Best Book Club Books: 50 Must-Read Picks That Spark Great Discussions

What Makes a Great Book Club Book?

The best book club books share three qualities: they're accessible enough that every member finishes them, complex enough that the group disagrees about something, and resonant enough that the conversation lingers after the meeting ends. A book that everyone likes the same amount and for the same reasons is, counterintuitively, a poor book club pick. What you want is a book that divides the room—not violently, but productively.

After curating reading lists for book clubs of all sizes and tastes, and drawing on discussion data from thousands of reading groups on Readfeed, we've assembled this list of 50 book club books that consistently generate the richest, most engaging discussions. They're organized by genre, with notes on why each title works so well for group reading.

Literary Fiction: Books That Reward Close Reading

Literary fiction dominates book club selections for good reason—these novels tend to prioritize character depth, thematic complexity, and prose craft, all of which fuel substantive discussion.

1. "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald

The American classic that every generation reinterprets. Discussion gold: the American Dream, wealth vs. happiness, unreliable narration, and whether Gatsby is tragic or delusional.

2. "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

A sweeping novel about race, identity, and immigration told through a Nigerian woman's experience in the United States. Provokes honest, sometimes uncomfortable conversations about how race operates differently across cultures.

3. "A Little Life" by Hanya Yanagihara

Polarizing by design—some members will find it devastatingly beautiful, others gratuitously bleak. The debate itself is the point. Discussion topics: trauma, male friendship, the limits of empathy.

4. "The Goldfinch" by Donna Tartt

A Dickensian saga about art, loss, and survival. At 771 pages, it tests commitment, but groups that finish it have weeks of discussion material. Ideal for clubs that enjoy longer reads.

5. "Normal People" by Sally Rooney

Deceptively simple prose concealing sharp observations about class, communication, and intimacy. Sparks debate about whether the characters are relatable or infuriating—usually both.

6. "Pachinko" by Min Jin Lee

A multigenerational epic about a Korean family in Japan. Expansive enough to let every member connect with different characters and themes: identity, sacrifice, discrimination, resilience.

7. "The Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishiguro

A masterclass in subtext. What the narrator doesn't say matters more than what he does. Groups can spend an entire meeting decoding a single scene.

Mystery and Thriller: Page-Turners with Depth

The best mystery and thriller book club books keep members reading quickly while embedding ethical dilemmas, psychological complexity, or social commentary beneath the plot.

8. "Gone Girl" by Gillian Flynn

The book that launched a thousand book club arguments. Whose side are you on? Discussion topics: marriage, media manipulation, gender performance, unreliable narration.

9. "The Silent Patient" by Alex Michaelides

A psychological thriller with a twist that reframes everything. Groups love debating whether they saw it coming and what it says about the nature of silence and trauma.

10. "In the Woods" by Tana French

A literary mystery that prioritizes atmosphere and character over procedural plot. The ambiguous ending divides every group—and that's exactly what makes it an outstanding book club book.

11. "Mexican Gothic" by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Gothic horror meets postcolonial critique. Accessible, atmospheric, and layered with themes of colonialism, gender, and bodily autonomy that open up rich discussion.

12. "The Maid" by Nita Prose

A cozy mystery with a neurodivergent protagonist. Warm-hearted but substantive. Discussion topics: neurodiversity in fiction, class dynamics, who society considers trustworthy.

13. "The Thursday Murder Club" by Richard Osman

Four retirees investigate a murder at their care home. Witty and clever, with serious undertones about aging, loneliness, and the assumptions society makes about older people.

14. "Big Little Lies" by Liane Moriarty

Domestic suspense that dissects suburban life, motherhood, and domestic violence. The ensemble cast means every member gravitates toward a different character.

Memoir and Nonfiction: True Stories That Spark Personal Reflection

Memoirs and narrative nonfiction bring a different energy to book club discussions. Because they're rooted in real experience, they invite members to share their own stories.

15. "Educated" by Tara Westover

A memoir of a woman who grew up in a survivalist family and didn't enter a classroom until age 17. Provokes conversations about education, family loyalty, and the cost of self-invention.

16. "Crying in H Mart" by Michelle Zauner

Grief, identity, and Korean food intertwined in luminous prose. Nearly every member connects with some aspect of the parent-child relationship at its center.

17. "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot

Science, ethics, race, and family converge in this narrative nonfiction landmark. Generates discussions about medical consent, exploitation, and the human stories behind scientific progress.

18. "Born a Crime" by Trevor Noah

Funny, heartbreaking, and illuminating. Noah's memoir of growing up mixed-race in apartheid South Africa works for clubs that want substance without heaviness.

