August Feature: Books for Book Clubs Meet the Author: Elizabeth Berg Reviewer Spotlight: Tom C. Celebrity Reviewer: Edward Asner Librarian's Choice Award: The Book Review Cafe Reading Recommendations

Dialogue is the main purpose of a book club. Although a group might gather, with each member having read the same title, what most members quickly discover is that the text reads different when viewed through the lens of each reader's experience. In this way, the power of a book club lies in its ability to teach us new ways of seeing.

Yet, in spite of the infinite variation and wonder that comes when a group shares a book, ask someone who has had to pick that one title for their group, and they might tell you that the task seemed daunting. Working from a list of proven book club favorites takes some of the guesswork out of selection. The Reader's Club website features reviews of many such titles for your group to enjoy, whether they are meeting for the first time or have been sharing books for years.

Recommended Books for Book Clubs:

• God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
• My Year of Meats by Ruth Ozeki
• The Human Stain by Philip Roth
• MIddlesex: A Novel by Jeffrey Eugenides
• Bee Season by Myla Goldberg

Here is an excerpt from Edward Asner’s review of Empire Falls by Richard Russo:

"There are many books which we can exult in but for now I would strongly recommend and praise Richard Russo's Empire Falls, last year's Pulitzer Prize winner. It is a book filled with tragedy, comedy and irony. Most people can identify with the protagonist's inner thoughts, observations and, hopefully, his patience. It lovingly shows our hero coping, dealing with the vicissitudes we all can experience with family, friends, and society."