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Lisa See Recommends Books on China, Talks Enduring Characters
Posted by Cybil on March 20, 2017
When The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane begins in 1988, Li-Yan and her family work as tea pickers in Spring Well, a village in the Yunnan province of China populated by the Akha people. Spring Well has no running water, no electricity, and has only ever seen one car. Over the next 25 years, with the skyrocketing popularity of Pu'er tea, everything changed.
Pu'er is a rare tea made from the leaves of tea trees in the Yunnan province, some of which are thought to be thousands of years old. As the most educated girl in the village, Li-Yan finds herself at the center of her village's new relationship with tea exporters, a path that will take her far away from the village she never thought she'd leave, all while hiding her own painful secrets.
Author Lisa See is known for the extensive research and rich detail she puts into her bestselling novels set in China, including Snow Flower and the Secret Fan and Peony in Love. Goodreads spoke to See about helping her readers discover China and how her characters stay with her. The following is an excerpt from our full interview that appeared in our March newsletter.
GR: Goodreads user Elizabeth asks: I'm interested in learning about Chinese culture and history as a result of reading your books. What other books (fiction or nonfiction) would you recommend to get a better understanding of China?
LS: Peter Hessler went over to China as an English teacher and lived in a little river town along the Yangtze. The book he wrote about it, River Town, is charming, but he's also written several others that are really great.
Nicholas Kristof and his wife, Sheryl WuDunn, have written several good books about China—they were New York Times correspondents in China together.
Simon Winchester went to the very source of the Yangtze River and then followed it down to the mouth of the river. His book The River at the Center of the World is sort of a history of the river, what's along the river, and how life is changing there, and it's fantastic.
GR: Goodreads user Michele asks: Once you complete a book, do you find it challenging to move on from the characters you have so thoroughly cultivated in order to create your next work, or do some characters continue to occupy your consciousness long after the book is finished?
LS: Absolutely. I don't think of it as my moving on; it's more like they move on. I hate to say it, because it makes me sound like a crazy person, but there are times when I'll be out doing something and I can hear Lily say something to me, or Pearl, or A-ma. They'll talk to me—the ones from the past, but also the ones I'm currently working on. They'll kind of crop up like, "By the way, I'm still here."
Check out more recent blogs:
If Belle Were on Goodreads, She'd Probably Act a Lot Like Emma Watson
The National Book Critics Circle Awards Pick LaRose, Evicted
St. Patrick's Day: Some Fictional Alternatives to Green Beer
20 Problems Only Book Lovers Understand
Posted by Cybil on March 20, 2017
When The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane begins in 1988, Li-Yan and her family work as tea pickers in Spring Well, a village in the Yunnan province of China populated by the Akha people. Spring Well has no running water, no electricity, and has only ever seen one car. Over the next 25 years, with the skyrocketing popularity of Pu'er tea, everything changed.
Pu'er is a rare tea made from the leaves of tea trees in the Yunnan province, some of which are thought to be thousands of years old. As the most educated girl in the village, Li-Yan finds herself at the center of her village's new relationship with tea exporters, a path that will take her far away from the village she never thought she'd leave, all while hiding her own painful secrets.
Author Lisa See is known for the extensive research and rich detail she puts into her bestselling novels set in China, including Snow Flower and the Secret Fan and Peony in Love. Goodreads spoke to See about helping her readers discover China and how her characters stay with her. The following is an excerpt from our full interview that appeared in our March newsletter.
LS: Peter Hessler went over to China as an English teacher and lived in a little river town along the Yangtze. The book he wrote about it, River Town, is charming, but he's also written several others that are really great.
Nicholas Kristof and his wife, Sheryl WuDunn, have written several good books about China—they were New York Times correspondents in China together.
Simon Winchester went to the very source of the Yangtze River and then followed it down to the mouth of the river. His book The River at the Center of the World is sort of a history of the river, what's along the river, and how life is changing there, and it's fantastic.
GR: Goodreads user Michele asks: Once you complete a book, do you find it challenging to move on from the characters you have so thoroughly cultivated in order to create your next work, or do some characters continue to occupy your consciousness long after the book is finished?
LS: Absolutely. I don't think of it as my moving on; it's more like they move on. I hate to say it, because it makes me sound like a crazy person, but there are times when I'll be out doing something and I can hear Lily say something to me, or Pearl, or A-ma. They'll talk to me—the ones from the past, but also the ones I'm currently working on. They'll kind of crop up like, "By the way, I'm still here."
Check out more recent blogs:
If Belle Were on Goodreads, She'd Probably Act a Lot Like Emma Watson
The National Book Critics Circle Awards Pick LaRose, Evicted
St. Patrick's Day: Some Fictional Alternatives to Green Beer
20 Problems Only Book Lovers Understand
Today Only: Get up to 85% off NYT Bestsellers! (U.S. members)
Posted by Cybil on March 19, 2017
For one day only, get amazing deals on more than 30 New York Times bestsellers! U.S. members save up to 85% on popular ebooks including Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hamilton: The Revolution, the heartbreaking After You by Jojo Moyes, and Tana French's edge-of-your-seat thriller In the Woods.
Want more great books at great prices delivered to your inbox daily? Sign up to get personalized ebook deals based on genres you love to read, including:
Posted by Cybil on March 19, 2017
For one day only, get amazing deals on more than 30 New York Times bestsellers! U.S. members save up to 85% on popular ebooks including Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hamilton: The Revolution, the heartbreaking After You by Jojo Moyes, and Tana French's edge-of-your-seat thriller In the Woods.
