Book clubs come in all shapes and sizes. They can be a casual group of friends at a coffee shop or a formal meeting with a set schedule and rules for participation. Either way, choosing books for a book club can be tricky. Not everyone has the same reading tastes, and if your book club members don’t find the book even the slightest bit interesting, you’ll be hard pressed to have a good conversation. In the world of book clubs, quality matters – because great books lead to great discussions!
To help book clubs choose their next great read, we’ve created a collection called Books by the Stack. Modelled after a well-established collection at the Grand Rapids Public Library (MI), we’ve essentially created free-form book club kits that readers can tailor to their own book clubs’ needs.
We currently have ten titles to choose from: Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson, Reading with Patrick by Michelle Kuo, A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles, Uncommon Type by Tom Hanks, Lassoing the Sun by Marks Woods, Eleven by Tom Rogers, Hillbilly Elegy by J. D. Vance, Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan, The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood and Leonardo da Vinci by Walter Isaacson.
On the Books by the Stack shelves, we’ve showcased each title by including a short summary and a few key words highlighting why you’ll like the book to help you make your selection. Each title has at least ten copies – most available in large print – and a list of questions to get your discussion started.
Books can be checked out individually, so you can take as many as you need or individual book club members can come in and grab a copy on their own. And if you want to take the whole stack to hand out to your group, we have several handy tote bags to check out as well. If you need more than ten books, we can request copies from other libraries in Onondaga County and have them delivered to Skaneateles. Just let us know!
Books by the Stack titles are chosen to inspire interesting conversation. They are well-written, engaging and can grab the interest of a broad audience. We also aim to offer diversity within the collection, selecting memoirs, non-fiction, fiction and short stories. The best books to spark a discussion get readers excited to share why they loved it or hated it. They always stir up some emotion, whether positive or negative. We hope our Books by the Stack inspire you to read, meet and discuss!
Upcoming Events
Upcoming Events: Guitar Concert Series: Kenneth Meyer Wednesday, August 29th at 7:30PM Classical guitar concert brought to you by the library and Great Lakes Guitar Society. No registration. Free.
Garden Talk: Winterizing Your Garden Thursday, September 13th at 6:30PM Learn from a master gardener how to prepare your garden and tools for the winter ahead. No registration.