Need Some Good Book Ideas for Book Club

My favorite from last year was "Water for Elephants." We also just read a memoir entitled "The Glass Castle" that made for a good discussion.

I really like intelligent mysteries that don't relish the graphic details too much and have recently gotten hooked on P.D. James. She's a british writer (was formerly a judge I believe) - very smart and doesn't write down to her audience. She also writes more genres than mysteries but I haven't gotten to them all yet. I've also seen several recommendations for the Red Tent. That is a wonderful book that any woman would enjoy. Have you considered revisiting some of the classics? Like Jane Eyre or To Kill a Mockingbird (two of my favorites) or anything by the Brontes sisters?

Check out this website for a book called " Same kind of different as me" It's a wonderful book and written by someone local to DFW.

http://www.samekindofdifferentasme.com/

Good luck!

Our book club tries to include different types of books, fiction/nonfiction/historical/classic. Some of my favorites have already been listed, but here are some more suggestions you may enjoy:
The Guernsey Literary and Potatoe Peel Pie Society by MaryAnn Shaffer, Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout, Girl with the Pearl Earring by Tracy Cheveleir (sp?), Eat,Pray,Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, Coal Mine by Tawni O'dell, Devil in the Junior League by Linda Francis Lee. Anything by Lorna Landvick (someone already suggested Angry Housewives Eating Bonbons...that book made me want to join a bookclub!) Jodi Piccoult is very good and socially relevant. Last Lecture by Randy Pausch is SO inspiring, The Middle Place by Kelly Corrigan is funny and inspiring. Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt made for great discussion.

Reading and discussing local authors is a good idea, sometimes they will make an appearance at your meeting or at least agree to a phone call. I've emailed authors for discussion questions and have never been disappointed so far.

Good Luck and happy reading!!

I also would suggest My Sisters Keeper - or any of Jodi Picoults books. My club read The secret Life of Bees and plan a movie night this summer - and again once My Sisters Keeper comes out on DVD (This will be a huge tear jerker I am sure!).
The first book we read was -Angry Housewives eating Bonbons.
I use goodreads.com and have just started trying to figure out a bookclub site called bookmovement.com
Have fun!

Our bookclub fits in a few classics as well as the fun novels--some I have loved and would recommend are "Laddie" by Gene Stratton-Porter and "the Virginian" by Owen Wister. Another favorite of mine (although not a classic) is a trilogy by Shannan Hale: The Goose Girl, Enna Burning, and River Secrets. Happy Reading!

For good, light summer reading I recommend either Jodi Picoult or Elizabeth Berg. I love both of these authors and love the discussion they create. Especially Jodi Picoult -- the subject matter of her books is completely thought-provoking. I've been reading all of her books over the past year and can't get to the bookstore fast enough to pick up the next one!

Holly had the same question on June 5th. You may want to flip back and see what she got. This is the list I gave her:

Persian Pickle Club by Sandra Dallas
One Thousand White Women: The Journals of May Dodd
by Jim Fergus
Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Ann Monk
The Red Tent by Anita Diamant

I just had recommended to me this week:
My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
Mudbound by Hilary Jordon

I did not read the responses so I apologize if I repeat. If you want something funny that is laugh out loud at times then I suggest Janet Evonovich. She has a series of about 7 books called the Plum series. Its about a girl who lost her job in the retail business and went to work for her uncle as a bounty hunter. Her days trying to catch criminals and all the trouble she gets into. She is so funny I couldn't put the books down.

The TWILIGHT series by Stephanie Meyer is absolutely amazing-- you can not put them down!!!

Well, I have just finished reading an insanely enjoyable book entitled "The Occasionally Disgusting Adventures of Brian and Sprig" and let me tell you that it is just insanely funny. Written by some British Author calling himself 'Myriad Sprite', although I don't suppose for a minute that that's their real name.
It's hard to categorize what genre it's in - I guess it's fantasy/humor/off-beat, since it's full of mad and fantastical situations and characters. Anyway, it contains a lot of offbeat twisted British humor with some really 'out-there' characters and situations. There's sex, violence, romance and like the book says the occasionally disgusting. I think the Author has some issues to be honest. It's sort of manic in the way it's written, but reads fast and easy, and had me laughing out loud on my train ride's home. I actually blew a snot-bubble out of my nose the other day - no lie. Very funny stuff, although it might be a little rude/distasteful for some - matter of opinion I suppose. The title should be a guide to what's inside. All in all I can't remember a book I’ve read that's been anything like this one - which I think is a recommendation in itself.

