Novel Ideas: Fiction Book Club for Adults
2021-2022
Welcome to Book Club. If this is your first time here, please consider joining us for great books and spirited discussions each month from September to June. We plan to continue with a hybrid format in the fall. Unless recommendations change again, there will be no need to sign up for the in person discussion. Everyone may participate online via Zoom.
Zoom meeting link will be shared close to the meeting date.
The Book Club meets the second Monday of the month except if it’s a holiday and then we will meet the third Monday. The Book Club is free and open to everyone.
Questions or to be added to the participant directory: contact Hermayne Gordon ([email protected] or 781-933-0148)
September: The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
October: The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue
November: The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
December: Weather: a novel by Jenny Offill
January: A Burning by Megha Majumdar
February: Long Bright River by Liz Moore
March: Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu
April: Hamnet: a novel of the plague by Maggie O’Farrell
May: The Searcher by Tana French
June: White Ivy: a novel by Susie Yang
Below is a link to the selections along with meeting dates that you can print and save:
https://woburnpubliclibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Novel-Ideas-Picks-for-2021-2022.pdf
2020-2021
Currently, this discussion group operates in a hybrid format. There are a limited number of in-person spots available. If you would like to have one please register as soon as possible. Everyone may participate online via Zoom:
Zoom Meeting – link will be shared closer to the meeting date
The Book Club is free and open to anyone interested in joining.
Please contact Hermayne Gordon ([email protected]) with any questions or to be added to our participant directory.
September: Africaville by Jeffrey Colvin
October: All Adults Here by Emma Straub
November: The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin
December: The Woman In The Window by AJ Finn
January: The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
February: The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
March: The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
April: The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel
May: You Can’t Go Home Again by Thomas Wolfe
June: Sold On A Monday by Kristina McMorris
Social Justice Book Club (PLEASE SEE NEW SOCIAL JUSTICE PODCAST CLUB ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE)
2019 – 2020
This book club meets the first Monday of every other month to discuss both fiction and non-fiction books that explore ideas around race, gender, immigration and criminal justice. Meetings will be in the Historical Artifacts Room at the Library.
September: Some of My Friends Are … by Deborah Plummer, Ph.D.
November: They Take Our Jobs: And Other Myths… by Aviva Chomsky
January: American Prison: A Reporters Undercover Journey…by Shane Bauer
March: Meet the Candidates – EBook Series by Scott Dworkin
May: The Rise of Enlightened Sexism by Susan J. Douglas
July: Tomorrow Will Be Different-Love, Loss & the Fight for Transequality by Sarah McBride
Novel Ideas: Fiction Book Club for Adults
2018 – 2019
Daytime Meeting: We meet on the second Tuesday of each month (November-June) at 2 p.m., unless otherwise noted on the Library’s Events Calendar. In case of a library closure (due to inclement weather or other emergency) on one of our meeting nights, we discuss that evening’s book in conjunction with the next book at the next meeting.
Evening Meeting: We meet on the third Wednesday of each month (September-June) at 7 p.m., unless otherwise noted on the Library’s Events Calendar. In case of a library closure (due to inclement weather or other emergency) on one of our meeting nights, we discuss that evening’s book in conjunction with the next book at the next meeting.
September: Standard Deviation by Katherine Heiny
October: Young Jane Young by Gabrielle Zevin
November: A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
December: The Ministry of Utmost Happiness by Arundhati Roy
January: Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry
February: Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders
March: Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke
April: Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
May: Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
June: Grace by Paul Lynch
Social Justice Book Club: For Adults and Teens
2018 – 2019
This book club meets the first Monday of every other month to discuss both fiction and nonfiction books that explore the ideas around race, gender, immigration, poverty and criminal justice. We meet at the Woburn Public Library at 45 Pleasant Street at 7 p.m., unless otherwise noted on the Library’s Events Calendar. In case of a library closure (due to inclement weather or other emergency) on one of our meeting nights, we discuss that evening’s book in conjunction with the next book at the next meeting.
September 6: Scarlet A by Katie Watson
November 1: The Soul of America: the Battle for Our Better Angels by Jon Meacham
March 7: Crazy: A Father’s Search Through America’s Mental Health Madness by Peter Earley *** NOTE: Due to library move in progress, meeting will be held at Bertucci’s in Woburn. Come and enjoy beverages and/or food (separate checks provided) while discussing this compelling story that looks at the criminalization of the mentally ill. Questions? Please email Deb at [email protected]
May 6: The Trigger: Narratives of the American Shooter by Daniel Patinkin
July 8: Tell Me How It Ends: An Essay in Forty Questions by Valeria Luiselli
Q(ueer) & A(llies) Book Club for Teens Grades 9-12
2018
This book club typically meets the 4th Thursday of every other month to discuss novels that feature main characters who consider themselves part of the LGBTQIA (queer) community. Books are selected by the attendees (culled from a wider list generated by Assistant Director, Rebecca Meehan). It’s not essential that attendees read the book in order to attend the program. Many great discussions are inspired by the book, but then naturally evolve into other related topics.
May 24 – Tell Me Again How a Crush Should Feel by Sara Farizan
July 26 – The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth
September 27 – Symptoms of Being Human by Jeff Garvin
Youth Book Clubs
BookEaters (4th & 5th Graders)
This book club typically meets the 4th Tuesday of the month, and we discuss the book over snacks and a craft or other activity. We meet at the library’s temporary location at 36 Cummings Park at 7 p.m., unless otherwise noted on the Library’s Events Calendar. In case of a library closure (due to inclement weather or other emergency) on one of our meeting nights, we discuss that evening’s book in conjunction with the next book at the next meeting.
2018
October 23 – Sophia’s War: a Tale of the Revolution by Avi
November 27 – Front Desk by Kelly Yang
Middle School Book Club
This book club typically meets the 2nd Tuesday of the month, and we discuss the book over snacks and a craft or other activity. We meet at the library’s temporary location at 36 Cummings Park at 7 p.m., unless otherwise noted on the Library’s Events Calendar. In case of a library closure (due to inclement weather or other emergency) on one of our meeting nights, we discuss that evening’s book in conjunction with the next book at the next meeting.
2018
October 9 – Brave by Svetlana Chmakova
November 13: Crunch by Leslie Conner
December 11: The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani
