Top 10 Book-Group Books: 2018

How Are You Going to Save Yourself

by J. M. Holmes

Interconnected stories of a richly imagined group of childhood friends highlight the travails of black men in America; a timely, nuanced exploration of race and masculinity, sure to inspire conversation.

Little, Brown, 2018.

The Other Side of Everything

by Lauren Doyle Owens

A literary thriller with everything book groups are looking for: fine writing, a flawlessly constructed story, and relatable characters providing plenty of questionable decisions rife for discussion.

Touchstone, 2018.

Click to Download a Reading Group Guide.

Red Clocks

by Leni Zumas

Four women’s lives intersect in a world in which Roe v. Wade has been overturned in this richly realized, compulsively readable, never-didactic novel that invites thought and discussion.

Little, Brown, 2018.

Southernmost

by Silas House

An epiphanic flood compels a pastor to kidnap his son in a beautifully written novel that will appeal to book groups that like to consider issues of morality and crises of faith.

Algonquin, 2018.

The Sworn Virgin

by Kristopher Dukes

This provocative debut, set in early twentieth-century Albania, follows Eleanora, who declares herself a “sworn virgin” to avoid a brutal marriage, and will appeal to book groups who enjoyed Téa Obreht’s The Tiger’s Wife.

Morrow, 2017.

Nonfiction

The Common Good

by Robert B. Reich

Dealing with aging parents is a familiar book group topic. This graphic novel includes art and photography that will enhance the conversation.

Knopf, 2018.

Creative Quest

by Questlove and Ben Greenman

The cofounder of the hip-hop group the Roots and musical director for The Tonight Show blends stories, advice, and exercises in this deep dive into the creative process, perfect for book groups in a narrative rut.

Ecco, 2018.

The Tragedy of Benedict Arnold: An American Life

by Joyce Lee Malcolm

Malcolm does for Arnold what Ron Chernow did for Hamilton in this adventurous, entertaining read that will appeal to book clubs interested in a multilayered reassessment of a long-misunderstood American.

Pegasus, 2018.

The Woman’s Hour: The Great Fight to Win the Vote

by Elaine Weiss

As the 100th anniversary of the Nineteenth Amendment approaches, book groups will devour this fascinating historical account of 1920 and will find much to discuss comparing it to current social and political tensions.

Viking, 2018.

Click for a Reading Guide.