Book Clubs

Reading is fun. Sharing a book with others is even better! The library offers three regular book clubs for you to enjoy lively conversation with others about books. New members are welcome at any time. Ask a librarian at the Reference Desk to receive your copy of the book.

Bloomington Bookies – Fiction Book Club

This group meets monthly at 7 pm on the third or fourth Tuesday of the month at the Lincoln Leisure Center (1206 S. Lee). Dessert and beverages provided.

  • Jan. 20: An Uncommon Reader: A Novella
    by Alan Bennett
  • Feb. 17: The Abstinence Teacher by Tom Perrotta
  • March 17: A Thousand Splendid Suns
    by Khaled Hosseini
  • April 21: Away: A Novel by Amy Bloom
  • May 26: Rasputin’s Daughter
    by Robert Alexander
  • June 16: Howard’s End by E.M. Forster
  • July 28: On Beauty by Zadie Smith
  • Aug. 18: By George: A Novel by Wesley Stace
  • Sept. 22: The Dive From Clausen’s Pier: A Novel
    by Ann Packer
  • Oct. 20: Last Night at the Lobster by Stewart O’Nan
  • Nov. 24: The Zookeeper’s Wife:A War Story
    by Diane Ackerman
  • Dec. 8; 7 p.m.; in the library's Community Room: This month, the Fiction Book Club will be combined with the Mystery Book Club as both clubs read and discuss They Did it with Love by Kate Morgenroth. Ms. Morgenroth will likely join the clubs members via telephone for the discussion.

Books & Bites – Nonfiction Book Club

Discussions are held at Noon on the first Thursday of the month (except for July) at the Lincoln Leisure Center (1206 S. Lee). Bring your sack lunch, dessert is provided.

  • Jan. 8: The World Without Us by Alan Weisman
  • Feb. 5: The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down
    by Anne Fadiman
  • March 5: A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah
  • April 2: The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
  • May 7: The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama
  • June 4: The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner.
  • July 2: King, Kaiser, Tsar: Three Royal Cousins Who Led the World to War by Catrine Clay
  • Aug. 6: The Year of Living Biblically: One Man’s Humble Quest to Follow the bible as Literally as Possible
    by A.J. Jacobs
  • Sept. 3: Thunderstruck by Erik Larson
  • Oct. 1: Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace … One School at a Time
    by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
  • Nov. 5: We Were Soldiers Once … and Young: Ia Drang - the Battle That Changed the War in Vietnam
    by Harold G. Moore and Joseph L. Galloway
  • Dec. 3: Enslaved by Ducks by Bob Tarte
    Bob Tarte will be joining the book club via telephone during this discussion.

Under the Magnifying Glass –
Mystery Book Club

Discuss who done it and learn about various sub-genres of mysteries with this monthly book group. Each quarter we’ll explore a different sub-genre. Sign up for your favorite topics or get introduced to mystery authors you’re not familiar with. This group meets at 7pm on the second Tuesday of the month at the library.

  • Jan. 13: The Monsters of Templeton by Lauren Groff
  • Feb. 10: Heartsick by Chelsea Cain
  • March 10: Special Topics in Calamity Physics
    by Marisha Pessl
  • April 14: The Cold Dish by Craig Johnson
  • May 12: Christine Falls: A Novel by Benjamin Black
  • June 9: In the Woods by Tana French
  • July 14: Wicked Fix: A Home Repair is Homicide Mystery by Sarah Graves
  • Aug. 11: The Sign of the Book: A Cliff Janeway “Bookman” Novel  by John Dunning
  • Sept. 8: How to Cook a Tart by Nina Killham
  • Oct. 13: The Yiddish Policemen’s Union: A Novel
    by Michael Chabon
  • Nov. 10: Restless: A Novel by William Boyd
  • Dec. 8: They Did it with Love by Kate Morgenroth
    This month, the Fiction Book Club will be combined with the Mystery Book Club as both clubs read and discuss They Did it with Love by Kate Morgenroth. Ms. Morgenroth will likely join the clubs members via telephone for the discussion.

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