Looking for your next great book club pick? The Palm Beach County Library ’s Book Club in a Bag collection makes it easy to bring readers together around engaging stories, memorable characters and thought-provoking ideas.
Whether your group enjoys sharp satire, historical fiction, heartfelt stories or magical realism, these four titles offer plenty to discuss. Pick one for your next meeting or challenge your group to read them all.
Fever Beach by Carl Hiaasen
Florida author Carl Hiaasen brings his signature humor and environmental edge to Fever Beach, a fast-moving satire filled with eccentric characters, political corruption, greed and outrageous schemes. Set in a recognizable version of Florida, the novel uses comedy to take a closer look at some serious issues facing society and the Sunshine State.
Why your book club will enjoy it:
Hiaasen’s larger-than-life characters and irreverent humor provide plenty of opportunities for lively conversation.
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The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Ta-Nehisi Coates’ debut novel combines historical fiction, fantasy and adventure to tell the story of Hiram Walker, a young man born into slavery who possesses a mysterious power connected to memory and his lost mother. As Hiram becomes involved in the Underground Railroad, he must confront questions of freedom, family, memory and identity.
Why your book club will enjoy it:
The novel gives readers an opportunity to discuss American history while exploring how memory, storytelling and imagination can help us understand the past.
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
What happens when loneliness, grief and an unlikely friendship come together? Remarkably Bright Creatures follows Tova Sullivan, a widow working nights at an aquarium, and Marcellus, a remarkably intelligent giant Pacific octopus. As their friendship develops, the novel explores loss, family, friendship and the possibility of new beginnings.
Why your book club will enjoy it:
This warm and charming story offers emotional depth and lighter moments, with the unforgettable Marcellus providing a particularly fun character to discuss.
Large Print Book Club in A Bag
The Life Impossible by Matt Haig
In The Life Impossible, retired math teacher Grace Winters unexpectedly inherits a house on the Spanish island of Ibiza from a former colleague. Her journey to discover why she received the house becomes something much bigger: a mysterious adventure filled with questions about grief, the past, nature and the possibility of beginning again.
Why your book club will enjoy it:
The novel blends mystery, adventure, magical realism and philosophical questions about what makes life meaningful. It is an especially good choice for groups that enjoy books that leave room for interpretation.
Find Your Next Book Club Pick
Great book club conversations begin with great books. From the biting humor of Fever Beach to the historical depth of The Water Dancer, the heartwarming connections in Remarkably Bright Creatures and the unexpected journey of The Life Impossible, these Book Club in a Bag picks offer something for every group.
Choose a title, gather your readers and let the conversation begin.
Ready to start your next book club? Explore the Palm Beach County Library System’s Book Club in a Bag collection and find a title that will give your group plenty to read, discuss and enjoy. click here.