Check out the full list of exciting deals to find your next favorite book!
Want more great books at great prices delivered to your inbox daily? Sign up to get personalized ebook deals based on genres you love to read, including:
- Bestsellers
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Fantasy & Sci-Fi
- Romance
- Fiction
- Nonfiction
- Young Adult
Happy reading!
If Belle Were on Goodreads, She'd Probably Act a Lot Like Emma Watson
Posted by Cybil on March 17, 2017
Disney's live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast hits theaters this weekend! For many readers, this is so much more than a princess movie: The "tale as old as time" is as much a love story about Belle and her books as it is about Belle and her prince-turned-monster.
In other words, Belle is important to book lovers. Luckily, so is the actress who's portraying her in the new film. From Hermione to UN Women Goodwill Ambassador, Emma Watson is basically our modern-day Belle—and she talks like her, too.
And, like Belle, Emma can't keep her love of books to herself. Last year, she joined Goodreads and started Our Shared Shelf, a feminist book club that now has more than 150,000 members around the world.
Every other month, Our Shared Shelf selects a new book to read and discuss. They're currently tackling Women Who Run with the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype (a nice parallel with Beauty and the Beast), but you can check out all of their past selections below.
Our Shared Shelf's Book Picks
Of course, all of the above makes Gaston very uncomfortable….
If you like "getting ideas and thinking" like Belle, consider joining our Our Shared Shelf. Your fellow bookworms—and Emma!—are waiting. Join the book club here.
Check out more recent blogs:
The National Book Critics Circle Awards Pick LaRose, Evicted
St. Patrick's Day: Some Fictional Alternatives to Green Beer
20 Problems Only Book Lovers Understand
Posted by Cybil on March 17, 2017
Disney's live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast hits theaters this weekend! For many readers, this is so much more than a princess movie: The "tale as old as time" is as much a love story about Belle and her books as it is about Belle and her prince-turned-monster.
In other words, Belle is important to book lovers. Luckily, so is the actress who's portraying her in the new film. From Hermione to UN Women Goodwill Ambassador, Emma Watson is basically our modern-day Belle—and she talks like her, too.
And, like Belle, Emma can't keep her love of books to herself. Last year, she joined Goodreads and started Our Shared Shelf, a feminist book club that now has more than 150,000 members around the world.
Every other month, Our Shared Shelf selects a new book to read and discuss. They're currently tackling Women Who Run with the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype (a nice parallel with Beauty and the Beast), but you can check out all of their past selections below.
Our Shared Shelf's Book Picks
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If you like "getting ideas and thinking" like Belle, consider joining our Our Shared Shelf. Your fellow bookworms—and Emma!—are waiting. Join the book club here.
Check out more recent blogs:
The National Book Critics Circle Awards Pick LaRose, Evicted
St. Patrick's Day: Some Fictional Alternatives to Green Beer
20 Problems Only Book Lovers Understand
The National Book Critics Circle Awards Pick LaRose, Evicted
Posted by Cybil on March 16, 2017
The National Book Critics Circle Awards were announced Thursday evening, with Louise Erdrich taking the prize for best fiction for LaRose. The Round House author enthralled the judges with her tale of a tragic accident and an act of atonement with roots in Native American culture.
The NBCC is made up of 1,000 book critics and editors from across the United States. Each year the group selects winners in six categories—fiction, nonfiction, poetry, biography, criticism, and autobiography.
Be sure to add these winners to your Want to Read list! Here are some of the NBCC's picks:
Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City
by Matthew Desmond
Winner of the nonfiction award. Average Goodreads' member rating: 4.46.
Shirley Jackson: A Rather Haunted Life
by Ruth Franklin
Winner of best biography. Average Goodreads' member rating: 4.23.
White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide
by Carol Anderson
Winner for best criticism. Average Goodreads' member rating: 4.41.
In addition, the book critics awarded the Sandrof Award for Lifetime Achievement to Margaret Atwood and the John Leonard Prize for a first book to Yaa Gyasi for her novel Homegoing.
See the complete list of NBCC finalists.
Check out more recent blogs:
If Belle Were on Goodreads, She'd Probably Act a Lot Like Emma Watson
St. Patrick's Day: Some Fictional Alternatives to Green Beer
20 Problems Only Book Lovers Understand
Posted by Cybil on March 16, 2017
The National Book Critics Circle Awards were announced Thursday evening, with Louise Erdrich taking the prize for best fiction for LaRose. The Round House author enthralled the judges with her tale of a tragic accident and an act of atonement with roots in Native American culture.
The NBCC is made up of 1,000 book critics and editors from across the United States. Each year the group selects winners in six categories—fiction, nonfiction, poetry, biography, criticism, and autobiography.
Be sure to add these winners to your Want to Read list! Here are some of the NBCC's picks:
by Matthew Desmond
Winner of the nonfiction award. Average Goodreads' member rating: 4.46.
by Ruth Franklin
Winner of best biography. Average Goodreads' member rating: 4.23.
by Carol Anderson
Winner for best criticism. Average Goodreads' member rating: 4.41.
In addition, the book critics awarded the Sandrof Award for Lifetime Achievement to Margaret Atwood and the John Leonard Prize for a first book to Yaa Gyasi for her novel Homegoing.
See the complete list of NBCC finalists.
