Bookworm Cottage Style

Have you ever read a book that you just can’t stop talking about? A successful book club pick should be more than just enjoyable; ideally, it should be a conversation starter too. Below are books I’ve read and loved and have given me something to think about. Any of these would be great book club picks.

Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi (2020, 272 pages) // This cozy, feel-good read is set in a Japanese cafe where patrons can travel back or forth in time. Although there are rules for the time travel (they must return to present day before their coffee gets cold, they understand that nothing they say or do during travel can alter the future, etc.) it is a really heartwarming book to see how people get a sense of closure. Although it’s a short book, there are ample opportunities for discussion. (If you could travel back or forth in time, would you go? How did the time travel make the characters’ lives better or worse? And can we talk about the woman in the white dress?)

Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan (2022, 464 pages) // This is a fast-paced, twisty legal thriller about a teenage boy accused of murdering his high school girlfriend. As secrets from characters’ pasts surface and we piece together what really happened that day, Jodi Picoult and co-author Jennifer Finney Boylan challenge us to confront our own biases and ignorances. Without wanting to give away which direction the story takes, I will add that there are a lot of themes and situations that arise that would make for excellent book club discussions. (Such as, How much information about your past do you owe the people in your lives, if any?) Be warned that there are references to domestic violence in almost every chapter. However, this is not a book that I would necessarily call disturbing or overly violent, and the tension is balanced with a surprising amount of empathy.

I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai (2023; 448 pages) // This is a very timely, very suspenseful page-turner about a podcaster who investigates the murder of her boarding school roommate roughly 20 years later. The book tackles a lot of timely #metoo topics including power, consent, privacy, and the commodification of true crime. But also, it is just a gripping book that I was not able to put down. So many discussion questions come to mind… Bodie has a viscerally different reaction to her husband’s infamy and behavior than her choir teacher’s. Is this justified, and if so, how are the situations alike and different? How has the criminal justice system changed in the decades since Omar’s conviction? What do you think the author was trying to communicate with her choice of ending?)

Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah (2023; 384 pages) // Chain-Gang All-Stars is a dystopian suspense novel in which convicts on death row have a chance to compete as gladiators, Hunger Games style, for a chance to “earn” their freedom. While the book itself is obviously a work of fiction, the author peppers in informative footnotes on mass incarceration and social justice issues throughout. This is a very heavy and thought-provoking book, prompting thoughts such as… Recognizing that the viewers were complicit in these violent matches, what does the author say about our participation in modern day incarceration and justice issues? How were the links able to protest the system, and how do these forms of protest differ than what we see today?

Horse by Geraldine Brooks (2022; 464 pages) // This captivating historical fiction novel alternates between the history of a Civil War era racehorse and the enslaved Black horse trainer who cared for him, and a present-day art historian who discovers a long-buried painting of the horse more than a century later. That a book from the perspective of two Black men is authored by a white woman is in itself a conversation starter. (In what ways was this white author successful at drawing attention to issues of racial discrimination, and in what ways might she have fallen short? How did the ending serve the author’s commentary on systemic racism?) Intentions aside, Horse is overall just really wonderful storytelling from a Pulitzer Prize winning author. Even if you’re not “into horses” this book might surprise you!

Untamed, by Glennon Doyle (2020; 352 pages) // You’ve heard me talk about this one before. Even if Glennon Doyle’s journey and struggles look far different than your own, there is a little something for everyone in these inspiring, powerful essays. I found myself highlighting so many words of wisdom throughout the book that I want to remember and carry forward. Because the essays span a wide range of topics, from parenting, to religion, to privilege, and beyond, book clubs will have plenty to discuss. Has anything in the book changed the way you approach your life? Which essays were the most meaningful to you?

How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America, by Clint Smith (2021; 352 pages) // This is another book that I’ve recommended before and will likely recommend again — truly a must-read! So much of the history that Americans are taught is incredibly whitewashed and misleading. Rather than shame the reader for their ignorance, award winning journalist, writer, and poet Clint Smith learns alongside us as he tours various places around the country to uncover America’s painful history, all written in Smith’s signature beautiful prose. This book is all at once welcoming, infuriating, heartbreaking, and necessary. How did these tidbits of history differ from what you were taught in school? In what ways are we making progress in reckoning with America’s history of slavery, and in what ways are we falling behind?

How to Resist Amazon and Why, by Danny Caine // This title, written by an independent bookstore owner, is available as a 16-page zine and was later expanded into a 192-page book. I own, have read, and would recommend both, and honestly I think the Zine gets the point across just as well in significantly fewer pages. On a related note, I’m really curious about Dana Mattioli’s newly released (April 23, 2024!) book, The Everything War: Amazon’s Ruthless Quest to Own the World and Remake Corporate Power, and hope to get my hands on a copy soon. The most pressing topic of discussion for any book club… What steps are you taking to resist Amazon, and do you have any tips to share for supporting your local community instead?

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer (2015; 408 pages) // As recommended to you last month as well, this is a powerful nonfiction book written by a Native American scientist filled with insightful essays on nature, biology, the environment, and being good stewards of the Earth. Although this is not necessarily the most gripping book I’ve ever read, it is certainly one of the most thought-provoking. Has this book inspired you to interact differently with nature? How can we support the planet and both individual and systematic levels? And can we talk about the Thanksgiving address, one of my favorite parts of the book?