Yesterday, my book club met to select our reading list for the year. We each get to pitch two books and then we go through a couple of rounds of voting to narrow it down to twelve or thirteen books. But yesterday, we didn’t have a lot of people show and some people only pitched one book so we only had to eliminate three books to get our list down to twelve.
The three that were eliminated:
Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
The Cuckoo’s Calling by J.K. Rowling
The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri
It was a great meeting. There was food and lots of good book talk plus the day was so pretty so we ended up outside.
The final list is below, and I will also post it under the Book Club tab at the top of the page. I also list the previous lists there in case you are curious.
Final List: (Begins with March since we already had Jan & Feb chosen from last year, see full list on Book Club tab)
MAR – Â Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
APR – Â Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
MAY – Â And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini
JUN – Â The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte
JUL – Â The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
AUG – Â Never Fall Down by Patricia McCormick
SEP – Â Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup
OCT – I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai
NOV – Â Five Days at Memorial by Sheri Fink
DEC- A Gathering of Old Men by Ernest Gaines
JAN – Â TransAtlantic by Colum McCann
FEB – Havisham by Ronald Frame
I pitched Never Fall Down and Twelve Years a Slave but overall, I think these books will generate plenty of discussion.
What am I reading?
Finishing up The Secret of Raven’s Point and then maybe I’ll start Orfeo by Richard Powers.
What am I cooking?
Nothing special. I might make a chicken stir fry for dinner. Sometimes you just want chicken and rice or something simple and today is one of those days.
What am I watching?
I just watched this week’s American Horror Story. What’s happened to that show? The first season was so brilliant. The second, strange but still watchable. This season is just a blood fest. With them being witches, they are killed and resurrected so many times, I can’t even keep track of who is alive anymore.
I think I need to go back to watching Leave it to Beaver.
Book Chatter 
Wow, you’ve got some great titles ahead! I’m surprised you had any no-shows at all… that’s probably the most exciting meeting of the year. My club only plans one book at at time.
Some people have stuff come up last minute so they couldn’t come. I know. I get so excited about the selection meeting. I normally take weeks to come up with my pitches but this time, I decided right before the meeting.
I had taken a year off so I am just now getting back in the swing of book club again. This club has been in existence for a really long time. I think 15 years now.
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Looks like some good books. Bronte is always a good re-read for me, but I haven’t yet read any of those other titles! Sounds like you had a fun meeting.
It looks like you have a good mix there. I’ll look forward to hearing about all of them when you get to them.
You certainly do have eclectic tastes: American Horror Story to Leave It to Beaver; seems like there’s quite a jump there. 🙂
It’s weird. My desire to return to simpler times has me craving shows like Leave it to Beaver and The Wonder Years and yet… when I spend too much time there, I need the darkness and gore again. LOL.
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Interesting titles and barely any I know…frantically checking them out now!
That’s a great book club you’re a part of. You read such good books and I think it’s such fun how you pick them. I look forward to your reviews.
I adore chicken stir fry. I watched American Horror Story for a while but it disappointed me part way through the second season. I’m think of watching West Wing from the beginning for a while.
Enjoy your Sunday, Ti!
Sometimes our reading lists are hit or miss. This time I think all of the books will generate discussion but they are heavier reads. TV is not impressing me these days. I am getting sucked into American Idol, only because Harry Connick Jr. as a judge is just too much to pass up. He is so adorable and funny.
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I’ve read a couple from your list….even though Me Before You and The Lowlands didn’t make the cut for your book club, you should read them. I liked them both a lot—Me Before You is a book I am still thinking about.
Sounds like a great list, but you’ve got some long ones on there! Someone just asked at the library on Friday about American Horror Story on DVD; I had never heard of it, or it had never registered if I did. We’ve got the seventh season of Psych from the library on DVD and with Sherlock and Downton, I think we’re set for TV shows for a while! I’m listening to the Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon on audio and loving it.
Well, if you have any interest in American Horror Story, go with season one. The strange thing about each season is that all the actors come back, but to play different roles in different story lines.
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Sounds like a good list…I hope they all generate good discussion.
That is a good list, although I’ve heard not-so-great things about Transatlantic. Not sure the three that were eliminated should have been! But you’ve got some awesome reads.
I wanted to read Me Before You but I think it got pegged as a romance and therefore, didn’t have a chance.
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That’s a great list! I really want to read Twelve Years a Slave after seeing the movie.
You guys have some great books on tap. We are reading Me Before You next month – trying to ease my group into something a little longer after three months of books under 300 pgs. then we’re on to The Goldfinch. I think Twelve Years A Slave is a great choice – we might have to read that one, too. We suburban moms could certainly use to broaden our reading.
I loved your July and Nov choices and overall it seems like a great discussion list –enjoy.
A nice diverse list for your book club. I’m impressed you pitched 12 Years a Slave. I got that book recently as well. I haven’t read it before, and it seems amazing how the author persevered. I did see the movie. Good luck with the rain! cheers. http://www.thecuecard.com/
I tend to pitch heavier reads. They aren’t always favorites but there is usually plenty to discuss. I haven’t seen the movie yet but I was thinking that maybe after reading the book, we could have a movie night to add to the experience.
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My book club read Me Before You and everyone loved it – and we are a tough group to please. You should switch it up for And The Mountains Echoed. It’s nowhere near the excellence of his other two books. I was so disappointed!!
What a great list of books! There are so many there that I want to read. I have read the Hosseini book though and really enjoyed it!
How exciting! I see several books on your list that sound like wonderful discussion books. I wish I was closer and could be part of your book group! I am glad your choices made the list.
Is Leave It to Beaver still showing somewhere? I grew up on re-runs of that show and still have fond memories. I am so glad I don’t have to dress like Mrs. Cleaver when doing housework.
I watch Leave it to Beaver through Netflix. You don’t like to wear pearls while cooking dinner? LOL.
Their “play” clothes are better than my work clothes.
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Oooh, lovely list — I love how diverse they all are! Enjoy!
I’ve only seen the first season of AHS and it blew me away. Am considering not watching any more since it was so good.
The first season was the best season. Stop there.
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I think you have a really great list for the year! Plenty of discussion up ahead! I haven’t read any of those but most are in my wishlist.
Solid list for your book club! Did you notice most of the book are from male authors? I only notice because my book club tends to read mostly women authors.
Mari, No I did not notice that. I was going to pitch the new Amy Tan but didn’t think it would get picked due to its length, but then Goldfinch got picked. That’s a really long one.
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Never Fall Down was really good and I want to read I am Malala as well as 12 Years a Slave. Great list!
I think it helped that both my picks are so short! A definite plus with this busy group. Glad to know that Never Fall Down was good. I read an excerpt and it looked good to me.
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I’m surprised The Lowland was eliminated. It’s such a wonderful book and there is a lot to discuss in terms of caste, family, and identity. And it is beautifully written. Bah humbug. Your club is missing out on that one.
I’m glad your suggestions were picked. Twelve Years A Slave seems bloody brilliant and it’s on my TBR list. I want to see the movie too. It’s got some serious themes in it.
No one seemed interested in the brother story line but then again, some of them had already read it.
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All books that I want to read. That’s a good list. I’m reading 12 Years A Slave now, and I’m amazed how good the writing is. I’m reading it online, free. As for The Lowland, I read it and found it a little disappointing. I like her short stories more.