at the cusp of the ’60s, Susanna Owens knows that her three children are dangerously unique. She sets down rules for them, the most important of which is to never fall in love. But when her children visit their Aunt Isabelle, in the small Massachusetts town where the Owens family has been blamed for everything that has ever gone wrong, they uncover family secrets and begin to understand the truth of who they are. Back in New York City, each begins a risky journey as they try to escape the family curse. Click here for the guide, and don’t miss our Bookreporter.com review and an interview with Hoffman.
Our final new guide for this update is PUPCAKES by Annie England Noblin. Brydie Benson has been dealing with enough lately, namely her messy divorce and sudden move. The last thing she needs is an overweight, depressed and nearly homeless pug named Teddy Roosevelt, who shows up on her doorstep, along with his owner, the Germantown Retirement Village’s toughest customer, Pauline Neumann. But then a lightbulb goes off in Brydie’s head: Why not combine her baking skills with her new-found dog knowledge? This leads to the creation of her very own store called Pupcakes. And along with this fresh start comes a possible new love, in the form of Nathan Reid, a local doctor with a sassy Irish Wolfhound named Sasha. Although discussion questions aren’t available, we’re featuring various recipes from the book that could be perfect for your next book group meeting --- especially with the holidays fast approaching.
Speaking of book club meetings, our latest poll asks how many of your book group members typically attend a meeting. Click here to let us know!
Earlier this year, Roz Shea reviewed Richard Mason’s novel, WHO KILLED PIET BAROL?, for Bookreporter.com. She loved the book so much that she wanted to discuss it with her book group. So we made a special arrangement for the publisher to send her group enough copies of the book for their discussion, which happened earlier this month. We’re happy to share an interview we conducted with Roz, where she talks about the composition of her group, why she felt the need to discuss the book with them, and what their reactions to the book were after finishing it.
John Shors is the internationally bestselling and award-winning author of BENEATH A MARBLE SKY and UNBOUND, among other works of historical fiction. In an effort to provide readers with an unparalleled travel experience, John launched John Shors Travel in 2014. Through his tour company, he has led small groups of travelers on adventures all over the world to the settings in his novels, including India, China, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia. In this blog piece, John talks about the origin of these unique literary tours and how wonderful it has been to travel with his readers. What a fun and educational outing this would be, especially for book groups!
Read on for lots more, including what I’ll be doing at the Miami Book Fair in a couple of weeks. And if any of you are planning to attend the Boston Book Festival this weekend, let me know! We'd love to hear about your experience there, especially with authors of interest to book groups.
Whew…this has been a very full update. Enjoy your group’s discussion.
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!
Special Contest: Enter to Win a Copy of
ODD CHILD OUT by Gilly Macmillan
We are celebrating the release of ODD CHILD OUT by Gilly Macmillan, a psychological thriller that asks the question How well do you know the people you love?, with a special contest that will give 10 readers the chance to win a copy of the book, which is now available. To enter, please fill out this form by Wednesday, November 8th at noon ET.
ODD CHILD OUT by Gilly Macmillan (Psychological Thriller/Mystery)
Best friends Noah Sadler and Abdi Mahad have always been inseparable. But when Noah is found floating unconscious in Bristol's Feeder Canal, Abdi can't --- or won't --- tell anyone what happened.
Just back from a mandatory leave following his last case, Detective Jim Clemo is now assigned to look into this unfortunate accident. But tragedy strikes, and what looked like the simple case of a prank gone wrong soon ignites into a public battle. Noah is British. Abdi is a Somali refugee. And social tensions have been rising rapidly in Bristol. Against this background of fear and fury, two families fight for their sons and for the truth. Neither of them know how far they will have to go, what demons they will have to face, what pain they will have to suffer.
Because the truth hurts.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
- Click here to read a review on Bookreporter.com.
Click here to enter the contest.
"What's Your Book Group Reading This Month?" Contest: Enter to Win 12 Copies of the Movie Tie-In Edition of
MUDBOUND by Hillary Jordan 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 movie tie-in edition of MUDBOUND, in which two men --- one black and one white --- forge a friendship in racially divided post-World War II Mississippi based on their shared war experiences. First published in 2008, this award-winning debut novel by Hillary Jordan will be adapted into a film, releasing on Netflix and in select theaters on November 17th. To enter, please fill out the form on this page by Wednesday, November 8th at noon ET.