Check out more recent blogs:
If Belle Were on Goodreads, She'd Probably Act a Lot Like Emma Watson
St. Patrick's Day: Some Fictional Alternatives to Green Beer
20 Problems Only Book Lovers Understand
St. Patrick's Day: Some Fictional Alternatives to Green Beer
Posted by Cybil on March 16, 2017
Ready to "drown the shamrock" this St. Patrick's Day? Goodreads is here for you: We've compiled a list of more delicious alternatives to green beer, with one wee caveat—these special drinks and cocktails began as fictional libations.
Please share your own favorites! Which drink do you most wish were real or which have you actually found in real life (we know some butterbeer aficionados out there)? Share your best recipe guesses in the comments!
What literary-inspired drinks will you be imbibing on St. Paddy's? And if you need more real-world guidance, try these Listopias: Best Cocktails and Best Home Brewing Books.
Check out more recent blogs:
If Belle Were on Goodreads, She'd Probably Act a Lot Like Emma Watson
The National Book Critics Circle Awards Pick LaRose, Evicted
20 Problems Only Book Lovers Understand
Posted by Cybil on March 16, 2017
Ready to "drown the shamrock" this St. Patrick's Day? Goodreads is here for you: We've compiled a list of more delicious alternatives to green beer, with one wee caveat—these special drinks and cocktails began as fictional libations.
Please share your own favorites! Which drink do you most wish were real or which have you actually found in real life (we know some butterbeer aficionados out there)? Share your best recipe guesses in the comments!
GREEN SWIZZLE
"The Rummy Affair of Old Biffy," collected in Carry on, Jeeves
by P.G. Wodehouse
It's still green! Bertie Wooster himself declares of this Wodehousian version of a Caribbean rum swizzle,"...if ever I marry and have a son, Green Swizzle Wooster is the name that will go down in the register." Some sources report that Wodehouse did not invent this himself, but no doubt he had his own twist.
by P.G. Wodehouse
It's still green! Bertie Wooster himself declares of this Wodehousian version of a Caribbean rum swizzle,"...if ever I marry and have a son, Green Swizzle Wooster is the name that will go down in the register." Some sources report that Wodehouse did not invent this himself, but no doubt he had his own twist.
PAN GALACTIC GARGLE BLASTER
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
by Douglas Adams
Dubbed "the alcoholic equivalent of a mugging" and "the best drink in existence," a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster should be consumed with caution: Drinking one is "like having your brains smashed out by a slice of lemon wrapped round a large gold brick." Adams helpfully provided a recipe, but you might have trouble finding all of the ingredients (Fallian marsh gas, the tooth of an Algolian Suntiger...).
by Douglas Adams
Dubbed "the alcoholic equivalent of a mugging" and "the best drink in existence," a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster should be consumed with caution: Drinking one is "like having your brains smashed out by a slice of lemon wrapped round a large gold brick." Adams helpfully provided a recipe, but you might have trouble finding all of the ingredients (Fallian marsh gas, the tooth of an Algolian Suntiger...).
GINGER SCALD
The Lies of Locke Lamora
by Scott Lynch
With hints of pear and radishes, this unusual drink is finished by plunging a red-hot poker into the liquid. Locke describes "when the cold burn of the ginger scald hit his lips (limning every tiny crack with stinging heat, and outlining every crevice between teeth and gums in exquisite pain...)" Yum! Goodreads Author and food blogger Chelsea Monroe-Cassel offers an excellent recipe, complete with hot-poker handling instructions!
by Scott Lynch
With hints of pear and radishes, this unusual drink is finished by plunging a red-hot poker into the liquid. Locke describes "when the cold burn of the ginger scald hit his lips (limning every tiny crack with stinging heat, and outlining every crevice between teeth and gums in exquisite pain...)" Yum! Goodreads Author and food blogger Chelsea Monroe-Cassel offers an excellent recipe, complete with hot-poker handling instructions!
END OF THE WORLD DELIGHT
Cat's Cradle
by Kurt Vonnegut
A darker take on a green drink, as befitting Kurt Vonnegut. "He wanted me to give him a drink on account of the world was coming to an end. So I mixed him an 'End of the World Delight.' I gave him about a half-pint of crème de menthe in a hollowed-out pineapple, with whipped cream and a cherry on top."
by Kurt Vonnegut
A darker take on a green drink, as befitting Kurt Vonnegut. "He wanted me to give him a drink on account of the world was coming to an end. So I mixed him an 'End of the World Delight.' I gave him about a half-pint of crème de menthe in a hollowed-out pineapple, with whipped cream and a cherry on top."
BUTTERBEER
Harry Potter Series
by J.K. Rowling
Allegedly slightly alcoholic, this wizarding favorite can be served hot or cold, and J.K. Rowling says, "I imagine it to taste a little bit like less-sickly butterscotch." For the launch of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park, Chef Steven Jayson spent three years perfecting an official butterbeer recipe, which is unfortunately classified!
by J.K. Rowling
Allegedly slightly alcoholic, this wizarding favorite can be served hot or cold, and J.K. Rowling says, "I imagine it to taste a little bit like less-sickly butterscotch." For the launch of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park, Chef Steven Jayson spent three years perfecting an official butterbeer recipe, which is unfortunately classified!
