Discussion topics for book clubs

Maybe youve thought of suggesting a nonfiction book, but that seems risky. Finding the right book club book is easy when you follow these helpful tips. Did it hook you immediately, or take some time to get into. Keep the mood of the club in mind when selecting the book. You want to ask questions that are openended and help people talk about themes and how the book relates to. In the past, weve done family reunion book clubs and if we did another one, this would be in my top three book club suggestions for sure. While fiction has long been the most popular genre with reading groups, works of nonfiction can bring quite a different set of objectives and intellectual experiences to the group and spark lively discussions as well. Book clubs should be a place where people are the most sympathetic if you havent found time to read. If your book club is planning to read this heartbreakingly inspiring memoir, take a look at our book club questions for educated by tara westover. You will find more in the book club section of our blog when you cant borrow print books from the library during covid19. Also, avoid questions that have simple yes or no answers.

If youre ready to start a book club, heres 40 of the best book club questions, for fiction. We have welcomed worldwide members from over 171 countries. The crc office of race relations wants to support congregations and communities as they seek to live into gods call to find unity in their diversity. Shop online for our annual print editions, which include book overviews, suggested discussion topics and discussion questions for all our annual books.

Book clubs for every genre and discussion groups around every literary topic imaginable. Choose one question at a time and toss it out to the group. Safe book club ideas in the time of social distancing. There is also plenty of family drama, and it touches on the issue of mental illness. A little off topic conversation is fine, but you also want to respect the fact that people have read the book and expect to talk about it. A book discussion club is a group of people who meet to discuss a book or books that they have read and express their opinions, likes, dislikes, etc. Early in the book, eliezer says his father rarely displayed his feelings, not even within his family, and was more involved in the welfare of others than with that of his own kin p. Discussion questions for the overstory pbs newshour. Other frequently used terms to describe a book discussion club include reading group, book group, and book discussion group. There are few things in life as intense as picking the next book for your book club. Here are our reading groups favorite nonfiction books of 2015 based on our 2015 survey results. Author tara westovers memoir educated has rocketed to the top of the new york times bestseller list to become one of the mustread nonfiction books of 2018. Most of the articles below are drawn from our inner lives of book clubs report for which we surveyed 5,000 book clubbers.

Book club discussion questions october 20, 2015 by sheila 7 comments while its always helpful if you can find reading guides for the precise title your book club is. Do you think the story was plotbased or character driven. If the book youre discussing has one its certainly worth printing it out but do look through it before the discussion opens and decide which topics you think your group will enjoy. Sep 05, 2016 having great book discussion questions is essential to leading a successful book club, and now that i run an online moms book club i use this lesson to avoid awkward silences yes they can happen online and create a lively, engaging book club meeting each month. Reading group choices is your resource for book recommendations, book club discussion topics, and reading group guides. Aug 08, 2019 book club central, or bcc, will bring a world of information to book lovers, book clubs, libraries, and anyone who wants to increase their enjoyment of reading. Here are our reading groups favorite book club books of 2014 based on our 2014 survey results. Book club for kids discussion questions, reading guide, and.

The library book by susan orlean reading guidebook club. Which is why were providing you with this list of top book club questions that will generate general discussion whether youre focused on nonfiction, a selfhelp book, a juicy historical romance novel, or one of reeses, jenna bush hagers or, of course, oprahs favorites. May 04, 2018 tara westovers memoir educated, which describes growing up in a survivalist family in rural idaho and then going on to harvard and cambridge, is our april pick for the new pbs newshour. Book club central will be a repository of resources on book clubs from tools to start and maintain your club to recommendations on books, as well as fun ideas like food pairings for. Nov 07, 2019 our november pick for the pbs newshour new york times book club is richard powers the overstory. Litcourse 3 has a good discussion of close reading. There are clubs about youngadult novels, governmental works by plato.

