No matter that it takes forever for me to finish a book lately, I’m always adding to my list of books to read. Recently, a friend (thanks Jamie! Shout out!) shared that she carries her notated book club list with her at all times in her bag so that any chance she has to visit a book store, she has her go-to list with her. Since sharing her list with me last month I’ve pulled it out at least a half dozen times to share with others. Jamie’s book club list focuses, mostly, on modern literature, but delves a bit into historical fiction, biography and teen literature. It’s a great list and I’m so excited that she’s letting me share it with you all.
Our Lady of the Forest
The Ladies’ Man (Silhouette Special Edition)
Plain Truth
The Secret Life of Bees: A Novel, The Tenth-Anniversary Edition
The Gift: A Novel
The Life Before Her Eyes
Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons (Ballantine Reader’s Circle)
Eden Close
Uncle Tom’s Cabin (Dover Thrift Editions)
The True and Outstanding Adventures of the Hunt Sisters : A Novel
The Giver
The Kite Runner
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
How to Lose Friends and Alienate People [movie tie-in]: A Memoir
Me Talk Pretty One Day
The Dogs of Babel : A Novel
Mrs. Kimble: A Novel (Harper Perennial Modern Classics)
The Power of One: A Novel
Ursula, Under
Sister of My Heart: A Novel
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America
In Cold Blood (Modern Library)
The Color of Water: A Black Man’s Tribute to His White Mother (10th Anniverary Edition)
Ella Minnow Pea: A Novel in Letters
Little Children: A Novel
How to Be Lost: A Novel
The Thirteenth Tale: A Novel
The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency (Movie Tie-in Edition): A No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency Novel (1)
The Other Boleyn Girl
The Tender Bar: A Memoir
Water for Elephants: A Novel
Charity Girl
Suite Francaise
The Memory Keeper’s Daughter: A Novel
The Spellman Files: A Novel
The Namesake: A Novel
The Birth of Venus: A Novel
The Madonnas of Leningrad: A Novel
Empire Falls
The Road (Oprah’s Book Club)
What the Dead Know: A Novel
Enduring Love: A Novel
Then We Came to the End: A Novel
Something Wicked This Way Comes
American Wife: A Novel
The Story of Edgar Sawtelle: A Novel (P.S.)
Revolutionary Road
The Shack
Little Bee: A Novel
Unaccustomed Earth: Stories (Vintage Contemporaries)
The Post-Birthday World: A Novel (P.S.)
Daughter of the Queen of Sheba: A Memoir
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (Movie Tie-In): A Novel
Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace… One School at a Time
The Shadow of the Wind
The Help Deluxe Edition
Under the Dome: A Novel
The Good Thief: A Novel
Close to Shore: The Terrifying Shark Attacks of 1916
This Is Where I Leave You: A Novel
The Lottery and Other Stories
The Irresistible Henry House: A Novel
An Object of Beauty: A Novel
Cutting for Stone
Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand: A Novel
The Art of Racing in the Rain: A Novel
Let the Great World Spin: A Novel
A Reliable Wife
Ten Little Indians
Freedom: A Novel (Oprah’s Book Club)
Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter: A Novel (P.S.)
Q
Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption
Roses
Summerland: A Novel
Girl in Translation
Gone Girl: A Novel
The Shoemaker’s Wife: A Novel
The Imperfectionists: A Novel (Random House Reader’s Circle)
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry: A Novel
Where’d You Go, Bernadette: A Novel
Which have you read? Did you love them? Hate them? And what books are missing from Jamie’s list that totally belong on a modern lit book club list?
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I’ve read 14 of the titles on this list, but I’m interested in reading others. I don’t want to name all, but if anyone is curious, I keep a record of what I read at Goodreads and write reviews:
http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/962663-karen
I read contemporary fiction, historical fiction, classics, YA/middle grade and books about active aging (since I’m a gerontologist).
I would add these three based on good discussions we had about these titles at my local book club: The Help (Stockett), The Girl in Hyacinth Blue (Vreeland), I Capture the Castle (Smith), and Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society (Shaffer). Well, we also enjoyed Jane Eyre, Dracula, Rebecca, Woman in White, and The Scarlet Pimpernel. OK. I’ll stop now!
I have a lengthy list of books to add, too, Karen. I’m thinking about creating a follow-up list. There are SO MANY great books. It amazes me how many aren’t on this list. But lots of new ones to read!
I so badly miss my book club (and the time I used to have to read a book or two every month!). I’ve read several of those books and have a few more of them on my shelf…to read!
I feel the same. I was in a book club before kids 1 and 2 and really thought I’d find time, later, to continue. Sadly, that just isn’t the case. My list of books to read will never be complete, and, I’m afraid, I’ll never catch up.
Please add Gap Creek to your list…
Great list. Now I have reference material for when I’m done with my current books!
I’ve never been a part of a book club and I don’t think I’ve ever read a single one of these books. I’ve got some reading to do.
I totally forgot about 13th Tale – loved that book
looks like I have some beach reading to do…….what would make that better is some philly families joining me at the beach…hint hint 😉 Great suggestions.
ahhh. the beach. that’s dreamlike right now.
This is not my typical genre but I am always looking for new genres to jump into. Thanks for sharing this list!
great list ned to check some of these out.
This is a great list! I am part of a book club, so Im excited to look into these. Ive read a few of them. I have to say that Unbroken is one of my most favorite books of all time, it has it all, action, love, triumph, despair, and an uplifting and inspiring ending. It was loved by everyone in our group. I read The Story of Edgar Sawtelle on my own. Loved it while I was reading it….until I realized it was Hamlet….with dogs. I felt like I’d been had. And I second the nomination for The Help to be on the list.
Great list! I have read 22 of the books on this list, and I will definitely be using this list when we go to pick out our new book club pick!
I have read 11 of these listed, and SO many lacking!! (Although, it’s my personal opinion that Gone Girl is a horrible, horrible book!)
But, I HIGHLY recommend The Night Circus. Gorgeously written. One of my new favorite books. Also, The Book Thief, and … The Heretic’s Daughter. So many more, but these came to mind. Thanks for bringing others to my mind. Will need to add to my Goodreads list!!
I have read 29 books on your list. Two of my favorite books (not on the list) were both written by Wally Lamb. They are: I Know This Much Is True, and She’s Come Undone. Both books are over 10 years old and are long, so they may not be for all book clubs, especially those with women working full time or raising a family. They are quick reads, however, and lend themselves to great discussions.
I’ve read 24 of these. Now i know the rest of my saturday night will be looking up all the ones i haven’t read to see if i should put them on my goodreads list.
so thank you for putting this list together. some of my favorite books to talk about are: the poisonwood bible, the glass castle, reading lolita in tehran, the history of love, a girl named zippy, the snow child, to kill a mockingbird and briar rose (by jane yolen).
This is the first time I have joined a book club. I read ALOT – A very good book is the sequel to “The Secret” is “Magic”. Amazing book to read.
I haven’t read The Secret or Magic. Great ideas. thank you!
The Orphan Master’s Son, Room and Four Fires!
Please add The Rent Collector and In the Garden of Beasts. If you haven’t read them – I highly recommend them!
I have only read one book on the list, Water for Elephants and loved it. I was hoping to see The Help on here, it is a must read.
The Help is a fabulous book. Love it!