Booklists
The following booklists are divided into popular categories and titles that lend themselves to good discussions for your book group. I read many of these books and many have been suggested by my friends as good books to read. (Of course there's no guarantee as sometimes it happens that the title one group may love the next group will dislike!) One good thing about these lists is many have available discussion questions and/or reader's guides plus all have annotations! You can locate questions through the publisher's web site or go to your favorite search engine and enter the title of the book and reader's guide or discussion questions and you should find them.
Favorite Book Club Choices
There are always favorite titles for book groups to read and discuss. On this list you'll find many titles of popular reads, both ongoing favorites as well as those that are new.
Award Winners
Around the world books and authors are eligible for many awards. Listed are some of the more popular of the ongoing awards for general fiction as well as mystery, science fiction, and western genres. A good list for those groups who like to read award winning titles.
Biography & Memoirs
Included on this list of titles are autobiographies, biographies and memoirs of the authors childhood or events that shaped their lives. As a type of narrative non-fiction, the story is the appeal of these books, plus all you will learn about the subject. A favorite read with book groups!
Books Into Film
Popular books from years past are made into movies. Many book groups like to read the book and then view the film to see how closely the book was followed. This list includes many good books that made great movies.
Chick Lit
Fun, trendy fiction, some with issues, written by women for women about relationships, careers, and much more. Includes Christian chick lit titles.
Classics
Listed are works of enduring interest and appeal. It is always great fun for your book group to revisit classic works you read in the past and doing so can make the old book become new for us again.
Hispanic Authors and Stories
A very popular group of authors and titles these days for book clubs to read and discuss are works by Hispanic authors. Included in this list are those whose ancestry is from countries in Central and South America and the Caribbean, also from Spain.
Historical Fiction
By definition historical fiction includes novels that have been must written at least fifty years after the events described and are written from research rather than personal experience. Not all historical fiction is "historically accurate" as some are written from the authors' imagination. These titles are good reads for your book group.
Jewish Authors and Fiction
This list includes Jewish authors and their stories about people and events in the Jewish community from historical to contemporary times.
Knit One, Purl Two: Stories of Knitting
All of the following books have one thing in common no matter if they are general fiction, mysteries, or Young Adult; the characters love of knitting. And most of them hang out in yarn or needlework shops.
Multicultural Fiction
A very popular genre of fiction for book groups is multicultural fiction. When you read these works by multicultural authors you'll find your book group members will learn much about different cultures and their customs in different parts of the world.
Mysteries
Whether you attend a "mystery only" book group, or your group occasionally adds a mystery title to read and discuss, you'll find some good choices on this list. Adding a novel with a little suspense is a good change of pace. Reading guides are available for all.
Nonfiction Stories
Narrative nonfiction works are a good choice for those who do not enjoy reading fiction. These books emphasize the story within rather than just giving information. Some reading group web sites even include discussion questions for nonfiction titles or members of your book group can compose their own.
Of Interest to Men
Realizing not all men enjoy reading and discussing the novels labeled "womens fiction" chosen by many book groups, this list suggests titles that appeal to both men and women. They can be used for your coed group or strictly for a mens group as well.
Required Reading
Re-reads for those who skipped class or marginally did their homework while in high school. Or who want to read them for the first time!
Songs of the South: Southern Authors and Stories
Y'all will love these fiction stories centered in the South written by authors who grew up or live in that part of the country.
Tea & Crumpets: Women's Stories From the British Isles
All these fiction stories are written by authors from the British Isles and mainly deal with women and their relationships. The stories from authors listed here give you a real "sense of place".
Traveler's Tales: Readings That Take You Away
Stories of travelers as they wander the world then sometimes decide to make their homes in those places they find so appealing.
Womens Stories
These stories are mainly literary and tell of the trials and travails of womens lives and relationships. Most of the authors listed here are very popular and have written many novels and are good reads for your book group.