SCUMBLE
Discworld Series
by Terry Pratchett
Raise a glass full of Discworld apple-based moonshine in memory of Sir Terry Pratchett. "A lot of stories are told about scumble, and how it is made out on the damp marshes, according to ancient recipes passed down rather unsteadily from father to son. It's not true about the rats, or the snakes' heads, or the lead shot. The one about the dead sheep is a complete fabrication. We can lay to rest all the variants of the one about the trouser button. But the one about not letting it come into contact with metal is absolutely true..." You can try some fan recipes here and here, or even buy an officially licensed version!
by Terry Pratchett
Raise a glass full of Discworld apple-based moonshine in memory of Sir Terry Pratchett. "A lot of stories are told about scumble, and how it is made out on the damp marshes, according to ancient recipes passed down rather unsteadily from father to son. It's not true about the rats, or the snakes' heads, or the lead shot. The one about the dead sheep is a complete fabrication. We can lay to rest all the variants of the one about the trouser button. But the one about not letting it come into contact with metal is absolutely true..." You can try some fan recipes here and here, or even buy an officially licensed version!
SPICE BEER
Dune Chronicles
by Frank Herbert
If you're not up for dodging monster sandworms to harvest spice, the most coveted substance in Herbert's universe, you'll have to learn how to brew your own cinnamon-infused ale, a "fermented substance called 'spice beer,' potent and pungent with a strong cinnamon bite at the back of his throat. [Keedair] found the drink exhilarating and ordered a second" (from The Butlerian Jihad).
by Frank Herbert
If you're not up for dodging monster sandworms to harvest spice, the most coveted substance in Herbert's universe, you'll have to learn how to brew your own cinnamon-infused ale, a "fermented substance called 'spice beer,' potent and pungent with a strong cinnamon bite at the back of his throat. [Keedair] found the drink exhilarating and ordered a second" (from The Butlerian Jihad).
GRAF
The Dark Tower Series
by Stephen King
Perhaps a close cousin of Pratchett's scumble, this apple beer is the drink of choice in Stephen King's Mid-World. Lots of homebrewing fans have tried their versions, ranging from hard apple cider to dark malt, including this one with full video instructions!
by Stephen King
Perhaps a close cousin of Pratchett's scumble, this apple beer is the drink of choice in Stephen King's Mid-World. Lots of homebrewing fans have tried their versions, ranging from hard apple cider to dark malt, including this one with full video instructions!
Check out more recent blogs:
If Belle Were on Goodreads, She'd Probably Act a Lot Like Emma Watson
The National Book Critics Circle Awards Pick LaRose, Evicted
20 Problems Only Book Lovers Understand
20 Problems Only Book Lovers Understand
Posted by Hayley Igarashi on March 15, 2017
Non-bibliophiles don't always feel your pain…but you're among friends here! We asked on Facebook and Twitter: What's a problem only book lovers understand? We got more than 1,000 amazing responses. Check out some of our favorites and share your own bookish struggles in the comments.
1. "The urge to buy books even though you still have too many books to read at home." Rie VdWarth
2. "Feeling sad for people who don't really exist." Kimberly Moniz
3. "RUNNING OUT OF SHELF SPACE!!!" Kim
4. "Getting interrupted when you are on the last few pages of a book." Sobe Daya
5. "The book hangover. When a good book finishes but you can't start a new one because you're still too immersed in the last book to move on." Meagan Lewis
6. "Wanting every book in a library section but knowing it is impossible to read all of them." Richard Azia
7. "Waiting so long for a sequel that you forget what happened in the first book." Jessica Luong
8. "When you're lying in bed and it's all cold in your room—and the hand holding the book freezes to death, even though the rest of you is warm under the blankets." Alina Marie Swan
9. "Finishing a book and having to wait a whole year to read the next in the series." Sarah Scanion
10. "Trying to keep the book dry while reading in the bath." Patricia Boland
11. "Ordering a book online and getting the book with the movie cover. A book with a movie cover just doesn't feel the same." Anna RN
12. "Not being able to read and eat lunch at the same time because you don't have a third arm." Bernadette
13. "When someone borrows your book and doesn't return it for ages!" Pallavi B
14. "Deciding. Which. Book. To. Read. First." Monique Balsamo
15. "Getting to a 'can't stop reading' spot in the book and it's 3:00am." Joan Chesley
16. "When you have a book with you, but it's not the one you wanted to read right then." Virginia Osborne
17. "Being forced to stop reading by other obligations, but choosing to ignore those obligations. Then getting in trouble." Feel Like Fangirling
18. "Packing for a trip and never being able to bring enough books." Erika Gallion
19. "Having a book fall on your face because you're reading on your back while holding the book up." Manuel Cedillo
20. And the ultimate book lovers' dilemma: "So many books, so little time." Navy Reading
Don't see your reader-specific problem? Share it with your fellow Goodreads members in the comments! Chances are you'll find someone (or many someones) who feel your book pain.
Check out more recent blogs:
7 Great Books Hitting Shelves This Week
Your Most Successful Book Club Picks
Readers to the Rescue: Your Best Book Club Tips
(Top image credit: Illustration by Quentin Blake for Roald Dahl's Matilda.)
Posted by Hayley Igarashi on March 15, 2017
Non-bibliophiles don't always feel your pain…but you're among friends here! We asked on Facebook and Twitter: What's a problem only book lovers understand? We got more than 1,000 amazing responses. Check out some of our favorites and share your own bookish struggles in the comments.
