I’ve always wanted to go back and read some wonderful classics, so I eagerly checked into PBS’s Great American Read. I think the list of novels they’ve chosen looks inviting.
Check the list here: http://www.pbs.org/the-great-american-read/books/#/
I was thrilled to see the Romance genre included, but this club is not meant to focus on romance. This is about reading some of the most beloved novels of all time and choosing which one is your favorite. You can vote on PBS’s website anytime during the summer. The first program about this airs on PBS on May 22nd and will run until October 2018.
I thought the program and the list sounded so great that I decided we could read some of these great books together! So I’ve started my first Book Club! I hope you’ll consider joining us. This will be low-key, read at your own pace, and join in the discussion when you can.
The first book we’re reading is The Help by Kathryn Stockett. We’ll take two weeks to read this one because it is a little long. This will give others time to join us. After that, we’ll read a book a week, and I’ll post questions to encourage discussion about each novel.
While I understand we won’t get through 100 books by the end of the PBS program, we’ll have gained a few new favorites along the way. Even if we don’t read them all, you can still vote for your favorite at PBS.
Here are the first ten books we’ll be reading:
1. The Help by Kathryn Stockett (Go ahead and get started. This is the longest of all the ones chosen.)
2. Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
3. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
4. The Color Purple by Alice Walker
5. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
6. The Lovely Bones by Alice Seabold
7. The Shack by William P Young
8. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
9. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
10. Narnia by C. S. Lewis
I post these early so you can go to the library, order them, or ask a friend to borrow. These are well-known books. Mid-summer, I’ll post a new list.
RULES:
You may follow along with one book or all.
We’ll switch to a new book each Sunday. If you can’t keep up, the discussion on each book will keep going all summer so comment when you get the chance.
Books were chosen from the list of 100 listed at PBS. http://www.pbs.org/the-great-american-read/books/#/
I chose the books primarily based on the length (rejecting anything over 600 pages).
If you don’t like any particular work, please skip that week and rejoin us.
I assumed anything on this list to be a great read so I did not choose based on genre. A few are even books for young people.
All readers are welcome.
Here’s the link to join.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1606906779407317/
Make sure you click on the JOIN GROUP tab. Then read the few posts there so you’re familiar with our plans. Don’t forget to introduce yourself! There’s a post for that, too! Maybe you’ll discover someone who lives nearby who loves reading as much as you do.
Invite your friends! They need not be lovers of romance, and they don’t need to follow me in order to join.
Please join us! Let’s find some great reads!
Keira Montclair