Reference sources for book discussions
Posted by: Jessica Moyer
This winter I’ll be starting up the first ever book club at my local public library. As a veteran book club member I’m excited about starting a new group and getting to meet some fellow readers. But the librarians here have never done a book group and have lots of questions and I’d like to be able to suggest some reference sources. Since the initial group is going to be a crime focused group, we’ve requested a copy of Gary Neibuhr’s Read ‘Em Their Writes: a Handbook for Mystery and Crime Book Discussions.
Any suggestions for other book group related resources I can share with the library staff?
November 18th, 2009 at 11:03 am
[...] at Points of Reference, Jessica is getting ready to start a mystery book group at her public library in January. She’s going to be using Read ‘em Their Writes as a source and is wondering [...]
November 18th, 2009 at 6:58 pm
I’d recommend…Mystery Readers International
http://www.mysteryreaders.org
My thoughts about Mystery Readers International as posted to webjunction.org
is a spectacular website. Janet Rudolph is one ambitious lady who deserves the name, as some have called her, “Mistress of Mystery”. She is writer/producer of Murder on the Menu, a California theater event company. For RA purposes, The Mystery Readers Journal is where she really shines. It is the official publication of Mystery Readers International which is published in quarterly thematic issues. Online lists can be found at http://www.mysteryreaders.org/journal.html Though you can read a great deal online this is one publication worth the subscription price for both library staff and patrons.
Thanks for the heads up on the books edited by Jim Huang. I have requested these interlibrary loan to take a gander. Noticed he has one other, Mystery muses : 100 classics that inspire today’s mystery writers, that was inspired by the other two. It asks mystery writers the questions…Did a mystery set you on your path to being a writer? Is there a classic mystery that remains important to you today?
I’d love to hear what your group will be reading.
I’d lwould recommend A Beautiful Place to Die by Malla Nunn. There’s lots of meat in the characters, you get a good picture of South Africa, and the time line of 1952 explores apartheid and racial tensions. It is gritty, not for the faint of heart or those expecting a story like The Number One Ladies Detective Agency. Well written debut.
November 19th, 2009 at 7:52 pm
Thanks for all the great suggestions. Our first book will be Faceless Killers by Henning Mankell in January.