1. "The urge to buy books even though you still have too many books to read at home." Rie VdWarth
2. "Feeling sad for people who don't really exist." Kimberly Moniz
3. "RUNNING OUT OF SHELF SPACE!!!" Kim
4. "Getting interrupted when you are on the last few pages of a book." Sobe Daya
5. "The book hangover. When a good book finishes but you can't start a new one because you're still too immersed in the last book to move on." Meagan Lewis
6. "Wanting every book in a library section but knowing it is impossible to read all of them." Richard Azia
7. "Waiting so long for a sequel that you forget what happened in the first book." Jessica Luong
8. "When you're lying in bed and it's all cold in your room—and the hand holding the book freezes to death, even though the rest of you is warm under the blankets." Alina Marie Swan
9. "Finishing a book and having to wait a whole year to read the next in the series." Sarah Scanion
10. "Trying to keep the book dry while reading in the bath." Patricia Boland
11. "Ordering a book online and getting the book with the movie cover. A book with a movie cover just doesn't feel the same." Anna RN
12. "Not being able to read and eat lunch at the same time because you don't have a third arm." Bernadette
13. "When someone borrows your book and doesn't return it for ages!" Pallavi B
14. "Deciding. Which. Book. To. Read. First." Monique Balsamo
15. "Getting to a 'can't stop reading' spot in the book and it's 3:00am." Joan Chesley
16. "When you have a book with you, but it's not the one you wanted to read right then." Virginia Osborne
17. "Being forced to stop reading by other obligations, but choosing to ignore those obligations. Then getting in trouble." Feel Like Fangirling
18. "Packing for a trip and never being able to bring enough books." Erika Gallion
19. "Having a book fall on your face because you're reading on your back while holding the book up." Manuel Cedillo
20. And the ultimate book lovers' dilemma: "So many books, so little time." Navy Reading
Don't see your reader-specific problem? Share it with your fellow Goodreads members in the comments! Chances are you'll find someone (or many someones) who feel your book pain.
Check out more recent blogs:
7 Great Books Hitting Shelves This Week
Your Most Successful Book Club Picks
Readers to the Rescue: Your Best Book Club Tips
(Top image credit: Illustration by Quentin Blake for Roald Dahl's Matilda.)
What's New This Week: 7 Great Books Hitting Shelves Today
Posted by Hayley Igarashi on March 14, 2017
Posted by Hayley Igarashi on March 14, 2017
Need another excuse to go to the bookstore this week? We've got seven! Bulk up your Want to Read shelf with these brand-new standalone titles.
Hunted
by Meagan Spooner
You should read this book if you like: YA fantasy, Beauty and the Beast retellings, Russian fairy tales, supportive sisters, ruined castles
Never Let You Go
Written by Chevy Stevens
You should read this book if you like: Psychological thrillers, stalkers and home invasions, strong mother-daughter relationships, crazy plot twists
See Stevens' favorite books on obsession and revenge.
New York 2140
by Kim Stanley Robinson
You should read this book if you like: Science fiction, global warming, a submerged New York City, the power of community, skyscrapers
The Rules Do Not Apply
by Ariel Levy
You should read this book if you like: Memoirs, reinvention, dark humor, the struggle of "having it all," stories of adventure and heartbreak
Dragonwatch
by Brandon Mull
You should read this book if you like: Children's books, epic dragon showdowns, underdogs, imaginative fantasy worlds, supernatural powers
A Bridge Across the Ocean
by Susan Meissner
You should read this book if you like: Historical fiction, the chaotic aftermath of World War II, transatlantic crossings, courageous war brides
Utopia for Realists:
Why Making the World a Better Place Isn't a Fantasy and How We Can Do It
by Rutger Bregman
You should read this book if you like: Nonfiction, pragmatic manifestos, economics, success stories and lively anecdotes, changing the world
BONUS: The wait is over—check out three of the buzziest sequels coming out today!
The End of Oz
by Danielle Paige
The fourth book in the Dorothy Must Die YA fantasy series
(Start off the series with Dorothy Must Die)
Drunk on You
by Harper Sloan
The fourth book in the Hope Town contemporary romance series
(Start off the series with Unexpected Fate)
The Cutthroat
by Clive Cussler and Justin Scott
The tenth book in the Isaac Bell historical adventure series
(Start off the series with The Chase)
What are you reading this week? Let's talk books in the comments!
Check out more recent blogs:
Your Most Successful Book Club Picks
Readers to the Rescue: Your Best Book Club Tips
25 Big Books of Spring
by Meagan Spooner
You should read this book if you like: YA fantasy, Beauty and the Beast retellings, Russian fairy tales, supportive sisters, ruined castles
Written by Chevy Stevens
You should read this book if you like: Psychological thrillers, stalkers and home invasions, strong mother-daughter relationships, crazy plot twists
See Stevens' favorite books on obsession and revenge.
by Kim Stanley Robinson
You should read this book if you like: Science fiction, global warming, a submerged New York City, the power of community, skyscrapers
by Ariel Levy
You should read this book if you like: Memoirs, reinvention, dark humor, the struggle of "having it all," stories of adventure and heartbreak
by Brandon Mull
You should read this book if you like: Children's books, epic dragon showdowns, underdogs, imaginative fantasy worlds, supernatural powers
by Susan Meissner
You should read this book if you like: Historical fiction, the chaotic aftermath of World War II, transatlantic crossings, courageous war brides
Why Making the World a Better Place Isn't a Fantasy and How We Can Do It
by Rutger Bregman
You should read this book if you like: Nonfiction, pragmatic manifestos, economics, success stories and lively anecdotes, changing the world
by Danielle Paige
The fourth book in the Dorothy Must Die YA fantasy series
(Start off the series with Dorothy Must Die)
by Harper Sloan
The fourth book in the Hope Town contemporary romance series
(Start off the series with Unexpected Fate)
by Clive Cussler and Justin Scott
The tenth book in the Isaac Bell historical adventure series
(Start off the series with The Chase)
What are you reading this week? Let's talk books in the comments!
