Book Club News: May Issue
Greetings!

In this issue of Book Club News, we bring you our discussion of David R. Gillham's historical novel Shadows of Berlin, which provides a less-explored perspective on World War II and the Holocaust.

Need more mysteries and thrillers for your book club? We've put together a handpicked list of some of the best from recent years, all with 5-star BookBrowse reviews.

You can also read our book club Q&A with Sharon Lucas of The Reading Divas, plus advice on being an effective book club facilitator. And be sure to check out our interview with Ukrainian publisher Vivat if you haven't already.

Very best,

Davina
Book Club Discussions
Discussions are open to all to view and participate, so if you've read a book, click on "discuss."
If you have not, we suggest you go to "about the book" to avoid spoilers.
Shadows of Berlin
by David R. Gillham
From the Jacket

A captivating novel of a Berlin girl on the run from the guilt of her past and the boy from Brooklyn who loves her. From the cafes of war-torn Germany to the frantic drumbeat of 1950s Manhattan, Shadows of Berlin dramatically explores survival, redemption and the way we learn to love and forgive across impossible divides.

From the Discussion

"The book explores the plight of "U-boat" Jews (underground in Berlin, hiding in plain sight) both during and after World War II, with particular emphasis on collusion and post-war survivor's guilt. It's a different perspective from the usual (and horrific) Holocaust story, but one well worth exploring. Gillham's characters are well-developed (though occasionally a bit stereotypical) - flawed but sympathetic. Much of the book is sad, as Rachel struggles to cope with her Berlin experience, so the ending was surprisingly uplifting for me." - laurap

"I thought this was an interesting book and I liked it. I think of the war and I think of the devastation and all the lives that were lost, but I seldom think of the survivors, who would never forget what happened to them and their loved ones and friends. I never thought about the guilt they might struggle with. This book brought that to my attention." - Maggie

"I really enjoyed reading this book. It gave me a clearer perspective, or maybe a reminder of the perspective, of the horrors experienced by the Jewish people in the lead-up-to and during World War II." - dorinned
15 Gripping Thriller & Mystery Books for Book Clubs
Book tastes may differ wildly, but good mysteries appeal widely. And you can count on them to add momentum to your book club discussions any day. Mysteries and puzzle-driven thrillers give your group a chance to talk about both the twists and turns of the reading experience and any issues and concepts addressed by the book, providing the opportunity for layered, captivating conversation. So in this blog post, we bring you a list of some of the very best mystery books for book clubs that have been published in recent years...
Book Club Q&A Update: The Reading Divas
The Reading Divas is an 18 member, all-women book club in Bowie, Maryland. Back in 2013, founding member and club president Sharon Lucas shared with us details of the book club and their annual community event. Then, we followed up in May 2022 to find what the group's been up to in the intervening years.

Hi Sharon, we'd love to know what The Reading Divas have been up to these past nine years. You must be coming up for 24 years reading together?

"Yes! We will celebrate our 24th anniversary in August 2022 and more than half of the membership has been together for 15 years or more..."
How to Be an Effective Book Club Facilitator
A friend of mine recently contacted me because her in-person book club is moving online and she's worried about making the transition, particularly as, while she loves her group, their discussions have a tendency of devolving into friendly chit-chat at the best of times.

I asked her if her group had considered designating a facilitator - someone who, generally speaking, helps the group get the most out of their discussions by being prepared, keeping things on track and making sure that everyone's voice is heard. She said they had, but that she felt some trepidation as to how to be an effective facilitator, particularly while also navigating an online discussion forum - did I have any suggestions?

Here are the tips I shared with her...

This blog post was published in April of 2020.
Interview: Ukrainian Publisher Vivat
In case you missed it, BookBrowse recently interviewed Julia Orlova, CEO of Ukrainian publisher Vivat.

We discuss how the company is keeping operations going during the Russian invasion and the increased interest in Ukrainian literature around the world.

Read all about it on the BookBrowse blog.
Book Club: Current & Upcoming Discussions
BookBrowse's forums-based discussions are open to all, so please join us!

Click below to see all past and current discussions, and the ones that will be opening over the next couple of months; and, if you wish, sign up to receive a one-time notification when a particular discussion opens.

Currently, we're discussing Surviving Savannah by Patti Callahan, Libertie by Kaitlyn Greenidge and Shadows of Berlin by David R. Gillham; and The Book Woman's Daughter by Kim Michele Richardson will be opening soon.
Resources for Book Clubs
BookBrowse offers a cornucopia of resources for book clubs including recommended books by genre, time period, setting and a wide range of themes; advice on starting and running a book club and much more!
Usually published once a month, Book Club News is one of BookBrowse's four free newsletters. We also publish BookBrowse Highlights every Thursday, Publishing This Week every Sunday; and Librarian News monthly.
1-408-867-6500
Toll Free: 1-800-745-5306 (US & Canada)
Copyright 2022