This month, we're discussing two follow-up works of fiction: Kim Michele Richardson's The Book Woman's Daughter (sequel to The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek) and Elizabeth Strout's Oh William! (third in the Amgash series, featuring the titular character of My Name is Lucy Barton).

We're also revisiting last year's discussion of new paperback release Morningside Heights by Joshua Henkin, which, like Strout's novel, offers a thoughtful reflection on a marriage.

Need a book club health check? A recent article from HowStuffWorks featuring BookBrowse explains how to keep your group together — read it via the link below!

Very best,

Davina

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek!

Bestselling historical fiction author Kim Michele Richardson is back with the perfect book club read following Honey Lovett, the daughter of the beloved Troublesome book woman, who must fight for her own independence with the help of the women who guide her and the books that set her free.

"It's been a while since I read The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, and I was concerned about reading this sequel without first refreshing myself. But this book can definitely stand alone, and much of the previous book came back to me as I was reading this one. I enjoyed both books very much, and thought this one held up well." - Deb

"I read The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek with my book club. It was a book we all enjoyed and found historically enlightening. We had little knowledge of the blue-skinned people of Kentucky, and the Pack Horse librarians. Knowing the background, I found The Book Woman's Daughter to be more of a page-turner. I connected immediately to Honey and was rooting for her success on every page. I couldn't wait to read the next chapter of her journey... Riveting!" - mmr

"The characters are believable and well developed. The storyline is strong and well thought out. The descriptions of the geography, climate, and culture are perfect. As a reader, I felt I was there." - BuffaloGirl

Pulitzer Prize winner Elizabeth Strout explores the mysteries of marriage and the secrets we keep, as a former couple reckons with where they've come from - and what they've left behind.

At the heart of this story is the indomitable voice of Lucy Barton, who offers a profound, lasting reflection on the very nature of existence. "This is the way of life," Lucy says: "the many things we do not know until it is too late."

"I loved this book. Elizabeth Strout's writing style was beautifully casual and revealed a lot about Lucy through her experiences, thoughts and memories. The story line was so interesting to me. I have only read one of her book's before, Amy & Isabelle, so I have a lot of her other books on my reading list now. Oh, William! was a wonderful story and I enjoyed Strout's writing style immensely." - LoriK

"I really enjoyed the book. I found myself examining events, circumstances, decisions, and conversations that I have had over the years, as Lucy did. I think it must be natural to do this about your own life and your spouse’s or significant other’s. It seems to be a way of trying to understand ourselves and make sense of our lives." - Patricia Ann

"The only other book I’ve read by Strout is Olive Kitteridge. I enjoyed Oh William! much more and look forward to reading My Name is Lucy Barton as well as her other works. Not only the style but her insights into the human emotions are brilliant." - mceacd

Last year, BookBrowse's book club discussed Morningside Heights by Joshua Henkin. It received many positive comments, so we're revisiting it now that the book is released in paperback.

Morningside Heights is a sweeping and compassionate novel about a marriage surviving hardship. It's about the love between women and men and children and parents, about the things we give up in the face of adversity, about what endures when life turns out differently from what we thought we signed up for.

"I loved this gem of a book and its quiet poignance. We observe Pru and Spence navigating life’s milestones together, some more painful than others. Some of these challenges really resonated with me and I was glad to read Morningside Heights at this time in my life. The characters are so well-drawn and dialogue well-crafted, I felt like I was air-dropped into their home where I could silently participate in their daily lives. This was the first book I read by Joshua Henkin and will not be the last." - paulak

"I was somewhat hesitant to request this book because I didn’t want to read a depressing story. However, I was surprised by the manner in which Henkin approached his novel. This was so much better than I imagined and so much more interesting than I had hoped. It was a sad story but it was suffused with such compassion, growth, hope and complexity that I was entranced. The characters are so well developed and amazingly real that after finishing the book I still think about each of them and wonder what they are doing now." - gerrieb

"I liked the book. From the first page I was drawn to the character Pru. I loved the early days of the couple's relationship, it took me right back to college. Spence’s illness was very sad, and I came to understand more of what people with Alzheimer’s go through. This was a well-written book and I now want to read Joshua Henkin’s earlier work. A good book for book clubs to discuss." - Maggie

The discussion of Morningside Heights took place last fall, so the forum is closed for new posts at this time, but you can read the many comments, or explore more about the book, via the links below.

In their recent article "7 Tips to Keep Your Book Club From Falling Apart," the website HowStuffWorks features advice from BookBrowse based on the research we've conducted with book club members.

Check out the article to learn about the importance of keeping your club focused, designating a facilitator, choosing books for your club and more.

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 The Book Woman's Daughter by Kim Michele Richardson and Oh William! by Elizabeth Strout, among other books. The discussion for Carolina Moonset by Matt Goldman opens on June 4.

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.