For those that love a crackling plot, look no further than Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. A mystery told alternately by a battling husband and wife, this convoluted plot is full of red herrings and twists. It is almost impossible to put down once you start. Lots of interesting topics to discuss at book club about the relations between the sexes!
Lulu in Marrakesh is also full of plot, but not pulled together so tightly. This is s a novel by Diane Johnson, who wrote the popular book Le Divorce. Lulu is a young American spy sent to Morocco to gather intelligence. Join Lulu as she settles into the expat community in Marrakech. It brings up interesting questions about the relationships among nations and religions. Plus I'm a sucker for a novel set in an interesting new place.
For some nonfiction, try Quiet by Susan Cain. It's about the motivations of introverts, and what they bring to the world. Then the book club can consciously check in with their introverted members to get their take on the subject! Also Help Thanks Wow: The Three Essential Prayers by Anne Lamott is wise and honest. She interweaves stories and practical advice.
If you love bookstores, you may go crazy over Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloane. This is the Da Vinci Code for book nerds! I enjoyed thinking about the evolution of searching for information, and the changing publishing world. I also loved how just like a fairy tale, the hero Clay succeeds in his quest not because he is strongest or smartest, but because he is a good friend who can assemble a team for a quest.
The book whose language and characters have stayed in my head is Esi Edugyan's Half Blood Blues. I can hear the narrator Sid Griffiths speaking in his slang about his jazz band in World War II. The language can be a little daunting, so I got a bookcd. That way the words flowed into my brain, and I didn't get hung up on a meaning of a particular word. Just like listening to Shakespeare, I relaxed, and the meaning flowed in.
Once again, I've provided a list of books that aren't funny haha, and in fact Half Blood Blues and Gone Girl are sad. Paired with some good friends, wine and conversation, however, I promise they will make you feel happy!
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