Greetings!
Win Advance Readers' Copies! Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of To Kill a Mockingbird. Win books for your Mother/Daughter book group. Watch your favorite discussibles on TV. Win more books for your book group! Discussible suggestions from your colleagues & booksellers. All this and more in this month's issue of the Reading Group Choices Newsletter!
|
Marital Turmoil . . . |
Bird in Hand by Christina Baker Kline is a story of a tragic accident that upends the lives and exposes the secrets of two couples. Alison and Charlie, Claire and Ben seem like two picture-perfect couples. Alison and Charlie have a beautiful family and a home in the suburbs, while Claire and Ben's marriage revolves around their careers and city-based lives. Despite their differences, the two couples have remained close friends for ten years. But one terrifying moment in the dead of a New Jersey night will quickly-and unexpectedly-expose the fractures and stresses that lie beneath the surface. All four will be forced to examine the choices they have made and the lives they have built. Publishers Weekly writes, " Well-done, thoughtful and thought-provoking." "I had been married three years when I fell in love." After The Fall, in her fiction debut, neuropsychologist Kylie Ladd delivers a searing portrait of two marriages united and betrayed by friendship. Kirkus Review writes, "Ladd takes on adultery and its consequences in this accomplished debut... The book is told from multiple perspectives, in lush, often beautiful prose. Vivid language makes each page a joy to read." The four narratives reveal the points of view and inner strife of all involved: Cary and Kate, and Luke and Cressida. "That's the thing about falling. It doesn't go on indefinitely, and it rarely ends well."
|
. . .And Family / Relationships in New Discussibles |
 As lyrical as a sonata, Red Hook Road by Ayelet Waldman's ( Love and Other Impossible Pursuits) explores the aftermath of a family tragedy. The night of Becca's and John's wedding, they are killed in a car accident. The long-terms effects are uplifting, as the people they love come to grips with their unexpected deaths. Khaled Hosseini, author of The Kite Runner writes, "A thoroughly gripping and elegantly written story about love, grief, friendship, and the unexpected ways in which disaster brings families together. The novel is chockfull of revelations and insights on how people both unravel and manage to find grace under strain." Within these resonant pages, a vase filled with wildflowers or a cold beer on a hot summer day serve as constant reminders that it's often the little things that make life so precious.
Exclusives: Ayelet Posts & Answers
 Bestselling author Holly Chamberlin's new novel, The Family Beach House, sweeps you into the picturesque town of Ogunquit, Maine, where a family in flux explores their ties to a beautiful beach house, and to each other. Siblings Tilda, Adam, Hannah, and Craig come to Larchmere, their childhood and, now, vacation home, to commemorate the tenth anniversary of their mother's passing. Grief, family dynamics, feelings of home and place, tolerance and forgiveness are all wrapped up in The Family Beach House. "Readers who enjoy Maine, long passages of description and character introspection should pick up this novel about a family in flux," writes RT Book Reviews. Enter for a chance to win a copy of Family Beach House  Accompanied by photographs, sketches, and notes from past and present, Good Things I Wish You by A. Manette Ansay ( Blue Water) blends original fiction and history to capture the timeless nature of love and friendship between women and men. Jeanette, a gifted pianist, struggles to complete a book about the real relationship between Clara Schumann, a celebrated pianist and the wife of the composer Robert Schumann, and her husband's protégé, the handsome young composer Johannes Brahms. Was Clara and Johannes' relationship "just friends" or something more? As Clara delves for more materials for her book, she meets Hart, a mysterious, worldly entrepreneur who is a native of Clara's birthplace, Leipzig, Germany. They engage in a research and emotional journey through Germany and Switzerland that brings Jeanette to a crossroads similar to Clara Schumann's, so many years ago. Ansay's new novel is filled with notes about music and of music. Music by the Book features Tom Moon ( 1000 Recording To Hear Before You Die) picking some recordings to enhance your book conversation of Good Things I Wish You. Enter for a chance to win a copy of Good Things I Wish You The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender tells the story of nine-year old Rose who bites into her mother's homemade lemon cake and discovers she has a magical gift: she can taste her mother's emotions in the cake. Rose discovers this gift to her horror, for her mother-her cheerful, good-with-crafts, can-do mother-tastes of despair and desperation. Suddenly, and for the rest of her life, food becomes a peril and a threat to Rose. According to Publishers Weekly, " . . . [Bender] emerges as more a spelunker of the human soul....plumbs an emotionally crippled family with power and authenticity . . . brimming with a zesty, beguiling talent." Read in Aimee Bender's guest post how she started a book group and still loves the "combo of book group and delicious meal." Food by the Book features a lemon cake recipe from Suzan Colón, author of Cherries in Winter, to enhance your discussion of The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake. And, one reading group will win a lemon cake to accompany their discussion of The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake. Definitely no sadness in this cake! Enter for a chance to win a copy of The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake Enter for a chance to win a cake delivery |
Mother/Daughter, YA Crossover |
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater is the tale of a girl named Grace and a werewolf named Sam, and their undeniable romance. In Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. In Maggie Stiefvater's new book, Linger, they must fight to be together. Life is a constant struggle between two forces - wolf and human - with love baring its two sides as well. Their life is harrowing and euphoric, freeing and entrapping, enticing and alarming. As their world falls apart, love is what lingers. Is it enough? Publishers Weekly starred review reports, "Stiefvater leaves the faeries of Lament and Ballad for a lyrical tale of alienated werewolves and first love - her take on werewolves is interesting and original while her characters are refreshingly willing to use their brains to deal with the challenges they face." Enter for a chance to win a copy of Shiver or Linger for your Mother/Daughter Book Club or for your own book club for a Young Adult switch! |
Author Posts & More in On the Bookcase |
|
To Kill a Mockingbird |
July 11 is the 50th anniversary of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee! One of the best-loved classics of all time, To Kill a Mockingbird has earned many distinctions since its original publication in 1960. It has won the Pulitzer Prize, been translated into more than forty languages, sold more than forty million copies worldwide, and been made into an enormously popular movie. It was also named the best novel of the twentieth century by librarians across the country (Library Journal). Libraries and book stores, nationwide, are celebrating the anniversary with readings, reading group discussions, art inspired by Mockingbird contests, and court room reenactments - to name a few of the events. Go to On the Bookcase, and tell us your feelings on the anniversary, the book, the movie - anything Mockingbird!
