Welcome to Aesop’s Book Club! Our goal is to bring people together who love to discuss all things literary.
Discussions will be held at the shop and outside in the back courtyard (weather permitting).
We aim for lively, diverse, engaging discussion. If you have a book you just absolutely loved and would recommend, this is a great place to share. Hope to see you soon!
Upcoming Book Club Discussions
October 29
Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra
December 3
The Life Impossible by Matt Haig
Past Discussions
The Lost Story by Meg Schaffer
August
Maria by Michelle Moran
July
All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker
June
The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton
May
James by Percival Everett
April
Family Family by Laurie Frankel
March
North Woods by Daniel Mason
February
The Lioness of Boston by Emily Franklin
January
Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon
2023
December
One Christmas Morning by Rachel Greenlaw
November
Evil Eye by Etaf Rum
September
Lady Tan's Circle of Women by Lisa See
2022
June
The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higiashino
2021
August
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
No One Ever Asked by Katie Ganshert
Deacon King Kong by James McBride
2020
October
Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
September
I Was Told It Would Get Easier by Abbi Waxman
June
Saint X by Alexis Schaitkin
May
Valentine by Elizabeth Wetmore
April
Wild Game by Adrienne Brodeur
March
Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
February
this is how it always is by Laurie Frankel
January
The Huntress by Kate Quinn
2019
November
Beartown by Fredrik Backman
October
The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
September
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
August
Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier (4.5 stars)
Served with tea/wine and scones with jam and clotted cream
Published in 1938 and continuously in print for the last 80 years! A third of our group read this classic previously, albeit 20-30 years ago! We all agreed the writing was superb... from its famous first line ‘Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again...’ to its cryptic last line ‘And the ashes blew towards us with the salt wind from the sea" du Maurier has readers savoring the prose.
We discussed the nameless heroine, the first chapter which starts off as an epilogue, the unforgettable scene at the masquerade ball, du Maurier’s life (including connections with J.M. Barrie and C.S. Lewis) and the Oscar winning Alfred Hitchcock movie! There’s a reason this book has never gone out of print... a timeless classic well worth a read or re-read!
Other classics discussed: To Kill a Mockingbird, Pride and Prejudice, One Hundred Years of Solitude and the Count of Monte Cristo.
July
The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman (4.5 stars)
‘-Do as you will, but harm no one.
- What you give will be returned to you threefold.
- Fall in love whenever you can.
These are the rules the Owens Family women live by generation after generation. This is easier said than done, however, as there is also a longstanding curse that death will come to any person they fall in love with. Rules of Magic is an enchanting story of family, love and being true to who we are. We were all taken by the characters. It was hard to pick a favorite - they were well developed and even the secondary ones were memorable. This was a fun, whimsical summer read, well written and with just the right dose of magic.
Rules of Magic is the standalone prequel to Practical Magic (written 20 years earlier)!
Castle of Water by Dane Huckelbridge (4.25 stars)
This was a perfect book to kick off summer. Dane Huckelbridge's debut novel was a crowd pleaser with most of us going from not wanting to put the book down to not wanting it to end. Barry and Sophie are total strangers and the sole survivors of a small plane crash. Very different people with very different backgrounds, the story revolves around their quest to survive on a small island and how their relationship evolves given their hopeless situation. The story is told in the third person very effectively, alternating from past and present and between Barry and Sophie. A little bit of history, some seemingly random facts and other character stories are sprinkled throughout to give context to the story. Hucklebridge has you rooting for Barry and Sophie from the get go and some of the scenes he creates will stay with you long after the book is over. A great read for both men and women.
May
A Woman is No Man by Etaf Rum (4 stars)
This powerful, debut novel captivated the group and made for a good discussion. Recommended as a well written, engaging story but be in the mood for dark moments and a heavy plot line. The story follows 3 generations of Palestinian women trying to make a better life for themselves and their daughters. A lot of complex emotions and family dynamics are exposed as they try to break the cycle they have been born into... ultimately, they all want to feel like they have a say in how they live their life.
April
Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid (5 stars)
This book was a unanimous 5 star read and made for a great discussion. The style of writing was unique, fun and refreshing. It was a love story at its heart but in a way that surprised most of us. The character development was very well done and the band came to life on the pages. We wanted to research the people, listen to the songs and jump into the the rock and roll world Taylor Jenkins Reid created! The story read like a Rolling Stone Magazine interview, following eight or nine different people, which made it easy to follow read and gave lots of different perspectives (which depending on the storyline was interesting, hilarious or heartbreaking). We also discussed the strength of the female characters, which relationships were most impactful and how the decisions of one person could affect so many.
Other Book Club Recommendations
The Mother-In-Law by Sally HepworthThere, There by Tommy Orange
Zenobia July by Lisa Bunker
Golden Child by Claire Adam
Save the Plums by Ruth Riechl
How to Be a Good Creature by Sy Montgomery
The Last Romantics by Tara Conklin
Beartown by Fredrik Bachman
My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis Graves
The Lost Girls of Paris by Pam Jenoff
Pride, Prejudice and Other Flavors by Sonaki Dev
The Winternight Trilogy by Katherine Arden
My Dear Hamilton by Stephanie Dray & Laura Kamoie
Maisy Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspeare
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
City of Thieves by David Benioff