2. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart - This is a book you want to talk about but can only talk about with people who have actually read the book. I had joined an online bookclub that did this one but I didn't do very well at actually participating so I missed my chance.
3. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier - So much to discuss with this one. What really happened to Rebecca? Is it possible to feel sympathetic towards her? Is it possible to not want to shake the narrator and tell her to develop a backbone?
4. The Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie - This is another one that has a lot of discussion points. I don't want to say to much because I don't want to spoil it for anyone who hasn't read it. There are a lot of legal and morale arguments that take place in the book, Also, do you agree with Poirot's decision?
5. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie - The main question for this one would be did Agatha cheat? This was quite a controversial book when it was printed and it'd be interesting to hear what everyone thinks.
7. Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader by Anne Fadiman - a lot of fabulous bookish discussions could come from this one! How people treat their books. Who writes in them and who breaks out in hives at the thought? Really the topics could go on for ages.
8. A Fifty-Year Silence: Love, War and a Ruined House in France by Miranda Richmond Mouillot - This book made me think a lot about my own family and how secrets and family history affect present day generations. I think it would lead to interesting discussions.
9. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl - This would be a great book for any food themed book club meetings. Plus you can compare the books to the movies and talk about who is your favorite Willy Wonka.
10. Goodnight June by Sarah Jio - Partly I just love this book but I also think there would be some good discussion points here. What options could June try to avoid selling the bookstore? What childhood books are important and how to they stay with us as we grow up. That kind of thing.
So what makes a good book club book and what would you want to read?
I tried listening to Gone Girl on audio but it didn't work for me. It sounds good though so I do want to read it.
ReplyDeleteI can definitely see how Gone Girl would not work well in audio. I enjoyed it but it was definitely different!
DeleteYou have some great books on your list and happily several that I've read. My mystery book group discussed both GONE GIRL and REBECCA. GONE GIRL was a lively discussion and it turned out most of us did not like the book and we said so, vigorously. LOL
ReplyDeleteThe REBECCA discussion went a different direction than I had anticipated. When I selected the book, I'd surmised that most had already read it before or at least seen the movie. Turned out I was wrong and it was not as well liked as I'd guessed. Many felt that it was a romance. Me, I'm in the Alfred Hitchcock camp. Still a good discussion.
I'm going to think about THE MONOGRAM MURDERS, maybe with encouraging members to also read another Poirot book for comparison. Look forward to your review. Our mystery group is beginning our 8th year together and it has been so much fun. Look forward to many more years.
I really would not consider Rebecca a romance so I guess I'm in in the Hitchcock camp! I think reading a Poirot and The Monogram Murders would be great fun. So far I'm enjoying Monogram but it definitely has a very different feel than Christie's books.
DeleteThe Monogram Murders sounds really good and it would definitely make for a good discussion with other book/Agatha Christie lovers. Great list! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm really enjoying Monogram Murders though it is very different. I think it'd be a fun meeting.
DeleteGone Girl is such a good choice and is on my list as well- books with plenty of twists and interpretations are really the best kind to get into a discussion about. Rebecca works for that as well- the best kind of book club books are the polarizing ones! :)
ReplyDeleteDefinitely polarizing books are best! In one book club we ended up reading a cute chick lit book which was a good read but there was nothing to talk about! Most boring meeting ever!
DeleteGreat list - I especially like your first three! Those would generate some interesting discussions!
ReplyDeleteCheck out my TTT.
Thanks! I'd really love to read We Were Liars in a book club setting. So much to talk about!
DeleteOoooo, Rebecca! That would be a great book club book, and definitely something I would enjoy reading (again) and discussing.
ReplyDeleteI've been wanting to read Rebecca again lately. I get a different perspective every time I read it!
DeleteWe Were Liars is definitely a good pick. Can definitely pick that book apart. And I also feel like it's one that will have varying opinions. Which is good because that invites discussion. Which is the whole point of a book club.
ReplyDeleteThe only other one I've read is Charlie. But I'd definitely agree with Gone Girl and Rebecca being great discussion pieces.
Good list this week. Happy reading!
Brittany @ This is the Story of My(Reading) Life
I know the reviews for We Were Liars were all over the map so I'd love to really talk about it with other people who have read it!
DeleteI'd read 4, 5 & 9. :)
ReplyDeleteI'd definitely recommend them!