19. "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

Broad appeal, accessible writing, and themes that cross political lines: ambition, marriage, motherhood, identity. One of the most widely read book club books of the past decade.

20. "Sapiens" by Yuval Noah Harari

Sweeping intellectual history that gives groups a framework for debating big ideas: agriculture, religion, capitalism, and the future of humanity. Best for clubs that enjoy nonfiction.

21. "Know My Name" by Chanel Miller

A searing, beautifully written memoir about surviving sexual assault and reclaiming identity. Heavy but essential. Groups should approach with care and clear content warnings.

Historical Fiction: Windows into Other Eras

Historical fiction lets book clubs explore the past while connecting it to the present. The best historical book club books illuminate parallels between then and now.

22. "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak

Narrated by Death during World War II, this novel is simultaneously heartbreaking and life-affirming. Discussion topics: the power of words, moral courage, ordinary people in extraordinary times.

23. "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr

A blind French girl and a German soldier during WWII. Gorgeous prose and a dual narrative that invites groups to discuss perspective, fate, and the intersection of science and humanity.

24. "The Nightingale" by Kristin Hannah

Two sisters in occupied France take vastly different paths through the war. Sparks debate about resistance, sacrifice, and the ways women's contributions to history are recorded—or erased.

25. "Homegoing" by Yaa Gyasi

Each chapter follows a different descendant across 300 years, from the Gold Coast to modern America. A structural marvel that generates discussion about generational trauma, diaspora, and identity.

26. "Circe" by Madeline Miller

A feminist retelling of the witch from the Odyssey. Accessible, vivid, and packed with themes about power, gender, motherhood, and what it means to be monstrous.

27. "The Underground Railroad" by Colson Whitehead

Whitehead reimagines the Underground Railroad as a literal train system. Blends historical horror with speculative fiction. Intense, challenging, and unforgettable.

28. "Hamnet" by Maggie O'Farrell

A reimagining of the life of Shakespeare's son who died at age 11. Intimate and devastating. Discussion topics: grief, art, marriage, and how personal loss shapes creative work.

Contemporary Fiction: Books of the Moment

Contemporary fiction captures the world as we're living in it. These book club books reflect current anxieties, relationships, and social dynamics.

29. "Such a Fun Age" by Kiley Reid

A sharp, witty novel about race, privilege, and performative allyship. Short, fast, and deeply discussion-worthy. Groups consistently rate it among the most conversation-generating book club books they've read.

30. "Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow" by Gabrielle Zevin

A novel about friendship, creativity, and video games that transcends its premise. Appeals to gamers and non-gamers alike. Discussion topics: collaboration, identity, disability, the nature of play.

31. "Lessons in Chemistry" by Bonnie Garmus

A 1960s chemist turned cooking show host challenges gender norms with science. Funny, feminist, and crowd-pleasing. Sparks debate about how much has—or hasn't—changed for women in professional spaces.

32. "The Midnight Library" by Matt Haig

A woman explores alternate versions of her life. Philosophically accessible and emotionally resonant. Discussion topics: regret, choice, depression, what constitutes a good life.

33. "Demon Copperhead" by Barbara Kingsolver

A modern retelling of David Copperfield set in Appalachian America amid the opioid crisis. Pulitzer Prize winner. Discussion topics: poverty, addiction, foster care, systemic failure.

34. "Klara and the Sun" by Kazuo Ishiguro

An AI narrator observes human relationships with heartbreaking innocence. Discussion topics: artificial intelligence, love, sacrifice, what makes someone human.

35. "Intermezzo" by Sally Rooney

Two grieving brothers navigate love and loss in contemporary Ireland. Rooney's most mature work. Discussion topics: grief, sibling relationships, age-gap romance, masculinity.

Science Fiction and Fantasy: Speculative Ideas for Big Discussions

Speculative fiction pushes book club conversations beyond the everyday into questions about technology, society, and human nature.

36. "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood

The defining dystopian novel for book clubs. Its relevance fluctuates with the political climate, which itself becomes a discussion topic. Themes: bodily autonomy, theocracy, resistance, complicity.

37. "Station Eleven" by Emily St. John Mandel

A pandemic wipes out civilization; the survivors build communities around art. Post-2020, this novel reads differently than it did in 2014—and that shift is worth discussing.

38. "Piranesi" by Susanna Clarke

A short, strange, beautiful novel about a man living in an infinite house of halls and statues. Generates wildly different interpretations, which is exactly what you want in a book club book.

39. "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin

A classic of speculative fiction exploring a society without fixed gender. Discussion topics: gender, diplomacy, isolation, what it means to be an outsider.

40. "Recursion" by Blake Crouch

A mind-bending thriller about memory and identity. Fast-paced and idea-dense. Discussion topics: memory, regret, the ethics of technology, what makes us who we are.

