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Named one of NPR’s best books of 2019, The Stationery Shop has been praised as “moving” (The Wall Street Journal), “powerful” (Newsweek), “emotionally honest” (PopSugar) and “beautifully written” (Bookreporter). Now available in paperback, this stunning novel is perfect for readers of Khaled Hosseini, and book clubs everywhere.
Welcome to In The Club, a newsletter of resources to keep your book group well-met, well-read, and well-fed. This Portland transplant is in an especially good mood as the sun has decided to show itself these last few days! Before I begin to obsessively plot all the nature excursions I’m about to embark upon once spring hits, let’s talk book clubs as an opportunity for a read aloud.
To the club!!
Before we dive in, have you checked out Book Marks? It’s our brand spanking new reading tracker and journal (complete with recommended reading lists from Book Riot)!
Nibbles and Sips
Imma keep this section short and deliciously sweet, mi gentle. Fellow Rioter Hannah brought in a version of this cake to the office this week and I may have inhaled a giant slice without actually chewing. I regret nothing. Blood orange. Rose. Cardamom. Cake. Do it!
Let’s Get Loud
Rioter Mikkaka recently wrote a piece on why we should all be participating in read-alouds and I thought this might be a great idea for book club! Some thoughts:
- A read aloud means no one has to read anything ahead of time! All that’s required is to show up and participate, great for anyone who finds themselves without a lot of extra time in their schedule for reading.
- Pick short books that could be read in one meeting, or split the read aloud up into two or more meetups.
- When selecting a read, do keep the “out loud” element in mind. What works best will vary from book group to book group: some of you may enjoy slow plots and gorgeous writing while others may need fast-paced page-turners.
- Discuss as you go!
Here are my suggestions!
A book of poetry: Homie by Danez Smith – I can think of no better form of book to read aloud than a work of poetry, especially when it’s one by such a talented slam poet. This collection is a meditation on the experience of living in a country overrun by violence, xenophobia, and injustice while in a body defined by race, queerness, and a struggle with mental health. It is also very much about the healing power of friendship, a read that both breaks the heart and shakes the soul.
A YA novel in verse: The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo – On the same poetry track, try a novel in verse! Elizabeth Acevedo’s debut about a young Afro-Latina slam poet won all the awards for a reason. Acevedo is herself a slam poet and I would very much like to be her friend. But I digress!
A short story: Fox 8 by George Saunders – You have options here: read a standalone short story, one from a collection, or an entire book of short stories. This one by George Saunders is the kind of weird us Saunders fans have come to expect; it’s about a fox who learns to speak “yuman” by hiding in the bushes outside a house and listening to the “yumans” tell their little ones bedtime stories. It’s a dark comedy and cautionary tale of the consequences of man’s quest to tame the natural world. I laughed several times because our friend the fox talks a liiiiiittle like a frat bro.
A novella: Magic for Beginners by Kelly Link – I added this to my TBR when I saw it described as a work of “kitchen-sink magical realism — riffs on haunted convenience stores, husbands and wives, rabbits, zombies, weekly apocalyptic poker parties, witches, superheroes, marriage, and cannons.” Make sure you grab the re-release version of this collection; it includes several new stories as well as a conversation between Joe Hill and Kelly Link.
A straight-up (but shorter) novel: The Incendiaries by R.O. Kwon – I want more people to read this book! A slim but powerful dissection of politics, religion, love, faith, and obsession, it’s about a young Korean woman at a schwanky American university who is drawn into a cult’s acts of terrorism.
Suggestion Section
This week on The Handsell (a new weekly bonus of the Get Booked podcast!), Amanda recommends an excellent book club selection.
Speaking of podcasts and excellent book club picks: check out your girl on this bonus episode of the Book Riot podcast! I sat down with Jeff and Sharifah to rant, rave, and make assorted noises about Kiley Reid’s Such a Fun Age.
Because we all get stuck sometimes: a list of book club questions that will help get the convo off the ground.
Pardon the paywall- I try to avoid linking to paid sites as much as I can! If you do happen to be a Washington Post subscriber, here’s a nice piece on hosting a better book club.
Thanks for hanging with me today! Shoot me an email at vanessa@riotnewmedia.com with your burning book club questions or find me on Twitter and the gram @buenosdiazsd. Sign up for the Audiobooks newsletter, get it on the Read Harder podcast, and watch me booktube every Tuesday and Friday too.
Stay bad & bookish, my friends.
Vanessa
More Resources:
– Our Book Group In A Box guide
– List your group on the Book Group Resources page