|
For Mystery Buffs |
 On Sunday, July 11, PBS Masterpiece Mystery! is airing Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express starring David Suchet as Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, the first of a trio of new Poirot mysteries that will appear here. Third Girl airs July 18, and Appointment With Death airs July 25. To celebrate Christie (whose 120th birthday is this year), Poirot and Murder on the Orient Express, Masterpiece Mystery! is organizing events that would surely make M. Poirot raise an eyebrow at new technology. Participate in an online Q&A with David Suchet, and a Twitter event during the broadcast of Murder on the Orient Express that will include experts from Mystery Readers International, Mystery Scene and the Strand magazines. Also for you Twitter fans, go to TweetGrid and look for hashtag #mystery_pbs. |
An Emmy for Temple Grandin? |
|
Zafon Speaks to World Book Club |
|
New Poet Laureate |
W.S. Merwin was named U.S. poet laureate on July 1, the New York Times reported. Merwin, who is 82 and lives in Hawaii, told the paper: "I do like a very quiet life. I can't keep popping back and forth between here and Washington," adding that he does like "being part of something much more public and talking too much." -Courtesy of Shelf Awareness
|
Brothers & Sisters |
No, not the TV series! So many reading groups discuss family and sibling relationships - it is almost a universal topic. Test your familiarity of siblings and their dynamics in the literary world -- take the Guardian quiz!
|
New Indie Next List for Reading Groups |
|
Your Own Discussible Choices |
Congratulations to Marlene and The Kindred Spirits for winning the random drawing for this month's Discussible Book Choice! "The Double Bind by Chris Bohjalian created quite the animated discussion. There were no firm decisions about whether some of the characters were "real" or a figment of the main character's imagination or whether having characters from another book included in the story helped the story or not." Marlene, The Kindred Spirits, Warren, OH
We enjoy hearing from book club members and sharing their choices with everyone. Please let us know about your group's discussible choices - you may win a book-related prize for every member of your reading group! More Discussible Choices |
Reading Group Choices 2010 Now Available! |
Reading Group Choices 2010: Selections for Lively Book Discussions is now available.  The 2010 guide marks the 16th annual print edition, which once again includes reading recommendations of some of the publication industry's best authors. Reading Group Choices 2010: Selections for Lively Book Discussions includes over 75 new titles for recommended reading and book group discussion. Titles by such reading group favorite authors as Barbara Delinsky, Khaled Hosseini, Elizabeth Noble, Geraldine Brooks, Marilynne Robinson, Mary Anne Shaffer & Annie Barrows, and Dennis Lehane, as well as work from debut authors have been selected for inclusion. The guide also includes valuable resources available to reading groups and book clubs all over the world. To order copies of Reading Group Choices 2010 - or any of the other annual editions from 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, and 2004 - visit the store, email us, or call us toll-free at 1-866-643-6883. Purchase a Copy
| |
Thanks for keeping the joy of reading alive,
 |
|
|
Advance Readers' Circle |  |
In March, we announced an exciting new program just for members of reading groups -- Advance Readers' Copies for Advance Readers' Comments! Many of you signed up and joined our Advance Readers' Circle - if so, there's no need to sign up again. You'll already be entered into a drawing to win a free copy of our next ARC title. As you may remember, the last ARCs for ARCs title was Dear Money by Martha McPhee. Your input was so insightful that many of your suggestions are now incorporated into the official Conversation Starters for the book. Thanks to Barbara of the Groton Public Library Book Club, Jan of the Ladies of the Club, Missy of the Monday Book Mavens, Julie of the Thurby Book Club, and Marcia of the Malca Pass Book Club for their contributions. Check out the new Dear Money Conversation Starters If you haven't already signed up and you want to chance to peek at discussible books before they are published, share your ideas with the publisher on what makes a good reading group pick, or suggest a Conversation Starter or two to facilitate lively discussions of that book, then this is your chance! Reading Group Choices and our publishing partners want your input on other ARCs. You, as a reading group facilitator or member, will be selected periodically to receive an Advance Readers' Copy and to offer your input. If chosen, we look forward to receiving your comments and Conversation Starters. Register now!
********* |
Fresh Ideas for Discussion |
|
More About Reading Group Choices |
|
|
|