Book Clubs

The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters Discussion Join us in our book club discussion of The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters The Jackal's Mistress by Chris Bohjalian Book Club Please join BookBrowse in our book club discussion of The Jackal’s Mistress by Chris Bohjalian. A Map to Paradise by Susan Meissner Discussion Please join BookBrowse in our book club discussion of A Map to Paradise by Susan Meissner. Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange Discussion Please join us in our book club discussion of Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange. Babylonia by Costanza Casati Discussion Please join us in our book club discussion of Babylonia by Costanza Casati. Girls of Good Fortune by Kristina McMorris Please join BookBrowse in our book club discussion of The Girls of Good Fortune by Kristina McMorris Before Dorothy by Hazel Gaynor Discussion Please join BookBrowse in our book club discussion of Before Dorothy by Hazel Gaynor Lies and Weddings by Kevin Kwan Discussion Join BookBrowse for a book club discussion of Lies and Weddings by Kevin Kwan Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Discussion Please join BookBrowse in our book club discussion of Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. The Memory Library by Kate Storey Discussion Please join BookBrowse in our book club discussion of The Memory Library by Kate Storey. The Busybody Book Club by Freya Sampson Discussion Please join BookBrowse in our book club discussion of The Busybody Book Club by Freya Sampson. In Our Midst by Nancy Jensen Discussion Join us in our book club discussion of In Our Midst by Nancy Jensen. Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall Discussion Please join BookBrowse in our book club discussion of Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall The Lilac People by Milo Todd Discussion Please join BookBrowse in our book club discussion of The Lilac People by Milo Todd. Let's Call Her Barbie by Renée Rosen Discussion Please join us in our book club discussion of Let’s Call Her Barbie by Renée Rosen. The Devil Finds Work by James Baldwin Discussion Please join BookBrowse in our book club discussion of The Devil Finds Work by James Baldwin The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark Discussion Please join BookBrowse in our book club discussion of The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus Discussion Please join BookBrowse in our book club discussion of Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus Becoming Madam Secretary by Stephanie Dray Please join BookBrowse in our book club discussion of Becoming Madam Secretary by Stephanie Dray. The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon Discussion Please join BookBrowse in our book club discussion of The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison Discussion Please join us in our book club discussion of The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison. The Lamplighter's Bookshop by Sophie Austin Please join BookBrowse in our discussion of The Lamplighter’s Bookshop by Sophie Austin The Wager by David Grann Discussion Please join us in our book club discussion of The Wager by David Grann. The Tapestry of Time by Kate Heartfield Discussion Please join BookBrowse in our book club discussion of The Tapestry of Time by Kate Heartfield The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris Discussion Please join BookBrowse in our book club discussion of The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris by Evie Woods. The River Knows Your Name by Kelly Mustian Please join BookBrowse in our book club discussion of The River Knows Your Name by Kelly Mustian Real Americans by Rachel Khong Discussion Please join BookBrowse in our book club discussion of Real Americans by Rachel Khong Daughters of Shandong by Eve J. Chung Discussion Please join BookBrowse in our book club discussion of Daughters of Shandong by Eve J. Chung. The Husbands by Holly Gramazio Discussion Please join BookBrowse in our book club discussion of The Husbands by Holly Gramazio

Topic	Replies	Views	Activity
About the Book Clubs category Book Clubs	0	35	October 14, 2024
Celia wonders if she could withhold the truth of Pearl’s heritage if the girl’s features never betray her Chinese background. What do you think of this question? Should information like this ever be withheld, in your opinion? Why or why not? Girls of Good Fortune by Kristina McMorris	6	9	May 19, 2025
Of all the characters in the novel, who are your favorites? Did your impression of anyone significantly change? Girls of Good Fortune by Kristina McMorris	6	15	May 19, 2025
Overall, what did you think of The Girls of Good Fortune? (no spoilers, please!) Girls of Good Fortune by Kristina McMorris	25	44	May 19, 2025
In the author’s note, she says she’d originally planned on Celia’s story to take place around 1910. How much of the story would have been different, do you think, if it hadn’t been set in the time period the author ultimately chose? Girls of Good Fortune by Kristina McMorris	6	15	May 19, 2025
Overall, what did you think of Becoming Madam Secretary? (no spoilers, please!) Becoming Madam Secretary by Stephanie Dray	31	230	May 19, 2025