Check out more recent blogs:
Your Most Successful Book Club Picks
Readers to the Rescue: Your Best Book Club Tips
25 Big Books of Spring
Your Most Successful Book Club Picks
Posted by Cybil on March 13, 2017
There are a lot of variables that go into a successful book club (from venue, to host, to group dynamics, to wine selection). But the most important piece of the puzzle can be tricky: Picking the perfect book. It must be one that people will actually read, inspire a lively conversation or debate, and make the person who recommended it look like a genius (obviously).
So, we turned to our social media community to learn about your most successful book club picks and what made them winners. And can we just say, get ready to impress your book club. Check out all of the responses on our Twitter and Facebook pages. In addition, here are some of our favorites from your comments:
A Man Called Ove
by Fredrik Backman
"My book club just discussed it and everyone loved it. There are so many things to talk about. The characters, their trials, the humor, the heartache. So much good stuff!!" wrote Jennifer Hamatake Colovich.
The Book Thief
Written by Markus Zusak
"It's a brilliant book, told from the perspective of death. It would lead to an amazing discussion about life, love, death, sacrifice, war etc. It's definitely worth your time," wrote Tobias Hellquist.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
"It's a fantastic book, set in World War II, with many different areas to discuss," wrote Sara Hufnagle.
The Devil in the White City
by Erik Larson
"It is my group's all time favorite book and we've been together for 12 years. Its historical name dropping was delightful," wrote Chris Markestad.
The Rosie Project
by Graeme Simsion
"Our book club recently enjoyed The Rosie Project. The main character is just like a popular TV character. The book was amusing but also thought provoking. We have read too many serious books in a row and needed a break," wrote Cathy Teague.
All the Ugly and Wonderful Things
by Bryn Greenwood
"I found it to be very morally challenging because it gets you rooting for questionable relationships and irregular protagonists. It's a great book to discuss, because it's interesting to see how others view the moral themes," wrote Jess Griffiths Sheldon.
Persepolis
by Marjane Satrapi
"It's relevant and great read with a lot of good details. Plus, it's a graphic novel so everyone will be able to finish it no matter how busy they are," wrote Nikki Denton.
Want even more great book club picks? Check out Goodreads' most popular bookclub books (and filter by week, month, or all-time most-popular picks). And recommend your book club picks in the comments!
Check out more recent blogs:
Readers to the Rescue: Your Best Book Club Tips
25 Big Books of Spring
Celebrating the Joy of Rereading a Favorite Book
Most Anticipated YA Books of 2017
Posted by Cybil on March 13, 2017
There are a lot of variables that go into a successful book club (from venue, to host, to group dynamics, to wine selection). But the most important piece of the puzzle can be tricky: Picking the perfect book. It must be one that people will actually read, inspire a lively conversation or debate, and make the person who recommended it look like a genius (obviously).
So, we turned to our social media community to learn about your most successful book club picks and what made them winners. And can we just say, get ready to impress your book club. Check out all of the responses on our Twitter and Facebook pages. In addition, here are some of our favorites from your comments:
by Fredrik Backman
"My book club just discussed it and everyone loved it. There are so many things to talk about. The characters, their trials, the humor, the heartache. So much good stuff!!" wrote Jennifer Hamatake Colovich.
Written by Markus Zusak
"It's a brilliant book, told from the perspective of death. It would lead to an amazing discussion about life, love, death, sacrifice, war etc. It's definitely worth your time," wrote Tobias Hellquist.
by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
"It's a fantastic book, set in World War II, with many different areas to discuss," wrote Sara Hufnagle.
by Erik Larson
"It is my group's all time favorite book and we've been together for 12 years. Its historical name dropping was delightful," wrote Chris Markestad.
by Graeme Simsion
"Our book club recently enjoyed The Rosie Project. The main character is just like a popular TV character. The book was amusing but also thought provoking. We have read too many serious books in a row and needed a break," wrote Cathy Teague.
by Bryn Greenwood
"I found it to be very morally challenging because it gets you rooting for questionable relationships and irregular protagonists. It's a great book to discuss, because it's interesting to see how others view the moral themes," wrote Jess Griffiths Sheldon.
by Marjane Satrapi
"It's relevant and great read with a lot of good details. Plus, it's a graphic novel so everyone will be able to finish it no matter how busy they are," wrote Nikki Denton.
Check out more recent blogs:
Readers to the Rescue: Your Best Book Club Tips
25 Big Books of Spring
Celebrating the Joy of Rereading a Favorite Book
Most Anticipated YA Books of 2017
Readers to the Rescue: Your Best Book Club Tips
Posted by Cybil on March 10, 2017
The first rule of book club? We talk about book club! We wanted to know what are the best rules, ideas, and tips for being part of a wildly successful book club, so we turned to our experts…you. One of the first things we noticed: Y'all drink a lot of wine. The second trend: You put a lot of smart thinking into your groups!
Here are some of our key takeaways on how to have a successful book club (but you can read through all of the ideas on Facebook and on our Twitter page):
1) Ground rules matter.
