Searching for study guides on books selected by some of the nation's top book clubs, curated by Oprah, Reese Witherspoon, the PBS NewsHour, the New York Times, and the American Library Association? Look no further. This collection covers critically-acclaimed classics like Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe and Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez to contemporary, buzzworthy novels like Girl, Woman, Other. We hope this compilation of study guides provides your own book club with lively discussion topics and keen insights.
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, New Adult
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Historical Fiction
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Natural World: Animals, Life/Time: The Past
Tags Historical Fiction, Animals, Race / Racism, American Civil War, Sports, History: World, Arts / Culture
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Music
Tags WWII / World War II, Historical Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Military / War, History: World, Romance
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford is a historical novel published in 2009. The story follows Henry Lee at two pivotal stages in his life—in 1942, when he is a 12-year-old with a crush on a Japanese girl, and in 1986, when he is recently widowed. The book, Ford’s debut novel, spent 130 weeks atop the New York Times Best-Seller List and won the 2010 Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature... Read Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet Summary
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Mental Health, Self Discovery
Tags LGBTQ, Health / Medicine
Hot Milk (2016) is a novel written by South African and British author Deborah Levy. It follows Sofia Papastergiadis, who has been caring for her mother, Rose, through Rose’s hypochondria-driven illnesses. Sofia and Rose go to Almeria, Spain, to seek treatment from Dr. Gomez. While there, Sofia must confront her mother’s dependency on her and question what she wants in her own life. Levy explores themes of The Struggle for Independence, The Complexities of Sexual... Read Hot Milk Summary
Publication year 1999
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy
House of Sand and Fog by Andre Dubus III, originally published in 1999, is a crime novel concerning a dispute over the ownership of a house in the Bay Area beach town of Corona, California. Told primarily through the dueling perspectives of a recovered addict and Iranian exile, the novel interrogates the nature of American identity and the integrity of social relationships. House of Sand and Fog has earned numerous recognitions: It was selected for... Read House of Sand and Fog Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Grief / Death, Climate Change, Technology
Publication year 2021
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags History: U.S., Race / Racism, Social Justice, Politics / Government, History: World
Publication year 2019
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Nation, Identity: Race, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags American Literature, History: U.S., Politics / Government, History: World, Colonialism / Postcolonialism
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Gender, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Humor
Publication year 1940
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Society: Education, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Language
Tags Self Help, Education, Philosophy, Education, Leadership/Organization/Management, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Family
Tags Religion / Spirituality, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Afro-Caribbean Literature, Gender / Feminism, Biography
Publication year 2019
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags History: World, Psychology, Philosophy, Politics / Government, Sociology, Anthropology, Dutch Literature, Anthropology, Science / Nature, Psychology, Philosophy
Publication year 2024
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Sexuality, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, LGBTQ, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Teams
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Romance, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism
Publication year 2019
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth
Tags Health / Medicine, Parenting, Relationships, Jewish Literature, Biography
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Fantasy, Magical Realism, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, LGBTQ, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction
Publication year 2003
Genre Novel, Fiction
Tags Fantasy, Magical Realism, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Action / Adventure, German Literature, Children's Literature
Cornelia Funke’s Inkheart (2003) is a novel of magical realism—the story takes place in the real world, but magic figures into the plot and character development. Funke went on to write other books in the Inkworld series: Inkspell (2005), and Inkdeath (2007). A fourth, The Colour of Revenge, will be released in October 2023. A movie adaption of Inkheart, produced by Funke, was released in 2008. Inkheart has received numerous literary accolades, including the 2004... Read Inkheart Summary