Hello,

This month, we're continuing our book club discussion of Daniel Mason's North Woods, a uniquely conceived novel that travels through centuries but remains firmly in the same place: a house in the woods of New England.

We also bring you a newly-opened discussion of a book that spans both time and space: Francesca McDonnell Capossela's Trouble the Living tells the emotional story of a woman who flees Northern Ireland during the Troubles and her fraught relationship with her daughter years later in California.

Plus, it's time to introduce our picks for the best fiction and nonfiction for book clubs in 2024! Use these recommendations to set your group up for a year of fantastic reading and conversations.

Very best,

Davina Morgan-Witts

A sweeping novel about a single house in the woods of New England, told through the lives of those who inhabit it across the centuries—a daring, moving tale of memory and fate from the Pulitzer Prize finalist and author of The Piano Tuner and The Winter Soldier.

"A truly inspired plot. I absolutely loved, loved this book! Poignant prose, poems, songs, illustrations… it is much more than a novel. I have been recommending it to all my friends." —dove12*

"On my second reading I fell in love with the entirety of it - the ingenious configuration, of course, but also the interpretation of the generations through the characters and their ventures and the beautiful descriptions of the landscape itself. One of my favorite reads this year!" —donatshell

"North Woods was certainly not an easy beach read, but this is why I loved it. It was imaginative, creative, and thought-provoking; something that is rare in a book these days." —sweeney

It's the final years of the Troubles in Northern Ireland, and Bríd and her sister, Ina, try to maintain a stable life in a divided country. Pushed by her mother's fanaticism and a family tragedy, Bríd joins the IRA and makes a devastating choice.

Years later, her guilt and tragic history still buried, Bríd is an overprotective mother raising her sensitive daughter, Bernie, in Southern California. When mother and daughter are forced to return to Northern Ireland, they both must confront the past, the present, and the women they've become.

"I absolutely loved this book. I particularly enjoyed how the author seamlessly leads us between timelines and countries. I was immediately drawn to the characters, with all their flaws, transgressions and incredible challenges." —melissa c.

"I was sad to end the book and my relationship with Bríd and Bernie. I also learned so much about the Northern Ireland war and how conflicting feelings and the struggle of wanting peace but wanting a unified Ireland tore a country apart. This is a book for everyone to read." —rebajane

"I found Trouble the Living to be a fine read. Capossela is able to evoke the atmosphere of the times beautifully." —PTK

For book clubs who read contemporary fiction, it may feel impossible to choose between the many acclaimed and anticipated works making an appearance every year. But not to worry, we have you covered with top-notch suggestions for your club in 2024! Our list of recommendations features new books from established favorites like Barbara Kingsolver, Lydia Millet and Lynda Rutledge, along with noteworthy debuts from emerging authors such as Costanza Casati, Alice Winn and Parini Shroff. ...continued

Looking for nonfiction to read with your book club in the coming year? It can be tricky to track down quality nonfiction books that have real discussion potential, so we've created this list to give your group a head start on your picks for 2024.

Our selections include two books portraying lesser-explored elements of World War II from unique angles, an engaging story of sisters separated by the Chinese Civil War, an eye-opening account of women fighting discrimination at MIT, an intimate and socially conscious portrait of George Floyd, and the dramatic telling of a North Carolina community's battle for justice against a multinational corporation. ...continued

Discussions are open to all, so please join us!

If you would like to receive a message when a particular discussion opens, you can sign up for a one-time notification. You can also find inspiration for your book club among our more than 200 past discussions.

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.

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