One of my 2019 resolutions is to read more outside of my comfort zone. (Which, as most of you know, means fewer psychological thrillers!) A great way to do that is to join book clubs, both local and online. Here are a few to check out. 

 

Tuesday Morning Book Club 

This club meets on the first Tuesday of the month at 10am at Columbus Library. Join them on March 5 to discuss Enchantress of Numbers by Jennifer Chiaverini. This biographical novel from a New York Times bestselling author illuminates the life of Ada Byron King, Countess of Lovelace – Lord Byron’s daughter and the world’s first computer programmer. Contact Reva at rbwilliams6@windstream.net or (828) 894-5483 for more info. 

 

Friends of the Libraries Book Club 

This club meets on the fourth Wednesday of the month at 2pm at Columbus Library. Join them on February 27 to discuss Brain on Fire by Susannah Cahalan. The award-winning memoir is a powerful account of one woman’s struggle to recapture her identity after she woke up alone in a hospital room with no memory of how she’d gotten there. Contact Nancy at ngales731@gmail.com or (828) 440-1044 for more info. 

 

Hello Sunshine 

Actress Reese Witherspoon’s book club discusses her picks once a month on social media. Pick up The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory for February. This fun romantic comedy begins when freelance writer Nikole goes to a baseball game with her boyfriend and he surprises her with a scoreboard proposal.  

 

Open Canon Book Club 

North Carolina author Wiley Cash posts monthly discussion questions on his website and social media and hosts live discussions online and in independent bookstores. I hope to read his February pick, The Round House by Louise Erdrich, which won the National Book Award for Fiction in 2012. The novel transports readers to the Ojibwe reservation in North Dakota and tells the story of a boy who seeks justice after a terrible crime that upends his family. 

 

Andrew Luck Book Club 

Every month, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck recommends two books: one for the “Rookies” (younger folks) and the other for “Veterans” (more seasoned readers). He also interviews one author each month and shares the podcast on his website. February’s selections are The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill, the 2017 Newbery Medal winner, and Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey, the first in a science fiction series. 

 

The Book Club Girls 

Book Club Girl is a promotional service of HarperCollins Publishers. The website provides author interviews and podcasts and their Facebook group is a great place to discuss books with like-minded readers, as well as chat with the author of the monthly book pick. February’s book is The Gown by Jennifer Robson, an enthralling historical novel about one of the most famous wedding dresses of the twentieth century – Queen Elizabeth’s wedding gown – and the fascinating women who made it. 

Jen Pace Dickenson is the youth services librarian for Polk County Public Libraries. For information about the library’s resources, programs, and other services, visit polklibrary.org or call 828-894-8721.