SDL Book Club
SDL's book discussion group meets the first Wednesday of the month at 5:30 p.m.
Share your love of books with others who enjoy reading!
September 7 at 5:30
Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen
In a garden surrounded by a tall fence, tucked away behind a small, quiet house in an even smaller town, is an apple tree that is rumored to bear very special fruit. Generations of Waverleys have tended this garden. Their history is in the soil. A successful caterer, Claire prepares dishes made with her mystical plants. Her elderly cousin, Evanelle, is known for distributing unexpected gifts whose uses become uncannily clear. They are the last of the Waverleys—except for Claire’s rebellious sister, Sydney, who fled Bascom, abandoning Claire, as their own mother had years before. When Sydney suddenly returns home with a young daughter of her own, Claire’s quiet life is turned upside down—along with the protective boundary she has so carefully constructed around her heart. The sisters realize they must deal with their common legacy—if they are ever to feel at home in Bascom—or with each other.
October 5 at 5:30
The Invention Of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd
In early nineteenth century Charleston, Sarah, the daughter of the wealthy Grimke family, is given ownership of Hetty on her 11th birthday, Ten year old "Handful" is to her handmaid. Sarah has known from an early age that she is meant to do something large in the world, but she is hemmed in by the limits imposed on women. Handful yearns for life beyond the suffocating walls that enclose her within the wealthy Grimke household. The book follows their remarkable journeys over the next thirty five years, as both strive for a life of their own. Inspired by the historical figure of Sarah Grimke, Kidd goes beyond the record to flesh out the rich interior lives of all of her characters, both real and invented, including Handful’s cunning mother, Charlotte, who courts danger in her search for something better.
November 2 at 5:30
Hidden figures : the American dream and the untold story of the Black women mathematicians who helped win the space race
by Margot Lee Shetterly
Read The Book & Watch The Movie
December 7 at 5:30
The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry
by Gabrielle Zevin
A. J. Fikry, the irascible owner of Island Books, has recently endured some tough years: his wife has died, his bookstore is experiencing the worst sales in its history, and his prized possession--a rare edition of Poe poems--has been stolen. Over time, he has given up on people, and even the books in his store, instead of offering solace, are yet another reminder of a world that is changing too rapidly. Until a most unexpected occurrence gives him the chance to make his life over and see things anew.
Discussion Questions
January 4, 2023 at 5:30
Vinegar Girl by Anne Tyler
The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare
Kate Battista feels stuck. How did she end up running house and home for her eccentric scientist father and uppity, pretty younger sister Bunny? Plus, she’s always in trouble at work – her pre-school charges adore her, but their parents don’t always appreciate her unusual opinions and forthright manner. Dr. Battista has other problems. After years out in the academic wilderness, he is on the verge of a breakthrough. His research could help millions. There’s only one problem: his brilliant young lab assistant, Pyotr, is about to be deported. And without Pyotr, all would be lost. When Dr. Battista cooks up an outrageous plan that will enable Pyotr to stay in the country, he’s relying – as usual – on Kate to help him. Kate is furious: this time he’s really asking too much. But will she be able to resist the two men’s touchingly ludicrous campaign to bring her around?
Previous Book Club Discussion Titles
If you enjoyed these books, check out SDL's Reader's Advisory for more suggestions.
- The Art of Racing In The Rain by Garth Stein
- Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
- The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett by Annie Lyons
- Chariot On The Mountain by Jack Ford
- The Christmas Train by David Baldacci
- The Doll Maker by Harriet Arnow
- The Dry Grass of August by Anna Jean Mayhew
- Educated: a memoir by Tara Westover
- Florence Gordon by Brian Morton
- The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys
- Girl Waits With Gun by Amy Stewart. Based on true events. Read the series.
- The Grapes of Wrath by Jon Steinbeck
- The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
- The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
- Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson
- A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
- The Martian by Andy Weir
- Midnight In The Garden of Good and Evil by John Berndt
- The Other Einstein by Marie Benedict
- The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams
- The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
- Sea Biscuit: an American Legend by Laura Hillenbrand Read the book. Watch the DVD.
- Seven Days Of Us by Francesca Hornak
- Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult
- The Story of Arthur Truluv by Elizabeth Berg
- The Things That Keep Us Here by Carla Buckley
- The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
- A Tree Grows In Brooklyn by Betty Smith
- Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom
- Unbroken: a World War II story of survival, resilience and redemption by Laura Hillenbrand
- Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen