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
Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, History: World, Arts / Culture
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Relationships: Grandparents, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Crime / Legal
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Mothers, Life/Time: The Past, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Hope
Tags Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Asian Literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, History: World, Chinese Literature, Mental Illness, Fantasy
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Art, Identity: Femininity
Tags Historical Fiction, Renaissance, Italian Literature, History: World
Publication year 2011
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Relationships: Teams, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Natural World: Space & The Universe
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Science / Nature, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Humor
Andy Weir’s debut novel, The Martian, was originally published in 2011 as serialized blog posts; after its 2014 book publication, it was a New York Times bestseller. A software engineer and son of a physicist and an electrical engineer, Weir identifies himself in the book jacket biography as a “lifelong space nerd,” and the novel is notable for staying strictly within the bounds of existing scientific understanding. Set just over two decades beyond the novel’s... Read The Martian Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Courage
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, LGBTQ, Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism
Publication year 2005
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family
Tags Disability, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Historical Fiction
The Memory Keeper’s Daughter is a work of fiction written by Kim Edwards and published in 2005. The story follows the harrowed marriage of David and Norah, beginning with the birth of their twins, Paul and Phoebe, in 1964. Conflict immediately emerges within the novel as Phoebe is born with Down’s Syndrome and David decides to give her away rather than have his wife and himself face the pain of their daughter dying early like... Read The Memory Keeper's Daughter Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Fear
Tags Historical Fiction, Gender / Feminism, LGBTQ, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Fear
Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism, Mental Illness
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Relationships: Marriage
Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, History: World, Magical Realism, Fantasy
The Miniaturist (2014) is the debut novel of English author and actress Jessie Burton. The novel became an international bestseller following a bidding war in 2013 and won the 2014 Waterstones Book of the Year award. In 2017, a television adaptation aired on BBC One, starring Anya Taylor-Joy.A work of historical fiction, The Miniaturist is set in 17th-century Amsterdam. Narrated in the third person, the story follows the coming-of-age of protagonist Nella Oortman within a... Read The Miniaturist Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Globalization, Society: Immigration, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags History: World, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Historical Fiction, British Literature, Elizabethan Era, History: European, History: World
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Romance
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Aging
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Humor, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Action / Adventure
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Historical Fiction, Vietnam War, Asian Literature, Military / War, Asian Literature, History: World
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Self Discovery, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Animals, Identity: Indigenous, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Fate
Tags Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Magical Realism, History: World
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Society: Immigration
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Arts / Culture, Indian Literature
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Community, Relationships: Friendship, Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Mental Health, Self Discovery, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Flora/plants, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Society: Politics & Government, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Hope
Tags Animals, Science / Nature, Disability, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Agriculture, Education, Health / Medicine, Grief / Death, Depression / Suicide, Mental Illness, Social Justice, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Literature, Society: War, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Marriage
Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, British Literature, History: World
Publication year 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Domestic Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Relationships