Decide how many members you want in your group for the best discussions (a lot of you said you like a group of fewer than a dozen people), what types of books you'll want to read, and how you'll pick the next book. Popular methods for picking books include: Everyone picks a month for their book recommendation or the group votes among a few books. We also liked this suggestion: "Everyone nominates two books, all go into a hat, next two books are chosen. Everyone has a stake in what is read," from Sorcha on Twitter.
Also important: Decide who will host each meeting and what that entails. Some of you cook dinner and the guests bring the wine, some of you throw out a bowl of chips and others provide beer. Pick the vibe that will suit you and the members of your group. Some book clubs have a rotating schedule among friend's homes, while others meet at a restaurant to save everyone the hosting duties.
Oh, and it helps if folks actually read the book.
"We set rules at our first meeting, cooperatively. For the example: We set a page limit, the book has to be easy to get hold of and affordable, we don't allow books that are part of a series and don't stand by themselves, and we don't allow books that you love so much you can't take criticism of (we all have one!)," wrote Fran Lane.
"It is important to pick good club books. Those are books that keep the group interested and lend themselves to good discussion. Not all books do this. Each year a person signs up for a month they will host, they pick the book for that month, which is revealed the month before. They have club in their home, provide snacks, and lead that month's discussion," wrote Kandie K. Sweeney.
2) Get opinionated.
Create an atmosphere where everyone is comfortable sharing their opinions—and make sure one or two people don't dominate the conversation. A number of people said it's a bore when a "pushy" person take over, so keep a watch for book-club bullies! Several of you mentioned having talking points or leading off the discussion with a bit of background about the author and book. Remember, it can be boring if everyone agrees and sometimes the best conversations are about the books you didn't like.
"As a leader have questions prepared to guide the discussion. Otherwise the group ends up talking about everything but the book," wrote Bobbi Harman.
3) Be creative! Remember, this is fun.
We loved your ideas on how to shake up the traditional format of a book club. Among the groups we want to crash? Those who have monthly themes (beach reads for July!), those who pair food with a book's theme, and the groups where members also bring a book to swap.
"My favorite book club experience was where we did NOT read the same book. (I have found that the conversation often fizzles out quickly in that type of club.) Instead, everyone brought in one or two books they had recently read and informally presented them to the group. Everyone left with at least a couple of new ideas for their next book!" wrote Stephanie Le Francofille.
"Have everyone list 5 words they had to look up in the dictionary while reading the book. Compare the words and definitions," wrote Amy Stone Shepherd.
Looking to join book club? Goodreads hosts thousands of groups and one is sure to be perfect for you.
Check out more recent blogs:
25 Big Books of Spring
Celebrating the Joy of Rereading a Favorite Book
Most Anticipated YA Books of 2017
Posted by Cybil on March 10, 2017
The first rule of book club? We talk about book club! We wanted to know what are the best rules, ideas, and tips for being part of a wildly successful book club, so we turned to our experts…you. One of the first things we noticed: Y'all drink a lot of wine. The second trend: You put a lot of smart thinking into your groups!
Here are some of our key takeaways on how to have a successful book club (but you can read through all of the ideas on Facebook and on our Twitter page):
1) Ground rules matter.
Decide how many members you want in your group for the best discussions (a lot of you said you like a group of fewer than a dozen people), what types of books you'll want to read, and how you'll pick the next book. Popular methods for picking books include: Everyone picks a month for their book recommendation or the group votes among a few books. We also liked this suggestion: "Everyone nominates two books, all go into a hat, next two books are chosen. Everyone has a stake in what is read," from Sorcha on Twitter.
Also important: Decide who will host each meeting and what that entails. Some of you cook dinner and the guests bring the wine, some of you throw out a bowl of chips and others provide beer. Pick the vibe that will suit you and the members of your group. Some book clubs have a rotating schedule among friend's homes, while others meet at a restaurant to save everyone the hosting duties.
Oh, and it helps if folks actually read the book.
"We set rules at our first meeting, cooperatively. For the example: We set a page limit, the book has to be easy to get hold of and affordable, we don't allow books that are part of a series and don't stand by themselves, and we don't allow books that you love so much you can't take criticism of (we all have one!)," wrote Fran Lane.
"It is important to pick good club books. Those are books that keep the group interested and lend themselves to good discussion. Not all books do this. Each year a person signs up for a month they will host, they pick the book for that month, which is revealed the month before. They have club in their home, provide snacks, and lead that month's discussion," wrote Kandie K. Sweeney.
2) Get opinionated.
Create an atmosphere where everyone is comfortable sharing their opinions—and make sure one or two people don't dominate the conversation. A number of people said it's a bore when a "pushy" person take over, so keep a watch for book-club bullies! Several of you mentioned having talking points or leading off the discussion with a bit of background about the author and book. Remember, it can be boring if everyone agrees and sometimes the best conversations are about the books you didn't like.
"As a leader have questions prepared to guide the discussion. Otherwise the group ends up talking about everything but the book," wrote Bobbi Harman.
3) Be creative! Remember, this is fun.
We loved your ideas on how to shake up the traditional format of a book club. Among the groups we want to crash? Those who have monthly themes (beach reads for July!), those who pair food with a book's theme, and the groups where members also bring a book to swap.
"My favorite book club experience was where we did NOT read the same book. (I have found that the conversation often fizzles out quickly in that type of club.) Instead, everyone brought in one or two books they had recently read and informally presented them to the group. Everyone left with at least a couple of new ideas for their next book!" wrote Stephanie Le Francofille.
"Have everyone list 5 words they had to look up in the dictionary while reading the book. Compare the words and definitions," wrote Amy Stone Shepherd.
