A good book is not hard to find. Especially if you know where to look.
Such a search seems imperative now that autumn is here and the recliner is calling. So, I asked people in the know — local librarians — to share their picks for good reads.
These days, it’s easier than ever to find one, and a hive that is currently immersed in it. Libraries and bookstores cull lists of books that are popular and intriguing. Sometimes the staff makes recommendations; sometimes suggestions are based on reader interest and feedback.
Although, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, overall reading for pleasure among American adults has slackened in recent years, with less than half reporting that they read one book in the past year, more of those who are reading seem to be finding each other through clubs, online chats and reviews.
According to Book Browse, there are 13 million book club members in the United States. That’s nearly a three-fold increase in membership since the New York Times wrote about the popularity of Oprah’s book club in 1999, the site states.
Today, book stores, libraries and online sites make it easy for readers to join a club, whether it’s of general or specific interest. The extent of involvement is up to the reader.
Naperville Public Library, for example, offers a mystery book club and a science fiction/fantasy book club that meet monthly. The cookbook club invites participants to test recipes and gather to discuss the results.
Many other local libraries also offer similar opportunities for readers to meet regularly to chat about specific books.
Orland Park Public Library has a Tuesday Night Club, which explores a variety of genres, and a Novel Morning Club with a focus on historical fiction, mysteries and relationship fiction. In February, it will launch Love at First Page, exploring all things romance, according to Natalie Finlon, assistant manager of adult services.
Kathleen Longacre, adult services specialist at the Naperville library, said, more than ever, “People seem to enjoy the sense of community a club offers. Participants seem to look forward to getting together each month. They seem to enjoy each other’s company.”
That stands even when they don’t enjoy the book, Longacre said.
“They may not be thrilled with the title but they enjoy discussing it,” she said. “I found as a former book club leader that some of the most discussable books are the ones that readers did not enjoy. Sometimes when you read a great book, all you have to say is ‘that was a great book.’”
But when you don’t like it, she said, “you can talk about plot and characters. It makes for a livelier discussion.”
Not that anyone is pushing unlikeable books, she said. But every reader has their own point of view.
On the flipside, phenomenal books can open doors to other great reads, Longacre said.
Club members and independent readers alike crave one thing, she said: Recommendations.
The constant request for something good to read led the library to create its own book club collections.
Launched in April, Naperville’s Book Club Hub is a service for book club members. The library maintains copies of well-received, discussable books that community clubs can check out. Each of the library’s three locations — 95th Street, Nichols and Naper Boulevard — has a unique set of offerings, she said.
Each title has eight copies and all can be checked out by one club member, Longacre said. The books circulate for six weeks, a longer period of time than traditional checkout periods.
“It’s very much a browsing collection,” she said.
Even if you’re not in a book club, Longacre said, Book Club Hub is “a great way for people to just find out what others are reading.”
So are online book chats and reviews, which is how I found “The House in the Cerulean Sea,” “The Lincoln Highway,” “The Berry Pickers, “The Serviceberry” and “Drive Your Plow over the Bones of the Dead,” all of which I enjoyed.
I’d appreciate your recommendations, too, dear reader. For more, let’s ask the pros.
Longacre recommends “The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeyset” by Annie Lyons. It falls under the increasingly popular category of “Up Lit” — “uplifting literature.”
The story, she said, focuses on the decision of an older British woman to end her life on her own terms. As she’s reaching out to a clinic in Switzerland for help, a family moves in next door.
“They have a 10-year-old girl named Rose who takes a shining to Eudora,” Longacre said. What happens next is “heartwarming,” she said.
Here are recommendations from other local librarians:
From Jane Jenkins, director at Green Hills Public Library in Palos Hills:
- “Pew” by Catherine Lacey – Literary Fiction
- “Cackle” by Rachel Harrison – Horror
- “The Drop” by Dennis LeHane – Mystery
- “Garden Spells” by Sarah Addison Allen – Fantasy
- “Dark Matter” by Blake Couch – Science Fiction
From Natalie Finlon, adult services assistant manager at Orland Park Public Library:
- “The Crescent Moon Tearoom” by Stacy Sivinski;
- “Compassion in the Court: Life-Changing Stories from America’s Nicest Judge” by Frank Caprio.
Now it’s your turn. Send me the titles of books you recommend and I’ll share them in a future column.
Meanwhile, grab a throw and go get all snugly on that recliner.
Donna Vickroy is an award-winning reporter, editor and columnist who worked for the Daily Southtown for 38 years. She can be reached at donnavickroy4@gmail.com.
