For the past few months, I’ve been in a book club with some friends. It’s nothing too serious or strenuous. We just find a book we’d all like to read, which is probably the hardest part, and then get together to discuss. After years of heated discussions in undergraduate and Master’s classes, I’m glad to just relax and enjoy.
One of my favorite parts is aligning our meal with a theme from the book. We just finished The Descendants by Kaui Hart Hemmings. We plan to have Hawaiian meatballs, Hawaiian rolls, and pineapple upside down cake for dessert.
I love, love, love books, so I could list dozens of titles here. For today’s post, I thought I’d put a list of a few favorites (in no particular order):
- So Long, See You Tomorrow by William Maxwell
- A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
- The Color Purple by Alice Walker
- Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
- The Great Gatsby by Scott F. Fitzgerald
- Boderlands/La Fronteria: The New Mestiza by Gloria Anzaldúa
- The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
- Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
- Ceremony by Leslie Silko
What would your list include?
I love that Owen Mean is on your list! I am teaching Their Eyes Were Watching God right now and definitely loving it…my book club recently read a young adult book called Unwind, which is going to be the first of a trilogy…it is fascinating and has many, many, many themes ripe for discussion…I wouldn’t put it on my top 10 list, but it is definitely compelling and provocative…The Hotel at the Corner of Bitter and Sweet is also a beautiful book and a good one for a grown-up book club
Love reading your writing and reflections. You are great!