MUDBOUND by Hillary Jordan (Historical Fiction)
In Hillary Jordan's prize-winning debut, prejudice takes many forms, both subtle and brutal.
It is 1946, and city-bred Laura McAllan is trying to raise her children on her husband's Mississippi Delta farm --- a place she finds foreign and frightening. In the midst of the family's struggles, two young men return from the war to work the land. Jamie McAllan, Laura's brother-in-law, is everything her husband is not --- charming, handsome and haunted by his memories of combat. Ronsel Jackson, eldest son of the black sharecroppers who live on the McAllan farm, has come home with the shine of a war hero. But no matter his bravery in defense of his country, he is still considered less than a man in the Jim Crow South. It is the unlikely friendship of these brothers-in-arms that drives this powerful novel to its inexorable conclusion.
The men and women of each family relate their versions of events, and we are drawn into their lives as they become players in a tragedy on the grandest scale. As Kingsolver says of Hillary Jordan, "Her characters walked straight out of 1940s Mississippi and into the part of my brain where sympathy and anger and love reside, leaving my heart racing. They are with me still."
- Click here for the discussion guide.
Click here to enter the contest.
New Guide: MERRY AND BRIGHT by Debbie Macomber
MERRY AND BRIGHT by Debbie Macomber (Romance)
Merry Smith is pretty busy these days. She’s taking care of her family, baking cookies, decorating for the holidays, and hoping to stay out of the crosshairs of her stressed and by-the-book boss at the consulting firm where she temps. Her own social life is the last thing she has in mind, much less a man. Without her knowledge, Merry’s well-meaning mom and brother create an online dating profile for her --- minus her photo --- and the matches start rolling in. Initially, Merry is incredulous, but she reluctantly decides to give it a whirl.
Soon Merry finds herself chatting with a charming stranger, a man with similar interests and an unmistakably kind soul. Their online exchanges become the brightest part of her day. But meeting face-to-face is altogether different, and her special friend is the last person Merry expects --- or desires. Still, sometimes hearts can see what our eyes cannot. In this satisfying seasonal tale, unanticipated love is only a click away.
- Click here to read a review on Bookreporter.com.
- Click here to visit Debbie Macomber's website.
Click here for the discussion guide.
New Guide: THE RULES OF MAGIC by Alice Hoffman
THE RULES OF MAGIC by Alice Hoffman (Historical Fiction)
For the Owens family, love is a curse that began in 1620, when Maria Owens was charged with witchery for loving the wrong man.
Hundreds of years later, in New York City at the cusp of the '60s, when the whole world is about to change, Susanna Owens knows that her three children are dangerously unique. Difficult Franny, with skin as pale as milk and blood red hair; shy and beautiful Jet, who can read other people’s thoughts; and charismatic Vincent, who began looking for trouble on the day he could walk.
From the start, Susanna sets down rules for her children: No walking in the moonlight, no red shoes, no wearing black, no cats, no crows, no candles, no books about magic. And most importantly, never, ever, fall in love. But when her children visit their Aunt Isabelle, in the small Massachusetts town where the Owens family has been blamed for everything that has ever gone wrong, they uncover family secrets and begin to understand the truth of who they are. Back in New York City each begins a risky journey as they try to escape the family curse.
The Owens children cannot escape love even if they try, just as they cannot escape the pains of the human heart. The two beautiful sisters will grow up to be the revered, and sometimes feared, aunts in PRACTICAL MAGIC, while Vincent, their beloved brother, will leave an unexpected legacy.
- Click here to read a review on Bookreporter.com.
- Click here to read an interview with Alice Hoffman.
Click here for the discussion guide.
Featured Guide: THE DIRTY BOOK CLUB
by Lisi Harrison
A Bookreporter.com Bets On Title
THE DIRTY BOOK CLUB by Lisi Harrison (Fiction)
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Clique series comes a novel about the importance of friendship and, of course, the pleasure of a dirty book.
M.J. Stark’s life is picture-perfect --- she has her dream job as a magazine editor, a sexy doctor boyfriend and a glamorous life in New York City. But behind her success, there is a debilitating sense of loneliness. So when her boss betrays her and her boyfriend offers her a completely new life in California, she trades her cashmere for caftans and gives it a try. Once there, M.J. is left to fend for herself in a small beach town, with only the company of her elderly neighbor, Gloria, and an ocean that won’t shut up.
One afternoon, M.J. discovers that Gloria has suddenly moved to Paris with her friends to honor a 50-year-old pact. And in lieu of a goodbye, she’s left a mysterious invitation to a secret club --- one that only reads erotic books. Curious, M.J. accepts and meets the three other hand-selected club members. As they bond over naughty bestsellers and the shocking letters they inherited from the original club members, the four strangers start to divulge the intimate details of their own lives…and as they open up, they learn that friendship might just be the key to rewriting their own stories: all they needed was to find each other first.
- Click here to read Carol's Bookreporter.com Bets On commentary.
Click here for the featured guide.
Featured Guide: THE FIRE BY NIGHT
by Teresa Messineo
THE FIRE BY NIGHT by Teresa Messineo (Historical Fiction)
In war-torn France, Jo McMahon, an Italian-Irish girl from the tenements of Brooklyn, tends to six seriously wounded soldiers in a makeshift medical unit. Enemy bombs have destroyed her hospital convoy, and now Jo singlehandedly struggles to keep her patients and herself alive in a cramped and freezing tent close to German troops. There is a growing tenderness between her and one of her patients, a Scottish officer, but Jo’s heart is seared by the pain of all she has lost and seen. Nearing her breaking point, she fights to hold on to joyful memories of the past, to the times she shared with her best friend, Kay, whom she met in nursing school.
Half a world away in the Pacific, Kay is trapped in a squalid Japanese POW camp in Manila, one of thousands of Allied men, women and children whose fates rest in the hands of a sadistic enemy. Far from the familiar safety of the small Pennsylvania coal town of her childhood, Kay clings to memories of her happy days posted in Hawaii, and the handsome flyer who swept her off her feet in the weeks before Pearl Harbor. Surrounded by cruelty and death, Kay battles to maintain her sanity and save lives as best she can...and live to see her beloved friend, Jo, once more.
When the conflict at last comes to an end, Jo and Kay discover that to achieve their own peace, they must find their place --- and the hope of love --- in a world that’s forever changed. With rich, superbly researched detail, Teresa Messineo’s thrilling novel brings to life the pain and uncertainty of war and the sustaining power of love and friendship, and illuminates the lives of the women who risked everything to save others during a horrifying time.
Click here for the featured guide.
October Releases of Interest to Book Groups
CODE GIRLS: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II by Liza Mundy (History)
Recruited by the U.S. Army and Navy from small towns and elite colleges, more than 10,000 women served as codebreakers during World War II. While their brothers and boyfriends took up arms, these women moved to Washington and learned the meticulous work of code-breaking. Their efforts shortened the war, saved countless lives, and gave them access to careers previously denied to them.
THE DEAL OF A LIFETIME by Fredrik Backman (Fiction)
It all begins with a father telling a story to his son on Christmas Eve. But this isn’t your typical Christmas story. The father admits to his son that he’s taken a life, but he won’t say whose --- not yet. One week earlier, in a hospital late at night, the man met a five-year-old girl with cancer. He is given the unexpected chance to do something selfless that could change her destiny.
THE DIRTY BOOK CLUB by Lisi Harrison (Fiction)
M.J. Stark’s life is picture-perfect, but there is a debilitating sense of loneliness behind her success. When she receives a mysterious invitation to a secret club --- one that only reads erotic books --- she accepts and meets the three other hand-selected club members. As they bond over naughty bestsellers, the four strangers start to divulge the intimate details of their own lives.
THE FIRE BY NIGHT by Teresa Messineo (Historical Fiction)
In war-torn France, Jo McMahon tends to six seriously wounded soldiers in a makeshift medical unit. There is a growing tenderness between her and one of her patients, a Scottish officer, but Jo’s heart is seared by the pain of all she has lost and seen. At the same time, her best friend Kay is trapped in a squalid Japanese POW camp in Manila. She clings to memories of her happy days posted in Hawaii, and the handsome flyer who swept her off her feet in the weeks before Pearl Harbor.
