Today’s list of discussable book club books comes courtesy Reading Group Choices, via Book Club Girl and represents more than 50,000 book group leaders and members.  Happily, I have read all but one of the titles, and have even created kits for a couple, so I will add my two cents whenever I feel the need…  However, all of these are very well-known, so I imagine you have your own opinions!  

 First, a few words from Barbara Mead, the president of Reading Group Choices:

The list shows many repeats from one year to another–clearly, “reading group classics.” The phenomenon of the memoir is still strong with three appearing on the list…The discussion topics from all of these books could be considered similar, but manifest themselves in different ways in the various books — love, cultural and social issues, controversial topics, history, and personal struggle. That’s what reading groups are all about — books, conversation, and fun. Who says the American literary dialogue is dead?!

Now for the list:

1. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen.  I already reviewed this one — here’s the link.
2. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls.  Another link to my earlier review…
3. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See.  I just completed a kit on this novel for a customer and must admit that I liked it better the second time around.  I still am not a huge a fan of any of the characters, but I can see why book clubs like it — lots of material for discussion regarding female relationships and how our culture has replaced the mutilation of foot binding with that of cosmetic surgery.
4. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini.  I also liked this one even better the second time around — it was my first custom kit and remains my best-seller by far.  I enjoyed it more than The Kite Runner, by the way.
5. The Memory Keeper’s Daughter by Kim Edwards.  Anyone see Lifetime’s movie version Saturday night?  Ugh…  I loved the first chapters of this novel, but believe it did not fulfill its promise.  Here is my earlier review.
6. Tie — Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert.  Another earlier review — this memoir seems to elicit strong opinions!  Either she resonates or not…
7. Tie — The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.  Dark, compelling, unforgettable…
8. My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult.  This was the first Picoult I read and enjoyed the exhilarating pace, but was disappointed with the ending — which held true of subsequent Picoult reads until…
9. Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult.  This one is my favorite Picoult, but in the spirit of full-disclosure, I listened to it in the car.  I think this is how I will “read” future Picoult novels.  Here is my review.
10. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.  The only one I haven’t read on the list.  Now that I am out of the classroom, I do not read many YA titles and this one was described as “Harry Potter meets the Holocaust” — which did not tempt me.  However, I have already received inquiries regarding whether I have a kit available for this title, so it may be in my near future.
11. Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortensen.  Here’s my previous review of this title…  It was my family book club’s choice last November.

So, what do you these titles have in common?  Why were/are they the “hot” book club picks?  How many have you read?

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