From award-winners to celebrity picks, these perennial book club reads stand the test of time.
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Perennial Fiction Picks:
The Personal Librarian: A Novel by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray
*A LibraryReads and Good Morning America Book Club Pick*
A remarkable novel about J. P. Morgan’s personal librarian, Belle da Costa Greene, the Black American woman who was forced to hide her true identity and pass as white in order to leave a lasting legacy that enriched our nation, from New York Times bestselling authors Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray.
“Historical fiction at its best.”—Good Morning America
“A marvel of a story . . . Serious kudos to Benedict and Murray for bringing this true story to life.”—Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Lions of Fifth Avenue
Available in Hardcover, Trade Paperback, eBook, Audio, and Large Print Editions.
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Watch a ‘Meet the Author’ Video Featuring Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray
The Marriage Portrait: A Novel by Maggie O’Farrell
*A #1 LibraryReads and Reese’s Book Club Pick*
The author of award-winning Hamnet brings the world of Renaissance Italy to jewel-bright life in this unforgettable fictional portrait of the captivating young duchess Lucrezia de’ Medici as she makes her way in a troubled court.
“O’Farrell pulls out little threads of historical detail to weave this story of a precocious girl sensitive to the contradictions of her station…You may know the history, and you may think you know what’s coming, but don’t be so sure.”—The Washington Post
Available in Hardcover, Trade Paperback, eBook, Audio, and Large Print Editions
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The Book of Form and Emptiness: A Novel by Ruth Ozeki
A boy who hears the voices of objects all around him; a mother drowning in her possessions; and a Book that might hold the secret to saving them both—the brilliantly inventive novel from the Booker Prize-finalist Ruth Ozeki.
“No one writes like Ruth Ozeki—a triumph.”—Matt Haig, New York Times bestselling author of The Midnight Library
“If you’ve lost your way with fiction over the last year or two, let The Book of Form and Emptiness light your way home.”—David Mitchell, Booker Prize-finalist author of Cloud Atlas
Available in Hardcover, Trade Paperback, eBook, and Audio Editions.
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The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires: A Novel by Grady Hendrix
*A #1 LibraryReads Pick*
Steel Magnolias meets Dracula in this New York Times bestselling horror novel about a women’s book club that must do battle with a mysterious newcomer to their small Southern town.
“This funny and fresh take on a classic tale manages to comment on gender roles, racial disparities, and white privilege all while creeping me all the way out. So good.”—Zakiya Dalila Harris, author of The Other Black Girl
Available in Hardcover, Trade Paperback, and eBook Editions.
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Evvie Drake Starts Over: A Novel by Linda Holmes
*A #1 LibraryReads and Read with Jenna Book Club Pick*
A heartfelt novel about the unlikely relationship between a young woman who’s lost her husband and a major league pitcher who’s lost his game.
“Everything a romantic comedy should be: witty, relatable, and a little complicated.”—People
“[Evvie Drake Starts Over] is so warm and fun; I wanted to bask in it as long as possible, but I couldn’t put it down.”—Emily Henry, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Happy Place
Available in Hardcover, Trade Paperback, Mass Market, eBook, and Audio Editions.
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The Most Fun We Ever Had: A Novel by Claire Lombardo
A heartwarming, expansive saga spanning nearly half a century that examines the peaks and chasms of the familial bond.
“A gripping and poignant ode to a messy, loving family in all its glory.”—Madeline Miller, bestselling author of Circe
“A rich, engrossing family saga, spiked with sisterly malice . . . [rendered] with such skill and finely tuned interest that it feels like a quiet subversion of the traditional family saga.”—The New York Times Book Review
Available in Trade Paperback, eBook, and Audio Editions.
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Such a Fun Age: A Novel by Kiley Reid
*A #1 LibraryReads and Reese’s Book Club Pick*
A striking and surprising debut novel from an exhilarating new voice, Such a Fun Age is a page-turning and big-hearted story about race and privilege, set around a young black babysitter, her well-intentioned employer, and a surprising connection that threatens to undo them both.