DeleteI'm going to read Rebecca this year but I've seen a film version already. I'm very excited about it and I think it would be interesting to discuss. I second your Agatha Christie choices also. The ending of the Murder of Roger Ackroyd really surprised me when I read it!
ReplyDeletehttp://youmeandacupofteablog.blogspot.com/2015/01/top-ten-books-id-love-to-read-with-book.html
I think you'll enjoy Rebecca! It's definitely full of twists and turns and Mrs. Danvers is so creepy!
DeleteI loved that you added Charlie & the Chocolate Factory... I read that book several times as a kid!
ReplyDeleteHere’s a link to my TTT post for the week: http://captivatedreader.blogspot.com/2015/01/top-ten-tuesday-ten-books-id-love-to.html
I've seen the movies but only read the book this year. I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to reading The Glass Elevator.
DeleteGoodnight June is an awesome choice! I so want to read that! The discussion you could have about childhood reading would be so fun!
ReplyDeleteRead it!! I loved it! Definitely a feel good wonderful book.
DeleteGreat choices - I was wishing for a book club discussion after finishing We Were Liars. Would love to reread it now that I know the ending.
ReplyDeleteI know! I wanted to call someone who had read it but I didn't know the number of anyone who had and it was 2am!
DeleteGreat choices! One of my bookclubs read The Tortilla Curtain by TC Boyle and it sparked a lot of discussion.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read The Tortilla Curtain! I need to check that one out!
DeleteI have heard good things about We Were Liars. I'll have to check it out! Thank you for stopping by. :)
ReplyDeleteWe Were Liars was an interesting read!
DeleteI am definitely interested in We Were Liars! I need to read that at some point! I'm not sure about Gone Girl, but maybe I'll give it a try someday!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed We Were Liars and it's a quick read. I really liked Gone Girl but it's definitely not for everyone!
DeleteAgreed on Rebecca and Murder on the Orient Express! I'd love an excuse to read another Christie, especially I wasn't wowed by the first (And Then There Were None), and I want to make sure it wasn't just a fluke.
ReplyDeleteAnd ditto on wanting to join other serious readers! There's a local book club that I keep meaning to check out, but I do worry that we wouldn't actually talk about the book. :P
DeleteAnd Then There Were None is different from all of her other books. Have you tried any of her short stories? Poirot Investigates and Tuesday Club Murders are two great ones that could give you a feel for 2 main detectives without to much of a time commitment. The social aspect is a lot of fun but I do enjoy the book talk!
DeleteThis looks like a great list, Gone Girl of course seems like it was made for discussion and I'm really curious about the craziness, so I may have to read it. I can imagine there would be many differing opinions!
ReplyDeleteI'd be interested in hearing your opinion of Gone Girl. It's a whole bunch of crazy!
DeleteThis looks like a great list, Gone Girl of course seems like it was made for discussion and I'm really curious about the craziness, so I may have to read it. I can imagine there would be many differing opinions!
ReplyDeleteI really like your list. We Were Liars is perfect for discussion, mainly due to THAT ending :) I also want to start reading Christie and really want to read Gone Girl and more books like that so I'd definitely join your book club :)
ReplyDeleteThanks! It'd be a great one! I'd love to discuss THAT ending! So many ways to see it.
DeleteI enjoyed reading your list, Katherine. Gone Girl would make a great book club read, I think. I thought the ending fit well with the book--but it was so disturbing just the same. Rebecca made my list--but I haven't read it yet.
ReplyDeleteThe ending was definitely disturbing but like you I thought it fit. That's all kind of crazy. Read Rebecca! I'd love to hear your take on it.
DeleteI would hope that if I were in a book club and the discussion got heated, that I would be able to say that I played the peacemaker. But I'd be lying. Any book that causes that kind of emotion is good in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree! I love books where everyone is invested.
DeleteJust got back from vacation and wish I had posted this Top Ten Tuesday!! There are so many books that I would love to read with a book club. I honestly wish I could find a real life book club somewhere! Just need to find some people who read.
ReplyDeleteI would love to find a great book club too! It's so fun to talk about bookish stuff!
DeleteInteresting list! I have a couple of those I wouldn't mind checking out. My book club is strictly romance and we just go for fun on a monthly theme like foodie romances or pirates or such. :)
ReplyDeleteMy book club chose Gone Girl one month...and then I was the only one who actually finished it. I was so mad that I couldn't discuss it with anyone!
ReplyDelete