As a member or leader of a book club, you are likely to be reading books on a wide variety of topics, both fiction and nonfiction. We did a test run early in the week, used the leader who was scheduled to lead the discussion in our regular in home meeting format, and talked for over a hour about the amount of time our normal meetings last, minus some social time. Take notes or mark passages that strike youpassages you find significant, funny, or insightful. Book clubs are popular not only because people like to read, but also because they are great social outlets. And for previous book club picks, go to our archives. If not, you can visit the publisher or authors website and find online reading guides. Some of these are the best book club books from my own book clubs over the years and others are ones i wish my book club had read. You can also come up with your own questions using the tips below as a guide. General book club questions for study and discussion. My current book club group is much more casual, but perhaps too much so.

Find discussion books, contests, and reading lists. We meet in a private facebook group and chat about a new book every month. Encourage students to discuss the difference between including social issues in novels and writing about social issues in newspapers. Did you race to the end, or was it more of a slow burn. I may be biased, but moms book nook is the best online moms book club youll find. If your library doesnt offer a regular reading group at your library now is the time to start. Ive found that the best book club discussion questions are ones that are openended and that get people to share their personal opinions. Discussion forums on black literature, culture, and more. The guide is separated into several topic areas with suggested questions and supporting information to facilitate a small group discussion on the topic. Apr 06, 2016 book clubs should be a place where people are the most sympathetic if you havent found time to read. What made you suggest it to the group for discussion. Discussions are held on the books description page, where it says join the discussion see image below. The library book by susan orlean book club discussion. One group was talking about the main character and the kind of person they believed him to be.

If the book youre discussing has one its certainly worth printing it out. I listened in to each book club, and the discussion topics were varied, which told me that they had choice in the topic. If youve been too busy to read, you deserve respite from the cold, cruel world, and a cookie. These are some of the questions that we have answered by calling on the shared wisdom of many book club members. The struggles of the main character are also noteworthy as she struggles to survive and find her true north. Broadcast clubs edit a broadcast club is one in which a television, radio, or podcast show features a regular segment that presents a discussion of a book. If you want to go beyond the standard reading guide, a great place to find conversation starters is by searching for interviews with the books author. Use specific passages from the book as evidence for your ideas. As the facilitator, it is your job to recognize tangents and bring the discussion back to the book. You can also use any of these questions as writing prompts. This list of book club books has nonfiction, chicklit, young adult and middle grade titles, history books and parenting books. One of the ways we want to do that is by offering discussion guides for small groups to use with books and films that address the topics of race and faith.

They dont favor leftist intellectuals or farright thinkers. Welcome to brightlys book club for kids, where we encourage young readers to discover great books, share new stories, explore important topics, and have some bookish fun. Is the group on a roll and ready to tackle that long thick book youve been talking about for months. After reading holes, use these questions to start a discussion with your students about the book. How do you think abandonment shaped kayas outlook in life. Find groups in seattle, washington about book club and meet people in your local community who share your interests. Have joined my mums book club and she says they struggle with themes for what to read the next month they all read a book in the theme rather than the same book iyswim. Find groups in minneapolis, minnesota about book club and meet people in your local community who share your interests. The history book club is the largest history and nonfiction group on goodreads and these are some of our focus areas. When the group completes the book, select the next book. Tara westover did not set foot in a classroom until she was a freshman in college. There are some general book club discussion questions that should work on most books, especially popular selections and bestsellers. When writing your own book club discussion questions, avoid questions that are too general, like what did you think of the book.

This is a literary analysis technique called close reading. In what ways is the saying you cant judge a book by its cover a good one for this story. Many books suitable for book clubs have discussion guides. The best book club discussion rises above each group members likes and dislikes, instead seeking to understand the book on a deeper level. Whether you are discussing characters and their actions, setting, theme, or images, having a guide to questions that will lead to fruitful exchanges on. From book themed activities to printable discussion questions to interviews with the authors, youll find plenty of inspiration for a. Author led book clubs include the author of the current book as part of the discussion. Where the crawdads sing book club discussion questions. Whether you are discussing characters and their actions, setting, theme, or images, having a guide to questions that will lead to fruitful exchanges on your enjoyment or lack thereof of the book, plot, and even its moral implications can help make your discussion. As joseph addison said, reading is to the mind what exercise is to the brain.