Looking to join book club? Goodreads hosts thousands of groups and one is sure to be perfect for you.
Check out more recent blogs:
25 Big Books of Spring
Celebrating the Joy of Rereading a Favorite Book
Most Anticipated YA Books of 2017
Exit West's Mohsin Hamid on Immigrants and Children's Literature
Posted by Cybil on March 07, 2017
Since his debut novel, Moth Smoke, in 2000, Mohsin Hamid has proved to be one of the most acute chroniclers of the schisms of our globalized world. The Reluctant Fundamentalist and How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia only confirmed his ability to capture the post-9/11 millennium in nervy, inventive prose.
His latest, Exit West, breaks new ground: In an unspecified city on the brink of civil war, two lovers, Saeed and Nadia, plot their escape through hidden doors that magically transport them to the West. And so begins a long, treacherous journey through a world divided between light and dark, rich and poor, "natives" and refugees—a dystopian fable for our times. The following is an excerpt from our full interview that appears in our March newsletter.
Goodreads: This is a very different book from your other novels, with its unnamed city and fantastical elements. How did you conceive of it this way?
Mohsin Hamid: Well, I think I've been building toward writing a novel about migration my whole life. I moved to California when I was three, back to Pakistan when I was nine, to America at 18, and then at 30 to the U.K. and back to Pakistan. So it's a big part of who I am.
When I moved back to Pakistan seven years ago, I saw this pent-up desire of people to get out. I think all of these things—my own personal life story as well as the political backdrop of fear and animosity toward migrants—congealed into the impulse for this novel. As usual, I struggled with the question, How do I tell a story like this? The answer I came up with was inspired by children's literature. The relationship between the narrator and the reader in a children's book is quite interesting—you can talk about stuff that hasn't happened yet, you can zoom into seemingly unrelated territories. There's an intimacy and a kind of warmth in that way of telling stories.
Another part of it was that living in Pakistan the last seven years, I realized that so many readers don't approach literature with the same background as me, which of course should have been obvious. And I thought, Am I writing books that require a sort of decoding apparatus on the part of the reader that maybe I'm mistakenly assuming they have? I wanted to write a book that builds its own decoding system into it.
GR: One of the most powerful themes of this book is how migration transforms both Nadia and Saeed and their relationship to each other. It changes them in profound ways.
MH: Absolutely. One of the things that I've come to believe is the central idea of the novel is the fact that every human being migrates. Even if we don't move geographies, we migrate through time. We leave childhood and can never go back to it. Saeed and Nadia move together, but they also move apart in terms of who they're becoming.
That happens across generations—you see that very often between first- and second-generation immigrants in a country. A gap opens up. You can see it even more when you see people in the United States who are so frightened of migrants even though their own grandparents and great-grandparents came over themselves from Ireland or Germany or Sweden or Italy. Also, it's a painful experience. Imagine what people potentially have to give up—family, loved ones, friends, language, food, music. There must be such an incredible fear or horror to make one give these things up.
Check out more recent blogs:
25 Big Books of Spring
Celebrating the Joy of Rereading a Favorite Book
Most Anticipated YA Books of 2017
Posted by Cybil on March 07, 2017
Since his debut novel, Moth Smoke, in 2000, Mohsin Hamid has proved to be one of the most acute chroniclers of the schisms of our globalized world. The Reluctant Fundamentalist and How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia only confirmed his ability to capture the post-9/11 millennium in nervy, inventive prose.
Goodreads: This is a very different book from your other novels, with its unnamed city and fantastical elements. How did you conceive of it this way?
Mohsin Hamid: Well, I think I've been building toward writing a novel about migration my whole life. I moved to California when I was three, back to Pakistan when I was nine, to America at 18, and then at 30 to the U.K. and back to Pakistan. So it's a big part of who I am.
When I moved back to Pakistan seven years ago, I saw this pent-up desire of people to get out. I think all of these things—my own personal life story as well as the political backdrop of fear and animosity toward migrants—congealed into the impulse for this novel. As usual, I struggled with the question, How do I tell a story like this? The answer I came up with was inspired by children's literature. The relationship between the narrator and the reader in a children's book is quite interesting—you can talk about stuff that hasn't happened yet, you can zoom into seemingly unrelated territories. There's an intimacy and a kind of warmth in that way of telling stories.
Another part of it was that living in Pakistan the last seven years, I realized that so many readers don't approach literature with the same background as me, which of course should have been obvious. And I thought, Am I writing books that require a sort of decoding apparatus on the part of the reader that maybe I'm mistakenly assuming they have? I wanted to write a book that builds its own decoding system into it.
MH: Absolutely. One of the things that I've come to believe is the central idea of the novel is the fact that every human being migrates. Even if we don't move geographies, we migrate through time. We leave childhood and can never go back to it. Saeed and Nadia move together, but they also move apart in terms of who they're becoming.
That happens across generations—you see that very often between first- and second-generation immigrants in a country. A gap opens up. You can see it even more when you see people in the United States who are so frightened of migrants even though their own grandparents and great-grandparents came over themselves from Ireland or Germany or Sweden or Italy. Also, it's a painful experience. Imagine what people potentially have to give up—family, loved ones, friends, language, food, music. There must be such an incredible fear or horror to make one give these things up.
Check out more recent blogs:
25 Big Books of Spring
Celebrating the Joy of Rereading a Favorite Book
Most Anticipated YA Books of 2017