IN THE MIDST OF WINTER by Isabel Allende (Fiction)
Richard Bowmaster, a 60-year-old human rights scholar, hits the car of Evelyn Ortega --- a young, undocumented immigrant from Guatemala --- in the middle of a snowstorm in Brooklyn. What at first seems just a small inconvenience takes an unforeseen and far more serious turn when Evelyn turns up at the professor’s house seeking help. At a loss, the professor asks his tenant Lucia Maraz --- a 62-year-old lecturer from Chile --- for her advice.
LAST CHRISTMAS IN PARIS: A Novel of World War I by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb (Historical Fiction)
August 1914. England is at war. As Evie Elliott watches her brother, Will, and his best friend, Thomas Harding, depart for the front, she believes that it will be over by Christmas. But Evie and Thomas experience a very different war. Frustrated by life as a privileged young lady, Evie longs to play a greater part in the conflict, and as Thomas struggles with the unimaginable realities of war, he also faces personal battles back home where War Office regulations on press reporting cause trouble at his father’s newspaper business.
THE LAST MRS. PARRISH by Liv Constantine (Psychological Thriller)
Amber Patterson is tired of being a nobody. She deserves more --- a life of money and power like the one blond-haired, blue-eyed goddess Daphne Parrish takes for granted. To everyone in the exclusive town of Bishops Harbor, Connecticut, Daphne and her real-estate mogul husband, Jackson, are a couple straight out of a fairy tale. Amber uses Daphne’s compassion and caring to insinuate herself into the family’s life --- the first step in a meticulous scheme to undermine her.
MANHATTAN BEACH by Jennifer Egan (Historical Fiction)
Anna Kerrigan accompanies her father to visit Dexter Styles, a man who, she gleans, is crucial to the survival of her father and her family. Years later, her father has disappeared and the country is at war. One evening at a nightclub, Anna meets Dexter again, and begins to understand the complexity of her father’s life and the reasons he might have vanished.
MERRY AND BRIGHT by Debbie Macomber (Romance)
Without her knowledge, Merry Knight’s well-meaning mom and brother create an online dating profile for her --- minus her photo --- and the matches start rolling in. Soon Merry finds herself chatting with a charming stranger. But meeting face-to-face is altogether different, and her special friend is the last person Merry expects --- or desires.
ODD CHILD OUT by Gilly Macmillan (Psychological Thriller)
Best friends Noah Sadler and Abdi Mahad have always been inseparable. But when Noah is found floating unconscious in Bristol's Feeder Canal, Abdi won’t tell anyone what happened. Just back from a mandatory leave following his last case, Detective Jim Clemo is now assigned to look into this unfortunate accident. But tragedy strikes, and what looked like the simple case of a prank gone wrong soon ignites into a public battle.
THE RULES OF MAGIC by Alice Hoffman (Historical Fiction)
For the Owens family, love is a curse that began in 1620, when Maria Owens was charged with witchery for loving the wrong man. Hundreds of years later, in New York City at the cusp of the ’60s, when the whole world is about to change, Susanna Owens knows that her three children are dangerously unique. When they visit their Aunt Isabelle, the kids uncover family secrets and begin to understand the truth of who they are.
WHERE THE PAST BEGINS: A Writer's Memoir by Amy Tan (Memoir)
By delving into vivid memories of her traumatic childhood, confessions of self-doubt in her journals, and heartbreaking letters to and from her mother, Amy Tan gives evidence to all that made it both unlikely and inevitable that she would become a writer. She explores shocking truths uncovered by family memorabilia, and, for the first time publicly, writes about her complex relationship with her father, who died when she was 15.
WINTER SOLSTICE by Elin Hilderbrand (Fiction)
It's been too long since the entire Quinn family has been able to celebrate the holidays under the same roof, but that's about to change. With Bart back safe and sound from Afghanistan, the Quinns are preparing for a holiday more joyous than any they've experienced in years. But it just wouldn't be a Quinn family gathering if things went smoothly.
ReadingGroupGuides.com Blog Post:
An Interview with Roz Shea about Her Group’s Discussion of WHO KILLED PIET BAROL?
