Best book club books: Fiction, non-fiction novels and memoirs that start discussions

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Books


Best book club books: Fiction, non-fiction novels and memoirs that start discussions

By Stylist Team

6 years ago

Looking for inspiration for your next book club choice? Every week a member of the Stylist team chooses one of their favourite reads, those that start conversations and encourage debate. Be sure to bookmark this page as it will be updated every week with the latest choice. 

A certain type of read will always make the cut when it comes to book club material. Because, what we all really want is a book that makes everyone think. 

We’re not talking something that makes you question the meaning of life – that kind of thinking is reserved exclusively for 4am in the morning when you can’t sleep

But what is a book club if it isn’t an excuse to contemplate a subject you haven’t before? A chance to get your teeth into something – for the very sake of thinking?

Enter the #stylistbookclub. The concept is simple - every Sunday over on our Instagram page, the team at Stylist offer up their thoughts on a book they’ve enjoyed or has resonated with them in some way. 

From In Extremis by Lindsey Hilsum, the auto-biography of war correspondent Marie Colvin, to Moomin Valley in November by Tove Jansson, a charming tale from the Moomin series.

Welcome to the comprehensive list of the Stylist Book Club’s picks. These are the books which mean something to us – and we hope you come to feel the same way.

The Rotters Club by Jonathan Coe

Stylist’s picture editor Alessia Armenise’s book choice is this coming of age tale from Jonathan Coe, which follows the lives of Ben Trotter and his group of friends growing up in Seventies Birmingham.


In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

Digital Executive Editor Felicity Thistlethwaite chooses Truman Capote’s true crime classic as her book club choice. 

BUY IN COLD BLOOD HERE

The Outsider by Albert Camus

Actor and author Zawe Ashton, star of Velvet Buzzsaw and Fresh Meat picks the thought provoking novel from influential philosopher Albert Camus as her book club choice. 

BUY THE OUTSIDER

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

Stylist digital contributer Sarah Shaffi chooses Celeste Ng’s 2017 smash hit novel as her book club choice. 

BUY LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE

Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney

Stylist digital writer Megan Murray picks Sally Rooney’s debut novel as her book club recommendation.

BUY CONVERSATIONS WITH FRIENDS

Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig

Stylist guest editor, model and activist Adwoa Aboah picks Matt Haig’s powerful mental health memoir as her book club recommendation.

BUY REASONS TO STAY ALIVE

New People by Danzy Senna

Stylist sub-editor Meena Alexander picks the darkly comic novel from Danzy Senna as her book club recommendation.

BUY NEW PEOPLE

Spring by Ali Smith

Stylist associate editor Anna Fielding chooses Spring from Ali Smith’s Seasonal Quartet series as her book club recommendation.

BUY SPRING FROM SEASONAL QUARTET

Lady Sings the Blues by Billie Holiday

Stylist’s SEO Executive Lucy Robson chooses Billie Holiday’s heartbreaking 1956 memoir as her book club recommendation.

BUY LADY SINGS THE BLUES

You think it, I'll say it by Curtis Sittenfeld

Stylist features writer Hannah Keegan chooses Curtis Sittenfeld’s selection of short stories as her book club recommendation.

BUY YOU THINK IT I'LL SAY IT

Gingerbread by Helen Oyeyemi

Stylist associate editor Anna Fielding chooses Gingerbread, a modern twist on Hansel and Gretel as her book club recommendation.

BUY GINGERBREAD

Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur

Stylist’s beauty writer Hanna Ibraheem chooses Rupi Kaur’s uplifting poetry anthology about survival as her book club recommendation.

BUY MILK AND HONEY

Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer

Stylist’s women’s editor Moya Crockett chooses Jonathan Safran Foer’s “strange, silly and heartbreaking” novel as her book club recommendation.

BUY EVERYTHING IS ILLUMINATED

Gigi and The Cat by Colette

Stylist associate editor Anna Fielding chooses Colette’s iconic novel as her book club recommendation.

BUY GIGI AND THE CAT

In Extremis: The Life of War Correspondent Marie Colvin by Lindsey Hilsum

Stylist’s cover star and actress Rosamund Pike chooses as her book club recommendation, a biography of Marie Colvin, the courageous war correspondent she plays in A Private War.

BUY IN EXTREMIS THE LIFE OF MARIE COLVIN

Images - Getty - from publishers

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