41. "Kindred" by Octavia Butler

A modern Black woman is pulled back in time to the antebellum South. Harrowing and essential. Discussion topics: slavery, survival, complicity, the weight of history.

42. "Project Hail Mary" by Andy Weir

A lone astronaut must save Earth. Optimistic, science-heavy, and deeply human. Discussion topics: sacrifice, problem-solving, interspecies communication, scientific literacy.

Short and Accessible: For Clubs That Need a Quick Read

Not every book club can commit to 400+ pages. These shorter book club books pack full discussion value into compact formats.

43. "We Should All Be Feminists" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

An essay-length manifesto adapted from a TEDx talk. Can be read in one sitting. Perfect for sparking a focused, high-energy discussion about gender equality.

44. "The Stranger" by Albert Camus

A philosophical novella that takes two hours to read and two meetings to fully discuss. Existentialism, morality, and alienation in 123 pages.

45. "On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous" by Ocean Vuong

A letter from a son to his illiterate mother. Poetic, devastating, and compact. Discussion topics: immigration, identity, addiction, the relationship between beauty and pain.

46. "Convenience Store Woman" by Sayaka Murata

A Japanese woman finds purpose working in a convenience store. Quirky, unsettling, and thought-provoking. Discussion topics: conformity, neurodivergence, what society defines as "normal."

Crowd-Pleasers: Books That (Almost) Everyone Enjoys

When your club needs a guaranteed hit, these book club books deliver satisfaction alongside substance.

47. "Where the Crawdads Sing" by Delia Owens

Mystery, romance, and nature writing wrapped in a coming-of-age story. Massively popular for a reason. Discussion topics: isolation, resilience, justice, the natural world.

48. "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo" by Taylor Jenkins Reid

A reclusive Hollywood icon tells her life story. Glamorous, emotional, and full of surprises. Discussion topics: ambition, bisexuality, fame, the stories we tell about ourselves.

49. "Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine" by Gail Honeyman

A socially isolated woman begins to connect with the world. Funny and heartbreaking in equal measure. Discussion topics: loneliness, trauma recovery, human connection, mental health.

50. "Anxious People" by Fredrik Backman

A failed bank robbery, a hostage situation, and a cast of wonderfully flawed humans. Heartwarming without being saccharine. Discussion topics: anxiety, forgiveness, community, the mistakes that define us.

How to Choose Book Club Books for Your Group

With 50 options on this list, narrowing it down requires knowing your group. Here are practical tips for selecting book club books that work:

• Alternate genres. Follow a heavy literary novel with a lighter mystery or memoir. Variety prevents fatigue and keeps members engaged month to month.
• Let members vote. Democratic book selection increases buy-in. Readfeed's built-in nomination and voting feature makes this process seamless—members nominate titles, the group votes, and the winner is automatically added to the club's reading queue.
• Consider length and timing. A 600-page novel during the holidays will go unfinished. Match book length to the realities of your members' schedules.
• Check discussion guides. Many of the books on this list have published reading guides. Readfeed also generates AI-powered discussion questions tailored to each title, saving facilitators significant prep time.
• Read reviews from other book clubs. On Readfeed, you can see how other reading groups rated and discussed a book before selecting it for your own club. Real-world discussion data is more useful than a star rating.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most popular book club books right now?

As of early 2026, the most widely read book club books include "Intermezzo" by Sally Rooney, "James" by Percival Everett, "Demon Copperhead" by Barbara Kingsolver, and "Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow" by Gabrielle Zevin. Readfeed's trending data shows that literary fiction and memoir continue to dominate book club selections, with historical fiction a close third.

How do I pick a book club book that everyone will like?

You can't—and you shouldn't try. The best book club books generate diverse reactions, which fuels richer discussion. Instead of unanimous approval, aim for books that are accessible in reading level, moderate in length, and thematically complex enough to provoke different interpretations. Alternating genres helps ensure every member's taste is represented over time.

How many books should a book club read per year?

Most book clubs read one book per month, totaling 10–12 books per year (with breaks for holidays or summer). Some groups read biweekly; others read quarterly. The right pace depends on your members' availability and reading speed. Consistency matters more than volume—a group that reliably reads one book every six weeks will stay healthier than one that ambitiously commits to biweekly reads and burns out.

Where can I find discussion questions for book club books?

Many publishers provide free reading guides on their websites. Readfeed generates AI-powered discussion questions for any book, tailored to themes, characters, and plot points. You can also find crowd-sourced questions on Goodreads, LitLovers, and BookBrowse. The best discussion questions are open-ended, invite personal reflection, and don't have a single "correct" answer.