10 Books to Read with your Book Club

Choosing the right book can make or break a book club meeting. The best options tend to share a few qualities: they are well known enough that members have already heard of them, they touch on themes that feel relevant to the group or to wider cultural conversations, and they are short or readable enough that everyone can finish in time. Accessibility matters too, so check that your pick is available in paperback, at the library, second-hand or as an audiobook. It also helps to avoid brand new releases, which can be harder for everyone to get hold of. Below are ten suggestions across a range of moods and genres, from serious to playful, so there should be something to suit most groups. ## A classic retold Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys This short, intense novel tells the story of Antoinette Cosway, offering a different perspective on the madwoman in the attic from Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre. You do not need a detailed knowledge of Jane Eyre to follow it, and it is guaranteed to get a discussion going. It is the kind of book that stays with you long after you finish it. ## Coming of age Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson A young girl growing up in a strict religious community comes to terms with her sexuality in this funny, heartbreaking and wholly original novel. It has been cited as a favourite by numerous authors, and it is a good introduction to Winterson’s wider work. ## Memoir Educated by Tara Westover This memoir reads like fiction. It chronicles a young woman’s upbringing in rural Idaho with a family preparing for the end of the world. It will appeal to readers with an interest in cults and survivalism, but it is worth checking content warnings before you commit to it as a group read. ## Science fiction The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers A diverse crew sets off on a space adventure aboard the Wayfarer. This is one for fans of space opera and the television series Firefly. Chambers writes accessible, inclusive science fiction, making this a good starting point for readers who are new to the genre. ## A short book for busy readers Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata A quirky, short novel about thirty-six-year-old Keiko, who lives in Tokyo and has worked in the same supermarket for eighteen years. It is an excellent entry point into translated fiction and was a huge bestseller. ## Grief The Discomfort of Evening by Marieke Lucas Rijneveld A Dutch bestseller and winner of the 2020 International Booker Prize, this novel is set in a small town and centres on a tragic accident and the sudden death of a brother, narrated by a young girl who lives largely in her own world. It is very intense and dark, so check content warnings before selecting it. ## Secret societies The Secret History by Donna Tartt This modern classic follows five students at a New England college who gradually lose their grip on reality after a horrific chain of events. Dark and irresistibly compelling, it makes a particularly good book club choice for autumn or winter. ## Poetry The Girl Aquarium by Jen Campbell A bold and mesmerising collection about girls, bodies, nature, beauty and fairy tales, from an award-winning poet, short story writer and disability advocate. ## Murder and mystery My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite Sinister and funny by turns, this novel follows two sisters, one of whom cannot seem to stop murdering her boyfriends. When Ayoola moves on to her next victim and begins dating Korede’s crush, the situation becomes even more complicated. ## Book to screen Emma by Jane Austen Perhaps the Austen novel that divides readers most, featuring the rich and spoiled Emma Woodhouse, who cannot resist meddling in the lives of everyone she meets. Read the book and watch the most recent adaptation as part of your discussion.