In late January, Roz Shea reviewed WHO KILLED PIET BAROL? by Richard Mason for Bookreporter.com. She loved the book so much that she wanted to discuss it with her book group. We made a special arrangement for the publisher to send her group enough copies of the book for their discussion. The catch was that she lives in Arizona, and many of her book group members are snowbirds; as she says, “They flee the desert by mid-May.” Thus she wanted to send them away with the book in hand so this discussion could be the first of the fall season. They indeed discussed the book at their first meeting of the season, and we asked Roz some questions about it.
WHO KILLED PIET BAROL? by Richard Mason (Historical Fiction)
Piet Barol was a tutor before he came to South Africa, his wife, Stacey, an opera singer. In Cape Town they are living the high life, impersonating French aristocrats --- but their lies are catching up with them. The Barols’ furniture business is on the verge of collapse, and they need cheap, top-quality wood. Piet enlists two Xhosa men to lead him into a vast forest, in search of a fabled tree. He’s sure he’ll be able to buy what he needs for a few glass trinkets. But he’s underestimating the Xhosa, who believe the spirits of their ancestors live in this sacred forest. Battle lines are drawn. When Piet’s powers of persuasion fail him, he resorts to darker, more dangerous talents to get what he is determined to have.
- Click here to read a review on Bookreporter.com.
Click here to read our interview with Roz Shea.
Join Off the Shelf’s Facebook Live Book Club Discussion of A MAN CALLED OVE --- and Win a Complete Collection of Fredrik Backman’s Books!
Off the Shelf is excited to host a Facebook Live Book Club discussion of A MAN CALLED OVE by Fredrik Backman on Friday, November 10th at noon EST. Join them at www.facebook.com/OTSBooks as they chat about this dearly beloved novel and all things Backman. Anyone who comments on the video will be entered to win a complete collection of Fredrik Backman’s books.
Click here to visit Off the Shelf's Facebook page
and join the discussion on November 10th.
The Miami Book Fair: November 12-19
Presentation for Book Groups
on Saturday the 18th at 10am!
The Miami Book Fair, now in its 34th year, is an eight-day event that kicks off Sunday, November 12th 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, November 17th, the Street Fair gets underway. 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, as well as presentations over the weekend by renowned graphic novelists and illustrators.
During Street Fair weekend, November 17-19, 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 Megan Abbott, Isabel Allende, Edwidge Danticat, Jennifer Egan, Jeffrey Eugenides, Janet Fitch, James Grippando, Carl Hiaasen, Elin Hilderbrand, Walter Isaacson, Min Jin Lee, Claire Messud, Dan Rather, Salman Rushdie, Will Schwalbe, Lisa See, Colm Tóibín, Scott Turow, and many, many more. Click here for the full list.
On Saturday, November 18th at 10am in Room 3314 in Building 3, Carol Fitzgerald will be doing a presentation featuring great book club reads for fall and winter. In addition, she will be interviewing author Ann Hood about her novel, THE BOOK THAT MATTERS MOST, and her memoir, MORNINGSTAR: Growing Up with Books, as well as her experiences talking to book groups. Click here for more details. At this program, Carol also will provide a guide to Miami Book Fair sessions of interest to book groups.
Click here for more information about the 2017 Miami Book Fair.
Bookreporter.com Special Contest: Enter to Win
an Advance Copy of ANATOMY OF A SCANDAL
by Sarah Vaughan and Share Your Comments on It
We have 25 advance copies of ANATOMY OF A SCANDAL by Sarah Vaughan --- an astonishingly incisive and suspenseful novel about a scandal amongst Britain’s privileged elite and the women caught up in its wake --- to give away to readers who would like to preview the book, which releases on January 23rd, and share their comments on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, November 9th at noon ET.
ANATOMY OF A SCANDAL by Sarah Vaughan (Thriller)
Sophie’s husband James is a loving father, a handsome man, a charismatic and successful public figure. And yet he stands accused of a terrible crime. Sophie is convinced he is innocent and desperate to protect her precious family from the lies that threaten to rip them apart.
Kate is the lawyer hired to prosecute the case: an experienced professional who knows that the law is all about winning the argument. And yet Kate seeks the truth at all times. She is certain James is guilty and is determined he will pay for his crimes.
