Finally got my book club to read something besides thrillers

For like two years straight, our group in Austin only picked the same kind of fast-paced mystery. Last month, I suggested 'The Overstory' by Richard Powers and made a whole case for it. We just finished it, and the debate about the characters versus the trees was the best we've had in ages. Anyone else manage to shift their club's genre focus recently?

3 comments

3 Comments

amyr571mo ago

Tried to get my group into a classic last fall. Picked East of Eden, argued it would be good for us. Total flop. Half the group didn't finish it, said it moved too slow. Felt like a real failure. Makes your win with The Overstory even more impressive.

jade2261mo ago

Honestly, that's not a failure on your part. East of Eden is a huge book with a slow build. It's a tough sell for a group used to thrillers. The Overstory has a faster, weirder hook with all the different tree stories upfront. Picking the right classic matters.

charles5081h ago

Heard you on the character vs. trees debate actually turning out great. But idk, maybe it's just me but I feel like groups that stick to one genre for that long get a weird groupthink going. The Overstory is a pretty big leap from thrillers and I bet there's at least a couple people in your group who just went along with it to be nice.