Here are some of my favorite book club reads:
Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
Life of Pi by Yann Martel
My Sisters Keeper by Jodi Picoult
The Red Tent by Anita Diamont
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova (it's long, but really good!)
The YaYa Sisterhood by Rebecca Wells

I just read some of the other reponses and wanted to second a few that weren't on my list: Water for Elephants (SO good!!!) & The Kite Runner

'The Shack' - absolutely wonderful fiction book about a father coming to terms with the loss of his daughter and his relationship with God.
'Same Kind of Different as Me' - riveting true story about a millionaire art dealer and a homeless black man & how they became friends.
Red Glove Series (4 books) - Uplifting stories

Love all the suggestions from A P and Patty. Water for Elephants is also good. It was my pick this month for my book club and I chose "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" by JOnathon Saffron Foer and I am LOVING it. Our last pick was "Revolutionary Road" and a lot of good discussion came out of it. For a little darker fare, Cormac McCarthy's "The Road" is an absolute masterpiece. Good luck!

Facebook has an application called We Read (used to be iRead). I collect my reads there, and look to see what my friends who also have that app are reading. Our MOMS Club is also doing a monthly book club with someone recomending a book every month then hosting the discussion at her house.

We are just starting one on the book The Power of a Positive Mom by Karol Ladd. She is a Dallas based author...the book is very good and has a christian based philosophy. I'd highly recommend it. You can also purchase the DVD book study series for less than $15 and it has 8 sessions you can watch and then discuss.

Hi R.,

I just read "Same Kind of Different as Me" and found it thought-provoking on many different levels. I think you would enjoy discussing it!

Have fun,

M.

P.S. I am building a team of 5 financially free champions
over the next 2-5 years. Want to be one of them?
Email me through Mamasource if you are ready for change!

Not sure what kind of books you like but my favorite right now are the Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charlaine Harris. They even based a new show on them called True Blood thats on HBO. 2nd Season starts this sunday. I love them! Already read all of them 2 times now! Even my FIL reads them and watches the show. Its about a young waitress in Louisiana that gets involved with a Vampire. The vampires have come out to the world and now others are as well including werewolves etc. They are really great! I also love Dean Koontz books. My 3 favorite are Odd Thomas, Brother Odd and Forever Odd. (Trilogy)

Here are some I've read on my own or with my book club over the last 2 years. Enjoy!!

Title Author
Night Ellie Weisel
When Rabbit Howls Truddi Chase
Angry Housewives Eating Bons Bons Lorna Landvik
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Mark Haddon
Kite Runner Khaled Hosseini
A Girl Named Zippy Haven Kimmel
Reading Lolita in Tehran
Devil in the White City Eric Larson
Freakanomics
No Country for Old Men Cormac McCarthy
Memory Keeper's Daughter Kim Edwards
Blue Shoe Anne Lamont
Mother of Pearl Melinda Haynes
Parallel Play Thomas Rayfiel
Love is a Mixed Tape Rob Sheffield
The Omnivore's Dilemma Michael Pollan
Redeeming Love Francine Rivers
The Secret Life of Bees Sue Monk Kidd
What the Dead Know Laura Lippmann
The Red Tent Anita Diamont
The Pact Jodi Picult
True Evil Greg Iles
Wicked Gregory Macguire
700 Sundays Billy Crystal
Crunchy Cons Rod Dreher
Durable Goods Elizabeth Berg
Water for Elephants Sara Gruen
Life of Pi Yann Martel
The Secret Lives of the Sushi Club Christy Yorke
Friday Night Knitting Club Kate Jacobs
The Best American Short Stories 2007 various
The Guardians Ana Castillo
The Driftless Area Tom Drury
Dreams of My Father Barack Obama
A Mercy Toni Morrison
The Heretic's Daughter Kathleen Kent
The Mermaid Chair Sue Monk Kidd
Never Let Me Go Kazuo Ishiguro
The Other Side of the Bridge Mary Lawson
The Diving Bell and the Buterfly Jean-Dominique Bauby
Saving Drowning Fish Amy Tan
March Gerladine Brooks
The Little Friend Donna Tartt
Thirteen Moons Charles Frazier
Bitter is the New Black Jen Lancaster
Are you Afraid of the Dark Sidney Sheldon
The Bonesetter's Daughter Amy Tan
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn Betty Smith
The No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Alexander McCall Smith
Eat,Pray Love Elizabeth Gilbert