The Bookshelf

The Women’s National Book Association has deemed October as National Reading Group Month. According to WNBA president Joan Gelfland, “In the last five years, the book club population has increased 25 percent, rising from 4.6 million to 5.2 million adults.”

Along with sponsoring author events around the country, nine books considered Great Group Reads are being spotlighted: Appassionata by Eva Hoffman, The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist, The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Brontë by Syrie James, The House on Fortune Street by Margot Livesey, Perfection: A Memoir of Betrayal and Renewal by Julie Metz, While I’m Falling by Laura Moriarty, Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson, Cost by Roxana Robinson and Burnt Shadows by Kamila Shamsie. All are intelligent, thought-provoking books that are perfect for discussion or anyone who is a fan of smart fiction (and, in the case of Perfection, nonfiction).

Interested in starting your own group? Check out our Discussion Tips, Reviews and Resources page, which includes a list of books available for bulk loan to local groups. For information on Library book discussion groups, contact us online or at 847.673.7774.

Come to LitLounge you North Shore 20 and 30 somethings.  We will be discussing  The  Brief  Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz, a Pulitzer Prize winning work.

The discussion will take place at Edwardo’s Natural Pizza located at 9300 Skokie Blvd in Skokie from 7:30 -9ish on July 22nd.  Sign up and receive a copy of the book at the Skokie Library Reader Services’ desk at 5215 Oakton St., Skokie.

Enjoy a lively discussion of this wonderful book… and free pizza.

With the weekend almost upon us, there comes a time to answer that all important question: what are we going to do with ourselves with two whole days of freedom?

Forgive us for playing to stereotypes, but we’re going to curl up with a good book. The weather’s getting warm, but not too warm just yet. It might be a perfect time for us to have a seat on the back porch and tuck into The Way Home, the latest novel from crime novelist George Pelecanos.

I’m a fan of more “realistic” crime fiction, and Pelecanos has always managed to suffuse his work with a definite sense of place.  A longtime native of the Washington, D.C. area, his books are always filled with the little geographic details that make the stories feel more authentic. He’s begun to move away from doing straight crime stories, and The Way Home looks to be a continuation of that trend.

As a fan of his books, and the filmed work he’s been a part of (he was a writer and producer on HBO’s The Wire), I can’t wait to get started on The Way Home.

What about you? Let us know your weekend reading plans in the comments.