Love to Read: Finding Books & Book Clubs
This guide is designed for people who love to read, whether it for personal enjoyment or within a reading group. It includes information on books in general as well as specifics for book groups. This guide will provide users with resources about finding books to read, starting a book group and journaling your reading. Resources are organized into two main categories: Internet resources and print resources. Happy reading!
Internet Resources
Comprehensive Book Sites
The websites included in this section providing a variety of resources including book lists, reviews, awards, discussion and links to other book related sites.
BookReporter.com
http://www.bookreporter.com/
One of five websites from the Book Report Network, this site aims to [provide] thoughtful book reviews, compelling features, in-depth author profiles and interviews, plus excerpts of the hottest new releases, literary games and contests.
The New York Times Book Section
http://www.nytimes.com/pages/books/
The online edition of one of the most famous newspaper book sections, the NY Times Book Section includes articles on Book News, Writers, Audio Books, Book Reviews, and the famous NY Times Bestseller Lists.
BookWire.com
http://www.bookwire.com/
BookWire.com is an Internet resource dedicated to new titles, new authors, and the general information on the book industry! Use this site to search book reviews, read about the latest releases, watch author video clips, and learn about upcoming book events.
Book Club/Discussion Sites
The websites included in this section provide information on book discussion groups. From information on how to start a group to discussion guides, the following web resources should help you get your group up and reading!
Good Reads Groups
https://www.goodreads.com/group
This section of the Good Reads website lists book clubs for every genre and literary topic imaginable.
Reading Group Guides: The online community for reading groups
http://www.readinggroupguides.com/
ReadingGroupGuides.com is one of five websites run by the Book Report Network. This site was built especially for reading groups, providing them with all they need to make their book club experience better than ever. The guides are categorized by such genres as Women’s Interest, National Bestsellers, Classics, Literary Fiction, Romance, and Non-Fiction. There are also tips and exchange on book groups in general and what yours is doing now.
Book Discussion Groups at Book Browse
http://www.bookbrowse.com/bookclubs/
BookBrowse offers advice on starting a website, recommended titles, author interviews and access to a number of book discussion guides. Paid membership is required to access some of the more specific titles but a lot of information is available through the general site without registration. Limited areas are clearly marked as “Members only.”
Online Books
If you are interested in reading e-books online, then the following websites offer good selections of books available online.
IPL Online Texts Collection
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A number of links to over 20,000 titles that can be searched or browsed in a number of different search techniques.
Bibliomania
http://www.bibliomania.com/bibliomania-static/
Bibliomania is a site dedicated to free online literature with a thorough index of online texts including fiction, non-fiction, and poetry sections, with a limited reference section.
Classic Bookshelf Electronic Library
http://www.classicbookshelf.com/library/
The Classic Bookshelf Electronic Library provides links to a number of electronic classics that can be searched by author or title.
The Online Books Page
http://digital.library.upenn.edu/books/
The Online Books Page has links to over 30,000 books on the web and is sponsored by the University of Pennsylvania.
Great Books &Classics Online
http://www.grtbooks.com/
This site organizes e-books by chronology starting from before 200BC all the way to the present day in groups primarily by century. Also can be searched by author or title.
Bartleby.com’s Great Books Online
https://www.bartleby.com/
This comprehensive site Bartleby.com’s Great Books Online includes Reference books (Dictionaries, Encyclopedias, Atlas’, Anatomy, Quotations, Thesaurus, Bible, etc), Classics, Fiction, Non-Fiction, and Poetry.
Page-By-Page Books
http://www.pagebypagebooks.co
Access hundreds of electronic books at PageByPage Books. This site is committed to providing the books in an easy to download format. Books can be searched by title or by author.
Book Lists
Below are some links to basic book lists as well as some unique compilations that will surely offer some new reading suggestions or authors to consider.
Internet Public Library’s Book Lists &Awards Resources
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The IPL has its own compilation of Book Resources. Check them out!
Morton Grove Public Library’s Fiction Book Lists
Morton Grove Public Library’s Fiction Book Lists has one of the most unique lists of Book Lists categorized by Genre, Character Types, Settings, Subjects, Authors, Audience, “Best of”, and Miscellaneous.
List of Bests
This unique site offers readers a chance to look at what other readers consider the Best of the Best. Search by definitive lists, award lists or try the more personal lists to see what people are reading.
Book Reviews
Many of the sites already listed above contain well-organized book reviews. Here are a few more:
The New York Times Sunday Book Review
http://www.nytimes.com/pages/books/review/
The New York Times Sunday Book Review is one of the most popular book review providers. The archives are from 1996, however only the last 7 days of material are free.
Boston Globe Book Reviews
http://www.boston.com/ae/books/
Boston Globe Book Reviews also has online content for reviews of popular books.
All Readers.com
http://www.allreaders.com/
This is a different type of site that includes a number of reviews that can be searched by title, author or by plot details.
Online Book Clubs
If you love to read and talk about books that you’ve read but don’t have a local book group or the time to attend a scheduled book discussion, then maybe an online Book Club or discussion board is the forum for you! Here are a few websites that might be of interest.
BookTalk.org
http://www.booktalk.org/
The Book Talk website promotes “quality books, good people and great conversations.” Readers are invited to join in reading and discussing both fiction and non-fiction books. Registration is free but is not required to browse the site. To post comments or participate in the discussion, login is required though.
New York Times Books Forum
http://www.nytimes.com/books/forums/
New York Times Books Forum is free, but sign on is required. Online Forums are found within a variety of subjects (British Literature, Myth &Ancient Literature, Contemporary Fiction, Science Fiction, Mysteries, African-American Literature, etc) including Feature Discussions, Author Discussions, and the monthly selected book Discussion.
Open Directory: Arts: Literature: Reading Groups List
https://dmoz-odp.org/Arts/Literature/Reading_Groups/
The Open Directory Reading Groups List contains links to many reading groups online. It also provides links to reading groups of interest to specialized audiences.
Journaling Your Reading
One way to share your love of reading is to journal your reading. You can peruse a list of books that you’ve read to review your own readings; suggest books to others; and chronicle your interests over time. These sites help you organize what you’ve read, what you’d like to read and what you’re currently reading.
Bookly
https://getbookly.com/
Good Reads
http://www.goodreads.com
Print Resources
For more information about reading, book groups or books in general, check out these titles available at your local library or bookstore.
Jacobsohn, R. W. (1994). The Reading Group Handbook: Everything You Need to Know, from Choosing Members to Leading Discussion. New York:Hyperion Press.
Leveen, S. (2005). The Little Guide to Your Well-Read Life: How to Get More Books in Your Life and More Life from Your Books. Florida:Levenger Press.
Loevy, D. (2006). The Book Club Companion: A Comprehensive Guide to the Reading Group Experience. USA: Penguin Group, Inc.
This pathfinder created by Sena Roth. It was updated by K. Tucker for Dr. Eileen Abels Info 780 Course at Drexel University, Spring, 2008.