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Hello
Sadly, summer is mostly in the rear-view mirror now and while there's still time for barbecues and watermelon, the annual ritual of reading often prescribes light reads for the summer and more "serious" literature for fall.
This doesn't mean that we can't lighten up our reading with picks from the humor and satire pile, or indulge droll and dry wit. After all, laughter is the best prescription. And while the book club selections in this list might not be laugh-out-loud funny, they're sure to bring a smile to your face. Don't forget to share your recommendations with us.
Also in this issue:
- Join us to discuss Florence Gordon and find out what discussions are coming soon.
- Meet The Young Critics book club
- Download our free report: Book Clubs in the USA
Thanks for reading!
Your editor,
Davina
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Book Club Recommendations: Humor & Satire
 | This Is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
Paperback & ebook Jul 2010. 352 pages. Published by Plume.
Who knew that a novel about marriage, divorce and family could be riotously funny? But throw blood relations together for a week and hilarity is bound to ensue. Book clubs will find the beleaguered Judd Foxman's family to be much like their own, people you can't live with sometimes - and definitely can't live without. Laughter aside, there's plenty to ponder here especially the relevance of Foxman's situation to one's own.
More info & reading guide |
 | Woke Up Lonely by Fiona Maazel
Paperback & ebook Apr 2014. 352 pages. Published by Graywolf Press.
In our age of connectedness, political disillusionment, reality television, endless wars fought by machines, people are more desperate than ever to feel close. Then why do we feel so lonely and repel the very people we wish to attract? The premise of this wild novel might seem acidic but Maazel's evocative writing and biting humor make it an engrossing read. There's much to discuss here about the pervasiveness of societal values and what or who defines a cult.
More info & reading guide |
 | The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion
Paperback & ebook Jul 2015. 304 pages. Published by Simon & Schuster.
Don Tillman and Rosie Jarman are just about figuring out the whole marriage thing when they discover Rosie is pregnant. For Don this means an entirely different level of research, stuff the geeky guy is just eager to dive into. What he doesn't plan for, are the unexpected fallouts of life along the way. Plenty of whimsy and good-hearted cheer will have book clubs rooting for this lovable couple who might not have all the answers in life but who are willing to give it a try as long as they have each other. If your group have not read The Rosie Project, you might want to start with that first. More info & reading guide |
 | Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake: A Memoir by Anna Quindlen
Memoir. Paperback & ebook Apr 2013. 224 pages. Published by Random House.
The title says it all - this Boomer lives life to the fullest and her delightful memoir captures every high and low that makes for an unpredictable ride. Quindlen's insightful and funny perspectives on aging, family, girlfriends and work will give book clubs plenty of pithy material to mull over. Laughter is after all, always best when shared.
More info & reading guide |
 | Florence Gordon by Brian Morton
Paperback & ebook Sep 2015. 320 pages. Published by Mariner Books.
Speaking of lots of candles, here's a story about a defiant 75-year-old who continues to color outside the lines. The rebel in her will appeal to many readers and Florence's ongoing struggles with family, the one piece in her life she struggles to manage, will offer rich topics for discussion.
We're currently discussing Florence Gordon. Please do join us.
More info & reading guide
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 | The Room by Jonas Karlsson
Paperback & ebook Feb 2015. 192 pages. Published by Hogarth Books.
Think your workplace is nuts? Even bizarre? Well, you ain't seen nothin' yet. The meticulous office worker Bjorn is sure there's something going on in a secret room at the government office where he is employed but his colleagues are a hardsell. This sharp satire on contemporary culture encourages book clubs to look at our society's obsession with conformity and rule-following at the cost of all else.
More info & reading guide |
 | The Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise: A Novel by Julia Stuart
Paperback & ebook Aug 2011. 320 pages. Published by Anchor Books.
Imagine living in the Tower of London, that popular tourist attraction, for eight years. That's exactly what Balthazar Jones has been doing with his wife and his 120-year-old pet tortoise, setting up home in the improbable structure. The story's endearing characters, brought to life with humorous quirks, and a sense of quiet heart-warming tenderness, will give book club members much to love. Test your mettle with the quiz included as part of the reading guide.
More info & reading guide |
 | No Biking in the House Without a Helmet by Melissa Fay Greene
Memoir. Paperback & ebook Apr 2012. 368 pages. Published by Farrar, Straus & Giroux.