Our 23 hour meetings are primarily a social gathering with a mere 10 minute discussion about the book snuck somewhere in the middle. But it can be overwhelming to find great book club ideas. Send an email to the company announcing the next book and soliciting members for the next round of the book club. For more ideas, read book riots book club discussion questions, which includes 40 questions that work for nearly any book. Discussion questions for educated the new york times. The next best book club discussion topics new topic. Keep your group chatting with these general questions for any book.

Reading nonfiction is a great way for readers to expand their knowledge and to gain. Select a number of questions, write each on an index card, and distribute. At classy, several of our departments participate in quarterly book clubs in order to. There are so many things to talk about in this novel.

Dec 14, 2017 in one of my past book clubs, we literally only read books that included discussion questions at the end of the book because we wanted to be certain wed have a meaningful discussion. Discussions are held on the book s description page, where it says join the discussion see image below. Want to see these questions in action, and join a fun monthly online book club no awkward silences, promise. Your book club with love these thought provoking discussion questions for educated. These book club discussion questions solicit the best thoughts of your participating employees. Aug 21, 2017 ive been in a lot of book clubs, and i know its not always easy to get a conversation going on a book. From bookthemed activities to printable discussion questions to interviews with the authors, youll find plenty of inspiration for a great conversation. Some groups retold what had transpired in the last chapter, and others shared their predictions and wonderings. Mar 25, 2020 my longtime book group had a very successful zoom meeting a couple of nights ago. Book club for kids discussion questions, reading guide.

Dear literary lady, i want to ask questions at my book club so that. A book club can be a great way for your staff to push themselves to continue to learn. Book group favorites for the best book club discussion. Stay in the loop with reading group choices, get notified about the release of our print editions, and receive handy materials from our publishing partners. Feb 28, 2020 ideally, everyone would come to the book club bursting with feelings, impressions, and ideas that the book had sparked.

Each month, we share top book picks from indie next and libraryreads, as well as the target book club title and pennies pick for costco. Samantha cerff, an editor for fandango latin america and member of the book club sinopsis in lima, peru, recommends organizing all those thoughts prior to the meeting. If your library doesnt offer a regular reading group at. The best book club questions for every kind of discussion. Connect and share ideas around your favorite subjects. This entry was posted in book clubbin, general and tagged book club, book club questions, hello sunshine, kiley reid, nicole lewis, reese witherspoon, reese witherspoon book club pick, such a fun age by kylie conner. Youll get to learn about a new topic from various perspectives, while also getting to know your book. Bentley leads the british are coming discussion beginning may 10th. Or, is the team struggling with the last few books youve read. No matter the genre, age, notoriety, or length of the book of the moment, book club questions can kickstart or enhance your group discussion. The story starts with kyas ma leaving and kya waiting for her to come back. The book club questions below can guide your group through a meaningful discussion about almost any book. We announce the book selection on the first monday of the month and discuss on the last monday of the month at. Book discussion groups home libguides at american library.

Here are our readers favorite book club books of 20 based on our 20 survey results. It is more often called simply a book club, a term that is also used to describe a book sales club, which can cause confusion. Discussion questions you can use with any book morristown. Oprahs book club night questions and discussion topics. How to manage difficult meetings in your book discussion group. When they begin the march to the small ghetto, eliezer sees his father cry for the first time p.

Discussion guide for born a crime by trevor noah the network. Have a good topic of discussion to start the conversation and make sure to have some more ready to introduce if the conversation flags, goes off topic, starts to repeat itself or gets uncomfortably contentious. Oct 14, 2019 these ten questions for your book clubs discussion of where the crawdads sing are just a starting off point. When breath becomes air by paul kalanithi this memoir published after the authors early death from lung cancer will basically rip your heart out, but also make you so glad to be alive. Below are questions to help guide your discussions as you read the book over the next month. These questions contain spoilers if you have not already finished reading the novel. Each member or a team of 23 takes a card and answers the question. Become a member of the now read this book club by joining our facebook group, or by. Have students meet in their groups for a discussion to decide what which topic was the big social issue in the book. Jul 29, 2011 book clubs are not the province of a single demographic. Many books have reading guides at the end of the book that are perfect to use for your book club. Book clubs will love this book because it has lots of discussion worthy topics.