One of our most successful choices was Kafka’s The Trial. Other books that everyone enjoyed reading and fostered lively discussion: Wild Swans, Bel Canto, Love in the Time of Cholera, and The Known World. We also had great discussions about Embers, Lolita and Atonement. So I ask myself, what do these books have in common?
- Well-written, with style and beauty.
- Thought-provoking themes and characters.
- Aside from the Kafka, not too densely written…and aside from Love in the Time of Cholera not terribly long.
- Accessible, with enough narrative energy to keep us reading.
Needless to say, some great books don’t make good book club books. Example: Almost anything by Dickens–because of the length–or by Faulkner–because of the density of the prose. I wonder how many of us will finish the Henry James?
Our list is here. Someday soon, I’ll add grades and links to my reviews.
Rumors of Delirium 