“Reid constructs a plot so beautifully intricate and real and fascinating that readers will forget it’s also full of tough questions about race, class and identity….With this entertaining novel, Reid subverts our notions of what it means to write about race and class in America, not to mention what it means to write about love.”—Washington Post
“A complex, layered page-turner . . . This is a book that will read, I suspect, quite differently to various audiences—funny to some, deeply uncomfortable and shamefully recognizable to others—but whatever the experience . . . rejoice that Kiley Reid is only just getting started.”—NPR
Available in Hardcover, Trade Paperback, eBook, Audio, and Large Print Editions.
Also Available in Spanish: Los mejores años
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On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous: A Novel by Ocean Vuong
Ocean Vuong’s debut novel is a shattering portrait of a family, a first love, and the redemptive power of storytelling. Nominated for the 2019 National Book Award for Fiction.
“Sometimes a writer comes along and stops your breath. I’m reading On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous and there is so little air moving through my body as I read. When writing is this good, who needs air?”—Jacqueline Woodson, author of Red at the Bone
“This is one of the best novels I’ve ever read. I always want my favorite poets to write novels and here it’s happened. Ocean Vuong is a master. This book a masterpiece . . . I dog-eared so many pages the book almost collapsed—I almost did.”—Tommy Orange, author of There There
Available in Hardcover, Trade Paperback, eBook, Audio, and Large Print Editions.
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The Water Dancer: A Novel by Ta-Nehisi Coates
*A LibraryReads and Oprah’s Book Club Pick*
From the National Book Award–winning author of Between the World and Me, a boldly conjured debut novel about a magical gift, a devastating loss, and an underground war for freedom.
“This potent book about America’s most disgraceful sin establishes [Ta-Nehisi Coates] as a first-rate novelist.”—San Francisco Chronicle
“A work of both staggering imagination and rich historical significance . . . What’s most powerful is the way Coates enlists his notions of the fantastic, as well as his fluid prose, to probe a wound that never seems to heal . . . Timeless and instantly canon-worthy.”—Rolling Stone
Available in Hardcover, Trade Paperback, eBook, Audio, and Large Print Editions.
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The Lions of Fifth Avenue: Novel by Fiona Davis
*A LibraryReads Hall of Fame and Good Morning America Book Club Pick*
In New York Times bestselling author Fiona Davis’s latest historical novel, a series of book thefts roils the iconic New York Public Library, leaving two generations of strong-willed women to pick up the pieces.
“A page-turner for booklovers everywhere . . . A story of family ties, their lost dreams, and the redemption that comes from discovering truth.”—Adriana Trigiani, bestselling author of The Shoemaker’s Wife
Available in Trade Paperback, eBook, Audio, and Large Print Editions.
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Project Hail Mary: A Novel by Andy Weir
*A LibraryReads Hall of Fame Pick*
From the author of The Martian, a lone astronaut must save the earth from disaster in this “propulsive” (Entertainment Weekly), cinematic thriller full of suspense, humor, and fascinating science.
“An epic story of redemption, discovery and cool speculative sci-fi.”—USA Today
“Reading Project Hail Mary is like going on a field trip to outer space with the best science teacher you’ve ever had—and your class assignment is to save the world. This is one of the most original, compelling, and fun voyages I’ve ever taken.”—Ernest Cline, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Ready Player One
Available in Hardcover, Trade Paperback, eBook, and Large Print Editions.
Also Available in Spanish: Proyecto Hail Mary
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Trust: A Novel by Hernan Diaz
An unparalleled novel about money, power, intimacy, and perception—and winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
“Buzzy and enthralling . . . A glorious novel about empires and erasures, husbands and wives, staggering fortunes and unspeakable misery . . . Fun as hell to read.”—Oprah Daily
“A riveting story of class, capitalism, and greed.”—Esquire
“Exhilarating.”—New York Times
Available in Hardcover, Trade Paperback, eBook, and Audio Editions.
