Suggesting books for book clubs is one of my favorite tasks as an RA librarian at NoveList. It’s fun, challenging, and oh-so-satisfying to find titles that will engage readers and spark a lively discussion. Of course, tastes differ — and that’s why we’ve been hard at work learning more about what gets book clubs talking in Australia and New Zealand. Here are some of NoveList’s new and updated book club resources just for you:
NoveList Book Discussion Guides
Our custom discussion guides address books considered notable in some way for challenging content, narrative complexity, and/or a unique writing style — in other words, highly “discussable” books. What’s in the guides?
- A concise summary to bring discussion leaders up to speed quickly (or help readers decide if the book is right for them)
- Hand-picked further reading suggestions from RA pros in the know
- Engaging discussion starters with notes for discussion leaders
Current guides include newer titles like Trent Dalton’s Boy Swallows Universe as well as older book club favourites like The Slap by Christopher Tsiolkas, Peter Temple’s Truth, and Gould’s Book of Fish by Richard Flanagan. We’re adding fresh guides (and updating older ones!), especially for Australian and New Zealand readers on an ongoing basis, so check regularly to see what’s new.
Find it fast! Paste this into the search box on NoveList’s home page:
ND Book Discussion Guides AND (GN Australian fiction OR GN New Zealand fiction)
More Book Club Resources
Need ways to diffuse a group dynamic that stalls discussion? Want to discover the rest of NoveList’s book discussion guides? The Book Club Resources page has links to all available discussion guides, plus exclusive book club how-to articles for librarians and book club leaders.
Find it fast! From the dropdown menu bar on the homepage, select Quick Links > Book Club Resources (or just paste this into the homepage search box: UI 447780).
Never Underestimate the Power of a List
Let’s face it — there’s so much book club-worthy Australian and New Zealand fiction that it’s impossible to make guides for every book. I can dream, though! That’s why we’ve created Book Club Bests for Australia and New Zealand, a new Recommended Reads List of books sure to please book club leaders and readers. Like you, we’re always keeping an ear out for books with buzz, so visit regularly to see the current list.
Find it fast! Paste this into the search box on NoveList’s home page:
TI "Book Club Bests for Australia and New Zealand"
We are devastated by the news coming to us about the bushfires in Australia. If you are looking to help, here is a helpful list of organizations and relief efforts.
Kimberly Burton is a Readers' Advisory Librarian at NoveList.
