Discussible Choices: What Are You Reading?
July 2007

Congratulations to Betty and The Cumberland Public Library’s Daytime Book Discussion Group from Cumberland, Rhode Island, for winning the random drawing of the Discussible Book Choices Contest!

We enjoy getting emails from book club members and sharing their choices with everyone. Please email us with your group's discussible choices, and you may win a book-related prize for every member of your reading group. Please remember to include your group name, number of people in your group, and a mailing address to send the prizes.

"We get between 20 – 35 people at our monthly meetings. For our August get-together we’ll be 'taking the show on the road.' We’re carpooling to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Archives where we’ll tour the Hemingway Archive and get to see a copy of the original manuscript of A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway, our book choice for this month. We’ll follow that with a picnic lunch and end with a tour of the JFK Museum before we head back to Cumberland, RI."

Betty, The Cumberland Public Library’s Daytime Book Discussion Group, Cumberland, RI

More Discussible Book Choices

“What a lively discussion we had this week at our monthly meeting of the Westminster, Colorado College Hill Library Book Group.  The interchange centered on Kim Edwards' The Memory Keeper's Daughter with historical, medical, and ethical issues allowing all the members to express feelings related to the book and personal thoughts that popped up as they were reading the selection.  This was one of those choices that encouraged everyone to share ideas."

Sharon, Colorado College Hill Library Book Group, Westminster, CO

“We just finished reading The Road by Cormac McCarthy and had a great discussion with this book.  It wasn't our favorite, but it always seems that sometimes the least-liked book sparks the most discussion.  After the discussion was done, we have a whole new appreciation for the book.  Still isn't a favorite, but ranks up there with worthy 'discussion' picks’!!"

Dawn, LW Bookclub, Springvale, ME

“Our book club, the Preschool Moms Book Club, began over four years ago when we all had our children in the same preschool and wanted a girls' night out. We meet one Tuesday a month, 12 months of the year; and we take turns selecting the book and hosting!

"We have been extremely fortunate this month. We are reading The Girls, by Lori Lansens. As a special treat, Ms. Lansens will be calling us to discuss her book! This is our first author chat, and we are so excited! We are also trying something different this month — each of the permanent members are bringing a guest. We are hoping that we will add a lot of interesting views/discussions on this book.

"In the next few months, we will be reading The Hindi Bindi Club by Monica Pradhan. She will also be calling us for an author chat! The book looks like something our club will love, and I can't wait for this discussion. In September, we have decided to discuss Roots by Alex Haley. It is the 30th anniversary of Roots, and we felt it was "time" for all of us to read it.

"Now that our children are entering the 2nd and 3rd grades and reading on their own, we wanted to share our love of books with them. We have expanded our original book club and created a new mother-daughter book club with our daughters!"

Julie, Preschool Moms Book Club, Mechanicsburg, PA

“Our latest favorite was Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky. Her life story is like a whole separate novel, and the appendices of her notes while writing and letters from her husband trying to free her from concentration camps made it incredibly real. I highly recommend this excellent book."

 Liz, La Habra Heights Book Club, La Habra Heights, CA

"We are a group of approximately 12 women active and retired faculty from our school. Usually we meet at a restaurant once a month to discuss our latest book (June's selection is Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali).” 

Cheryl, Elkins High School Book Club, Missouri City, TX