Who is right about James? Sophie or Kate? And is either of them informed by anything more than instinct and personal experience? Despite her privileged upbringing, Sophie is well aware that her beautiful life is not inviolable. She has known it since she and James were first lovers, at Oxford, and she witnessed how easily pleasure could tip into tragedy.
Most people would prefer not to try to understand what passes between a man and a woman when they are alone: alone in bed, alone in an embrace, alone in an elevator… Or alone in the moonlit courtyard of an Oxford college, where a girl once stood before a boy, heart pounding with excitement, then fear. Sophie never understood why her tutorial partner Holly left Oxford so abruptly. What would she think, if she knew the truth?
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Enter Our Ongoing Bookreporter.com Contests:
"Word of Mouth" and "Sounding Off on Audio"
The following guides are now available on ReadingGroupGuides.com:
BEFORE WE WERE YOURS by Lisa Wingate (Fiction)
Based on one of America's most notorious real-life scandals --- in which Georgia Tann, director of a Memphis-based adoption organization, kidnapped and sold poor children to wealthy families all over the country --- Lisa Wingate's riveting, wrenching and ultimately uplifting tale reminds us how, even though the paths we take can lead to many places, the heart never forgets where we belong. Click here for a special book club kit.
THE DIRTY BOOK CLUB by Lisi Harrison (Fiction)
A dirty martini will make you admit things to other people, but a dirty book? That will make you admit things to yourself. The Dirty Book Club --- you know you want to join!
EXIT WEST by Mohsin Hamid (Fiction)
A New York Times bestseller and the latest Book Club Central pick by Sarah Jessica Parker, EXIT WEST is the astonishingly visionary love story that imagines the forces that drive ordinary people from their homes into the uncertain embrace of new lands.
THE FIRE BY NIGHT by Teresa Messineo (Historical Fiction)
A powerful and evocative debut novel about two American military nurses during World War II that illuminates the unsung heroism of women who risked their lives in the fight, THE FIRE BY NIGHT is a riveting saga of friendship, valor, sacrifice and survival combining the grit and selflessness of "Band of Brothers" with the emotional resonance of THE NIGHTINGALE.
LAST CHRISTMAS IN PARIS: A Novel of World War I by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb (Historical Fiction)
New York Times bestselling author Hazel Gaynor has joined with Heather Webb to create this unforgettably romantic novel of the Great War.
MERRY AND BRIGHT by Debbie Macomber (Romance)
Christmas is the season of the heart, and #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber is here to warm yours with a delightful holiday novel of first impressions and second chances.
ODD CHILD OUT by Gilly Macmillan (Psychological Thriller/Mystery)
Best friends Noah Sadler and Abdi Mahad have always been inseparable. But when Noah is found floating unconscious in Bristol's Feeder Canal, Abdi can't --- or won't --- tell anyone what happened. Detective Jim Clemo is assigned to look into this unfortunate accident. But tragedy strikes, and what looked like the simple case of a prank gone wrong soon ignites into a public battle.
PUPCAKES: A Christmas Novel by Annie England Noblin (Fiction)
SIT! STAY! SPEAK! author Annie England Noblin’s novel takes one woman starting over, adds an aging pug named Teddy Roosevelt, and proves the power of a well-baked dog treat.
THE RULES OF MAGIC by Alice Hoffman (Historical Fiction)
Thrilling and exquisite, real and fantastical, THE RULES OF MAGIC --- the spellbinding prequel to PRACTICAL MAGIC --- is a story about the power of love, reminding us that the only remedy for being human is to be true to yourself.
UNFORGIVABLE LOVE: A Retelling of Dangerous Liaisons by Sophfronia Scott (Historical Fiction)
UNFORGIVABLE LOVE is a vivid reimagining of the French classic DANGEROUS LIAISONS, set in the glittering, dramatic world of Harlem in the 1940s. It takes us from the grand townhomes on Lenox Avenue to the lush woods of Anselm, North Carolina, and finally to the pews of Harlem’s Mount Nebo Baptist Church, along the way shedding a new light on the source material’s classic themes of love, faith, lost innocence, betrayal and redemption.
This Month's Poll: Your Book Group’s Attendance
How many of your book group members typically attend a meeting?
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Usually all, or most
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About three-quarters
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Half
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Less than half
Click here to vote in the poll by Wednesday, November 8th at noon ET.
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