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A Long Petal of the Sea: A Novel by Isabel Allende; Translated by Nick Caistor and Amanda Hopkinson
*A LibraryReads Hall of Fame Pick*
From the author of The House of the Spirits, this epic novel spanning decades and crossing continents follows two young people as they flee the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War in search of a place to call home.
“One of the most richly imagined portrayals of the Spanish Civil War to date, and one of the strongest and most affecting works in [Isabel Allende’s] long career.”—The New York Times Book Review
“A page-turning story rich with history and surprising subplots that keep the novel unpredictable to the end.”—Los Angeles Times
Available in Hardcover, Trade Paperback, eBook, Audio, and Large Print Editions.
Also Available in Spanish: Largo pétalo de mar
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Georgie, All Along: A Novel by Kate Clayborn
*A #1 LibraryReads Pick*
The acclaimed author of Love Lettering weaves a wise and witty new novel that echoes with timely questions about love, career, reconciling with the past, and finding your path while knowing your true worth.
“A sweet novel that reminds you going back is sometimes the best path forward . . . and that planning is never as rewarding as doing.”—Jodi Picoult, New York Timesbestselling author
“Magnetic, witty, and expansive. The world is going to fall hard for this deliciously whimsical and captivating story, and I cannot wait to see it!”—Ali Hazelwood, New York Timesbestselling author of The Love Hypothesis
Available in Trade Paperback and eBook Editions.
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Perennial Nonfiction Picks:
Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover
*A LibraryReads Pick*
One of the most acclaimed books of our time: an unforgettable memoir about a young woman who, kept out of school, leaves her survivalist family and goes on to earn a PhD from Cambridge University.
“Extraordinary . . . an act of courage and self-invention.”—The New York Times
“Heart-wrenching . . . a beautiful testament to the power of education to open eyes and change lives.”—Amy Chua, The New York Times Book Review
Available in Hardcover, Trade Paperback, eBook, Audio, and Large Print Editions.
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Beautiful Country: A Memoir of an Undocumented Childhood by Qian Julie Wang
*A Read with Jenna Pick*
The moving story of an undocumented child living in poverty in the richest country in the world—an incandescent memoir from an astonishing writer.
“Beautiful Country rings with power and authenticity. Wang’s searing exploration reveals how she and her family were forced to navigate the yawning cracks in the American Dream. An eloquent, thought-provoking and touching memoir.”—Jean Kwok, author of Girl in Translation and Searching for Sylvie Lee
“Heartrending, unvarnished, and powerfully courageous, this account of growing up undocumented in America will never leave you.”—Gish Jen, author of The Resisters
Available in Hardcover, Trade Paperback, eBook, and Audio Editions.
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Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty by Patrick Radden Keefe
A grand, devastating portrait of three generations of the Sackler family, famed for their philanthropy, whose fortune was built by Valium and whose reputation was destroyed by OxyContin. From the prize-winning and bestselling author of Say Nothing.
“A real-life version of the HBO series Succession with a lethal sting in its tail . . . a masterful work of narrative reportage.”—Laura Miller, Slate
“Put simply, this book will make your blood boil . . . a devastating portrait of a family consumed by greed and unwilling to take the slightest responsibility or show the least sympathy for what it wrought . . . a highly readable and disturbing narrative.”—John Carreyrou, The New York Times Book Review
Available in Hardcover, Trade Paperback, eBook, Audio, and Large Print Editions.
Also Available in Spanish: El imperio del dolor
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A Beloved Audio Pick:
The Lying Life of Adults by Elena Ferrante; Read by Marisa Tomei; Translated by Ann Goldstein
A powerful novel set in a divided Naples by Elena Ferrante, the New York Times bestselling author of My Brilliant Friend and The Lost Daughter.
Named one of 2016’s most influential people by TIME Magazine and frequently touted as a future Nobel Prize-winner, Elena Ferrante has become one of the world’s most read and beloved writers. With this novel about the transition from childhood to adolescence to adulthood, Ferrante proves once again that she deserves her many accolades. In The Lying Life of Adults, listeners will discover another gripping, highly addictive, and totally unforgettable Neapolitan story.
Available on Audio
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