Discussible Choices: What Are You Reading?
February 2010

Congratulations to Marty and The Georgetown Woods Book Club for winning the random drawings for this month’s Discussible Book Choice! 

We enjoy hearing from book club members who share with everyone the book choices that made for lively discussions.. Please let us know what about the book contributed to your great discussion – you may win a book-related prize for every member of your reading group!

“Our club recently discussed Still Alice by Lisa Genova.  While the subject early onset alzheimers disease could be off putting our discussion was inspiring intelligent interesting and caring.  Everyone joined in the discussion and related family situations sadly too many of us are well acquainted with this disease and it's effect on families.  One of our club's best ever discussions almost therapeutic!”
Marty, The Georgetown Woods Book Club, Youngsville, NC

More Discussible Book Choices

“We enjoyed The Help by Kathryn Stockett. Our club is composed of women from both the north and south and the review was given by a southern girl.  She had family pictures of a grandmother sitting on an elderly freed slave's lap.  It evoked a lively discussion and showed the northerners a true taste of the south and how they loved their help like part of the family.  It was a fun evening.”
Agnes, Sandhills Book Club, Whispering Pines, NC

“The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak had the best discussion I think partly because "death" was used as a narrator.  Even though he foreshadowed some of the events it didn't detract from our enjoyment of the story. We empathized with the characters because they were so believable.  Many themes ran through the story that led to a lively discussion.  We had fun putting our own sequels to the end of the story.  We can't wait for the movie.”
Dot, The Final Chapter, Lock Haven, PA

“The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennert. What a thoroughly delightful discussion we had of this light amusing and clever novel. We all LOVED it, but it wasn't one of those loved books whose only commentary was "I love this book". Bennert gives us so many things to relate to as avid readers when the Queen of England becomes one herself. It's a delightful read! He sticks to the topic at hand without digression - Her Majesty has discovered her love of fiction. All of us attending this discussion have gone on to recommend this to other individuals and groups.”
Marion, The Cape Goddesses Book Group, Stamford, CT

“Our book club enjoys reading historical fiction such as The Other Boleyn Girl and The Gilded Chamber. With historical fiction books, we feel we are learning about a part of history we never knew before.  The next book we are reading is Hotel on the Corner of Bitter & Sweet.  Some of the members (including myself) have already read it and thought it was fabulous.  I was pleasantly surprised that it was the author's first novel.”
Susan, The Reading Optional Book Club, Cary, NC

“The first book we read was Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt, which is how we got our name.  Other favorites: A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini; The Well and the Mine by Gin Phillips; Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum; The Killing Tree by Rachel Keener - we got to talk with the author and she was great! - Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen; and City of Thieves by David Benioff.”
Leslie, The Feckin' Book Club, Feckin' Book Club, IA

“This month's selection was Here's the Deal: Don't Touch Me by Howie Mandel.  We all enjoyed talking about the various recountings leading him to a life of comedy and fame. It touched on his OCD, but it was more about how you can succeed with, it doesn't have to limit you and what you do in life. And it may not be for every bookclub but it was a quick, easy and entertaining read.”
Renee, The Tuesday Night Bookclub, Burns, TN

“Our group really enjoyed The Invisible Wall by Harry Bernstein. It's a memoir that was written when he was 93 years of age. It takes place in London before WW1, and continues to WW2. The invisible wall was the divide on his street. The poor Jews were on one side of the street, and the poor non-Jews on the other side. It was well-written, interesting, and you were involved with the people and events.”
Lorraine, Lorraine's Book Discussion Club, Bayside, NY

“Our most recent discussion was of Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout.  The group members enjoyed the complexity of Olive's personality along with the small town setting in a rural area of Maine.  We also enjoyed the style.”
Diana, The Tadlock Book Club, Raleigh, NC

“I always look forward to your recommendations to round out our book club's choices.”
Phyllis, Garrett Park Teachers, Silver Spring, MD

“The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein-- When I heard that my book club had selected a book narrated by a dog I was less than excited.  This book turned out to be a little gem.  It is written in a fresh honest manner and had me anxious to turn each page.”
Lynn, The Burnsville Book Group, Burnsville, MN

“We just read Greg Mortenson's Three Cups of Tea. Thirteen were at the discussion. All of us admire what Mortenson is trying to achieve in a volatile area of the world. What was wonderful was learning more about that area. How the media covers news is so different from what is being lived.”
Carole, The Bookers, Henrico, NC

“We tried something different this year.  We are rating the books we read and at the year end, selecting our favorites.  2009's number one selection was Loving Frank by Nancy Horan.  This book challenged our perceptions about motherhood, commitment to marriage and family, and opened up another whole discussion about the creative artists and their influence over the lives of those around them.  Several members did additional reading about Frank Lloyd Wright and about other women in his life.”
Carole, Arlington Ridge Readers Club, Leesburg, FL