Book Clubs
Friends of the Library Book Club
The book choices come from suggestions given by group members. We try to include a variety of genres each year. All books chosen have at least 10 copies that can be borrowed from the library so no one should have to purchase a book unless they choose to do so.
We typically meet at the Douglas County Library on the 4th Monday of each month from 6:30-8:00 pm. Exceptions are: when this would fall on a holiday we'll meet on the 3rd Monday of the month and occasionally will meet via Zoom if the weather is bad.
List of the book selections for 2024, including dates of each meeting.
Click here for a short summary of each book.
Contact Michelle Saffel at dclfriendsmn@gmail.com with questions.
Chapter & Verse Book Club
Chapter & Verse is continuing to meet at various locations.
Chapter & Verse is a national book club for children's literature enthusiasts in their communities who wish to discuss children's and young adult fiction, non-fiction, picture books, and poetry. Our chapter meets on the 3rd Wednesday each month at 4:00 pm. Join us! We are friendly and welcoming. There's always room for one more participant. Contact Bev Dokken 320-762-1932 for more information.
Click here to get a list of the books we're scheduled to read.
Looking for your next good book?
We’d like to recommend your next book! The Friends of the Library Book Club has been meeting since 2003 and has read many great books in a variety of genres. If you’re looking for suggestions on your next good read, consider one of the books listed below.
This is a list of our top rated books over the years. We hope you can find something you enjoy as much as we did!
Classics
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
(Legal story / Racial issues)
Fiction / Novels
Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline
(Friendships)
Still Alice by Lisa Genova
(Alzheimer’s from patient’s perspective)
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
(Intergenerational neighborhood relationships)
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
(Coming of age)
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin
(Abandonment, relationships)
Fiction / Historical
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
(African American women/Civil rights movement)
Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
(German occupation in France)
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
(The Great Depression / Love story)
My Antonia by Willa Cather
(Frontier pioneer life)
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
(German occupation of France)
The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory
(England / Henry VIII)
The Alice Network by Kate Quinn
(Underground movement during World War 1)
Fiction / Western
Montana 1948 by Larry Watson
(Family struggles)
Non-Fiction / Biography
Princess by Jean Sasson
(Story of Saudi Arabian Princess Sultana)
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
(Dysfunctional family life)
Fiction / Mystery & Suspense
Thunder Bay by William Kent Krueger
(Book 7 of Cork O’Connor mystery series)
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
(Family secrets)
The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens
(Vietnam War, dysfunctional families)
Non-Fiction / History
The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown
(1936 Olympic Rowing Team)
The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson
(African American migration from the south)
Book Club Kits
Looking to start your own book club but struggling to get things organized?
Members of the Friends of the Library can pick up a book club kit with all of the books and resources to get them started.
Make sure to reserve your kit in advance to ensure it is available.
Each kits comes in a plastic tub and includes
- 10 books
- 1 large print book
- 1 audio book
- Set of discussion questions
Some Available Titles
- Being Mortal by Atul Gawande
- When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
- A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
- Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant? by Roz Chast
- Did You Ever Have a Family by Bill Clegg
- Fates & Furies by Lauren Groff
- Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson
- Lilac Girls: a novel by Martha Hall Kelly
- Lab Girl by Hope Jahren
- The Martian by Andy Weir
- A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
You can access the most up to date list of titles by going to the Douglas County Library's website, click on Catalog Search, and type in Instant Book Club. Contact Yeisa Fredrickson at (320)762-3014 or yfredrickson@douglascountylibrary.org for reservations or assistance.
(Funds for Douglas County Library Book Club Kits are provided by the Douglas County Library Friends & Foundation)