Most of us can agree that one of life's greatest joys - and its greatest source of worries - is parenthood. When the author and her husband decided to add to their four kids through adoption, they weren't quite prepared for the wobbly path they would embark on. Filled with hilarity and grace, book clubbers (and everyone else) will find much to relate to one family's fortunes and everyday insanities.
More info & reading guide |
 | The Uncommon Reader: A Novella by Alan Bennett
Paperback Sep 2008. 128 pages. Published by Picador.
A funny novella about reading. Could there be a better fit for book clubbers? Difficult to say. What we do know is that Alan Bennett is an expert at noticing the subtlest nuances in life and shining a spotlight on the things that really matter. He is in fine form here and what's more we're treated to some of the best works in English literature.
More info & reading guide |
 | Love Is a Canoe by Ben Schrank
Paperback & ebook Jan 2014. 352 pages. Published by Picador.
A funny and romantic novel about the everyday grievances that slowly ossify in a marriage and the steps one couple must take to make their love endure. There's plenty of material in here for discussion - about the foundations for a successful relationship and the work it takes to get there.
More details and reviews about this book |
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 The BookBrowse Book Club
Please Join Us to Discuss:
Florence Gordon by Brian Morton
Published in paperback Sep 2015, 320 pages. Also in ebook
A wise and entertaining novel about a woman who has lived life on her own terms for seventy-five defiant and determined years, only to find herself suddenly thrust to the center of her family's various catastrophes.
More about this book | Join the discussion
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Discussions Coming Soon
 | Natchez Burning: A Penn Cage Novel by Greg Iles
Hardcover Aug 2015. 816 pages. William Morrow
Discussion opens Sept 29. Please do join us!
#1 New York Times bestselling author Greg Iles returns with his most eagerly anticipated novel yet and his first in five years, the first installment in an epic trilogy that interweaves crimes, lies, and secrets past and present in a mesmerizing thriller. Natchez Burning tackles complex issues of race and bigotry, politics and justice, and does not shy away from violence, drama, or difficult truths in its telling. "Natchez Burning obliterates the artificial distinction between genre and literary fiction with passion, grace and considerable style." - Washington Post
More details and reviews about this book |
 | The Heart You Carry Home by Jennifer Miller
Nov 3, 2015. 320 Pages. Mariner Books
Discussion opens Nov 3. Please do join us!
"Here is a tale of family, community, love, and madness, as a woman who is both the daughter of a Vietnam veteran and wife of an Iraq veteran journeys to heal the heart-wounds of war. The Heart You Carry Home combines great story-telling with social questions that are both as current and as old as war. I read it in one sitting." - Karl Marlantes, author of Matterhorn
More details and reviews about this book |
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Book Club Q&A
BookBrowse first spoke to The Young Critics book club in 2008. Kate McClelland, who founded the club 25 years earlier, kindly answered all our questions, providing an inspiring framework for other libraries to follow. Tragically, Kate and her Young Critics colleague Kathy Krasniewicz were killed in a car accident a few months later. In 2015 we checked back in with the club to find that it's been going from strength to strength these past seven years. Read the Q&A |
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Book Clubs in the USA - Your Free Report
BookBrowse's recently published report, "Book Clubs in the USA", is based on 10 years of research into book clubs, including a recent survey of over 3000 respondents, plus in-depth interviews and extensive experience (and despite the title, it is definitely relevant reading for those outside the US!)
Among other topics, we provide robust data on:
- The five key attributes book clubs look for when choosing books.
- How many belong to book clubs, both in-person and online.
- Which channels book clubs use most to discover books.
- How many books they read and buy.
- The two life stages when book club participation increases.
- What men in book clubs want to read and with whom.
Recommended for librarians, publishers, booksellers, authors and book club members, this white paper also contains interviews with a cross-section of bookclubs, with a particular focus on clubs that meet in public places, such as bookstores and libraries, and have a mix of men and women. Download your free copy |
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 About BookBrowse
Get to know BookBrowse through our 4-part introductory series:
Back issues of BookBrowse HighlightsYou might also be interested in the content of our About section, including how we got started, profiles of our editorial staff and reviewers, and answers to frequently asked questions. |
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