Mrs. Downey thinks it would be best for Celia to give up her baby but Celia refuses. What did you think of this decision? What about her choice later, when she refuses the offer of financial support? What would you have done in these circumstances? Girls of Good Fortune by Kristina McMorris	3	6	May 19, 2025
How does Lies and Weddings amplify the decadence in Kevin Kwan's other novels? To what audience would you recommend the book? Is there another book or author you feel addresses parallel themes or has a similar style? Lies and Weddings by Kevin Kwan Discussion	9	15	May 19, 2025
Celia has the opportunity to torpedo the mayor’s career but she chooses not to. Why do you suppose she refrained? What do you think the consequences might have been if she’d proceeded? What do you think you might have done in her place? Girls of Good Fortune by Kristina McMorris	7	14	May 19, 2025
Why do you think Gordon Humphrey was so set on a ban on those of Chinese ancestry, even while profiting off them? Girls of Good Fortune by Kristina McMorris	8	13	May 19, 2025
Had you ever heard of either massacre featured in the story? What was your impression of the outcomes? Do you believe the results would differ if the incidents occurred today? Girls of Good Fortune by Kristina McMorris	11	18	May 19, 2025
In the prologue, the woman we learn is Celia’s granddaughter says that she’s been shaped by “not just those on the branches of my family tree but also by their stories.” How do you think our forebears’ stories shape us? Girls of Good Fortune by Kristina McMorris	4	9	May 18, 2025
By the end of the book, which characters would you consider “girls of good fortune” and in which ways? Girls of Good Fortune by Kristina McMorris	3	8	May 18, 2025
Bertie, Karl, and Sofie all show their grief and survivor's guilt in different ways. What are these ways and why do you think they differ from one another? The Lilac People by Milo Todd Discussion	1	4	May 18, 2025
What do you think "Das Lila Lied" ("The Lilac Song") means to Bertie, Sofie, Karl, and Gert? What do you think it represents in the story itself? The Lilac People by Milo Todd Discussion	1	4	May 18, 2025
As a child Celia begged her father to teach her Chinese, but he refused. Why do you suppose this was? If your ancestors hale from a country where English isn't spoken, how did they feel about retaining their language and culture after immigrating? Girls of Good Fortune by Kristina McMorris	9	15	May 18, 2025
Do you believe Sofie would have been better off if she'd never met Bertie? Why or why not? The Lilac People by Milo Todd Discussion	5	20	May 18, 2025
Dr. Hirschfeld tells Bertie, "Transvestites are the canaries of the world." (p. 190) What do you suppose he meant? Do you agree that this was true then? How about now? The Lilac People by Milo Todd Discussion	8	23	May 18, 2025
Regarding the lies in the novel's storylines, which revelations surprised you the most? What is at the heart of these lies? Who or what is being served by such carefully guarded falsehoods? Would it have been less painful to just live with the truth? Lies and Weddings by Kevin Kwan Discussion	6	11	May 18, 2025
Karl says that survival is inherently selfish (p.248). Do you agree or disagree? Why? The Lilac People by Milo Todd Discussion	5	22	May 18, 2025
Overall, what did you think of Lies and Weddings? (no spoilers, please!) Lies and Weddings by Kevin Kwan Discussion	15	26	May 18, 2025
Throughout the novel the characters enjoy their wealth by going to exclusive restaurants, jetting around the world, and dressing in designer clothes, among other things. What was the one thing that you envied about the lifestyle? And why? Lies and Weddings by Kevin Kwan Discussion	8	17	May 18, 2025
As you read the dramatic opening scene, what were your theories about the backstory behind the fatal showdown between Henry Tong and Roger Gao? How did the opulence and the outrageousness set the tone for the rest of the novel? Lies and Weddings by Kevin Kwan Discussion	7	21	May 18, 2025
Which of the various wedding locales and venues appealed to you the most? If you could have an unlimited budget for your wedding, what features would you choose? As a guest, what was the best wedding you ever attended, and what made it so enjoyable? Lies and Weddings by Kevin Kwan Discussion	8	14	May 18, 2025
As a child, Elizabeth had no formal education, and yet she was able to self-educate, thanks to her library card. With the advent of technology, do you think libraries are still important to society? If so, why? Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus Discussion	8	57	May 18, 2025
Baldwin died in 1987. Which movies that premiered after his death, featuring Black actors in major roles, would you have liked his opinion on? The Devil Finds Work by James Baldwin Discussion	4	28	May 18, 2025
What did you think of the ending of Daughters of Shandong? Would you have changed anything about it? If so, what? Daughters of Shandong by Eve J. Chung Discussion	17	70	May 18, 2025
If you were either Hai or Di, could you forgive your father? What about your grandmother and grandfather? Daughters of Shandong by Eve J. Chung Discussion	25	69	May 18, 2025
Overall, what did you think of Daughters of Shandong? (no spoilers, please!) Daughters of Shandong by Eve J. Chung Discussion	33	122	May 18, 2025
Do you feel Sofie and Bertie are bad people for going into hiding instead of actively fighting against fascism? Why or why not? The Lilac People by Milo Todd Discussion	13	35	May 18, 2025