The book club will read biographies this month, reader’s choice. I would like to suggest the following. These describe how books affected the writers’ lives.
The Reading Promise by Alice Ozma.
A series of vignettes describes how the author’s father challenged himself to read aloud to her for one hundred consecutive nights when she was in fourth grade and how they decided to continue “the streak” until the day she left for college.
The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe.
Recounts how the author and his mother read and discussed books during her chemotherapy treatments, describing how the activity involved a wide range of literary genres, furthered their appreciation for literature, and strengthened their bond.
The Man Who Loved Books Too Much by Allison Hoover Bartlett.
In telling the true story of book thief John Charles Gilkey and the man who was driven to capture him, journalist Allison Hoover Bartlett explores the larger history of book passion, collection, and theft through the ages. .
Books by Larry McMurtry.
The author recounts his lifelong love affair with books, from his largely “bookless” boyhood and discovery of literature as a young man, to the evolution of his writing career and his passion as a book collector who opens bookstores of rare and collectible volumes.
Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi.
The author describes growing up in the Islamic Republic of Iran and the group of young women who came together at her home in secret every Thursday to read and discuss great books of Western literature.
My Reading Life by Pat Conroy.
Bestselling author Pat Conroy acknowledges the books that have shaped him and celebrates the profound effect reading has had on his life.
How Reading Changed My Life by Anna Quindlen.
Reading lists of some of the author’s favorite books accompany her thoughts on the role of books and reading in her life.
Maps and Legends by Michael Chabon.
A series of linked essays analyzes works of literature important to the author, argues for the importance of enjoying a diverse range of reading options, and explores the author’s own writings from a perspective of personal history.
