Podcast: Play in new window | Download (10.1MB)

Books on the Nightstand, Episode 37 (22:04)

(You can listen by using the player above. If you’re using Internet Explorer, click twice to listen. If your browser does not support javascript, you won’t see the player; click the link below the player to listen, or right-click to download the episode. If you are receiving this post by email and cannot see the player at the bottom of the message, please visit http://www.booksonthenightstand.com to listen)

First, we’d like to thank everyone for your wonderful comments about our change to a weekly podcast schedule. We’re so happy that you like what we do, and we’re thrilled to talk with you more often.Eric from Wisconsin loves us so much that he called in and sang our voicemail number — complete with new lyrics that he wrote especially for Books on the Nightstand. Eric, thank you so much!

Barbara from Wyoming called in with 2 questions. First, how do you choose a book for your book club that will give you enough to talk about on book club night? Michael and I weigh in with some suggestions. Feel free to call, email, or comment with your own ideas.

Some resources for choosing the right book:

Reading Group Choices has been compiling book clubs’ favorite reading group books since 2002, and they offer a year-by-year list.

The editors of Readinggroupguides.com also have yearly lists of their favorite books for discussion.

And as Michael told us, this year’s Book Expo America featured a panel called “Book Club Facilitators Sound Off“. The session was recorded and is available as a podcast. It’s about an hour long, but there is a great deal of valuable information for anyone who is interested in book clubs or reading groups.

In her voicemail, Barbara also asked how to start a co-ed book group. In podcast episode #18, we talked about books that would appeal to book clubs made of men and women, but we’d like to ask our readers and listeners to send in any advice they may have for Barbara. You can email us at comments@booksonthenightstand.com, leave a comment here, or call our voice mail line: (209) 867-READ (7323).

Michael and I each chose a book that we think makes for great reading group discussion. Michael chose Identical Strangers by Elyse Schein and Paula Bernstein. Ann talks about The Attack by Yasmina Khadra.

In “Two Books We Can’t Wait For You To Read”, Ann tells you about That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo, a novel that is perfect for summer and will be a delight to Russo fans. Michael talks about Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann, a novel that revolves around four separate main characters, all of whom witness a tightrope walk between the unfinished World Trade Center towers in New York City.
__________________________

We encourage you to write down or print out the title information and shop at your local bookstore. Titles link to LibraryThing, a social networking site that allows you to catalog your home library. LibraryThing also links to various online purchasing options. Here are the books from this post:

Identical Strangers by Elyse Schein and Paula Bernstein, Random House trade paperback
The Attack by Yasmina Khadra, Anchor trade paperback
That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo, Knopf hardcover
Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann, Random House hardcover

(all information is for the U.S. editions).