What's not to love about book club. A group of women getting together to discuss the thing they love the most. Reading. I've belonged to the same bookclub for nearly twenty years. Admittedly, we don't always talk much about the book and we drink more wine than we should, but we always have a good time.

As an author, I've been invited to speak to several book clubs. I find it fascinating to hear about the different ways book clubs format their meetings. Some meet over dinner, some lunch. Some adhere to a strict discussion schedule while others barely mention the book. Some gather in member's homes while others prefer the less-fuss of getting together at a restaurant. But, no matter what the format, or the age group of women, their list of all-time favorite books is typically the same.

Great books for discussion

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
The Paris Wife by Paula McLain
The Fault in our Stars by John Green
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audry Niffenegger
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
Life of Pi by Yann Martel
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
Girl With a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier
Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
White Oleander by Janet Fitch
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood by Rebecca Wells

Classics

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls

Questions for General Discussion about Books

1. Show of hands, how many of you are avid readers, reading more than two novels a month?
2. E-reader or Print?
3. What genres do you read? What authors?
4. What are some of your favorite books?
5. What are you looking for in a book?
6. Is pacing more important or character development?
7. Do you prefer literary works with lots of description?
8. How do you go about choosing a book? Goodreads or Amazon reviews?
9. Where is your favorite place to read? In bed at night? At the beach?

Reading Guides for . . . 

Reading Guide for Saving Ben
Reading Guide for Her Sister's Shoes
Reading Guide for Lowcountry Stranger

Interested in having me pop in for your meeting?

I love to speak to book groups. I'm happy to call in to your meeting or plan a visit via Skype. Use the form below to contact me.

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