Book Club Suggestion?

Parent Cafe
1

<p>I need to submit my suggestion for our family book club (ages 13-90). I wanted to suggest “Bowling Alone”, but at almost 600 pages it far surpasses our 350-400 page limit. </p>

<p>Does anyone have any suggestions for something similar but a little shorter? So far, our other reads for the year are “To Kill A Mockingbird” and “The Soloist.”</p>

2

<p>The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman. It will appeal to the kids and older teens, fascinate the adults and probably spark some good philosophical discussion among all of you.</p>

3

<p>Here you go:</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/403424-one-best-books-ive-read-last-6-months.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/403424-one-best-books-ive-read-last-6-months.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

4

<p>Those are great ideas, but I’m really looking for a sociological work like “Bowling Alone” just a little shorter. Something in the vein of Freakonomics (which we did last year).</p>

5

<p>“Chew on This” is Michael Pollan’s teen version of “Omnivore’s Dilemma”. Sociological and short. </p>

<p>Other possibilities:
Fast Food Nation
Confessions of an Eco-Sinner
The Wisdom of Crowds by James Surowiecki (maybe too much like Freakanomics)</p>

<p>If you like Thomas Friedman’s writing, maybe one of his books.</p>

6

<p>My (then 12 or 13 year old) daughter really enjoyed Michael Pollan’s “Botany of Desire”. It’s a fairly slim book but full of interesting ideas. Lots of material for discussion.</p>

7

<p>Outcasts United, by Warren St. John was featured yesterday on NPR. The subject might seem a little formulaic (plucky refugee soccer team in small town America) but the author had a lot to say, and the woman who got the whole thing started sounds really interesting.</p>

8

<p>A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole is one of the most underrated comedies in all of literature. Absolutely without peer.</p>

9

<p>Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell</p>

<p>American Dream: Three Women, Ten Kids and a Nation’s Drive to End Welfare by Jason DeParle</p>

<p>An Imperfect Offering: Humanitarian Action for the 21st Century by James Orbinski (it would be easy to just select several chapters to read from the book)</p>

10

<p>The Tipping Point or Blink by Malcom Gladwell</p>

11

<p>More historical than sociological, but interesting given current events - The Forgotten Man by Amity Schlaes (about the economics of the Great Depression) and The Great Influenza by John Barryabout the 1918 flu</p>

12

<p>Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenriech</p>

13

<p>What about The River of Doubt, about Teddy Roosevelt’s trip down the Amazon… it is a very interesting story. I think it could appeal to your entire age range…</p>

14

<p>A Midwife’s Tale: The Life of Martha Ballard, 1785-1812 by Harvard historian Laurel Thatcher Ulrich. It’s the true account from diary entries and Ulrich’s research of her life on the Maine frontier. (350 pgs.)</p>