The Free-Range Bookclub
Bookclubbers without boundaries in Nelson, New Zealand
Category: US fiction
Martyr! – Kaveh Akbar
READ FOR BOOKCLUBChosen by Rachel Cryus Shams is an Iranian immigrant and a recently sober poet grappling with addiction, cultural disconnection and the loss of his mother, whose plane was shot down by the US navy. In his exploration of what it means to… Continue Reading “Martyr! – Kaveh Akbar”
Passing – Nella Larsen
READ FOR BOOKCLUBChosen by Jodie Irene Redfield is a black woman living an affluent lifestyle in Harlem. She runs into Clare, an old friend who is “passing” as white and married to a racist. Clare struggles with the disconnection from her community and culture,… Continue Reading “Passing – Nella Larsen”
Creation Lake – Rachel Kushner
READ FOR BOOKERTHON A 34 year old secret agent using the alias Sadie Smith infiltrates an activist collective in Southern France. Past, present and the future are examined in this region of centuries-old farms and ancient caves as Sadie becomes entranced by the preachings… Continue Reading “Creation Lake – Rachel Kushner”
James – Percival Everett
READ FOR BOOKERTHON A re-imagining of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, but told from the point of view of the slave, Jim, or James as he prefers to be called in this book. James escapes his owner when he hears he is to be… Continue Reading “James – Percival Everett”
Chain-Gang All-Stars – Nana Kwame Adiej-Brenvah
READ FOR BOOKCLUBChosen by Jo Gladiators fight to the death to win their freedom In America’s private prisons. Loretta Thurwar and Hamara “Hurricane Staxxx” Stacker are the stars of Chain-Gang All-Stars, a televised, profit-making programme. This book is an exploration of the American prison… Continue Reading “Chain-Gang All-Stars – Nana Kwame Adiej-Brenvah”
This Other Eden – Paul Harding
READ FOR BOOKERTHON After inhabiting Apple Island for six generations, the small, multi-racial community face the authorities who decide its time to “cleanse” them. Real events that happened to the people of Malaga Island in 1911. ● While I appreciate that Paul Harding has educated… Continue Reading “This Other Eden – Paul Harding”
If I Survive You – Jonathan Escoffery
READ FOR BOOKERTHON A series of linked stories about a Jamaican family in Miami, centered around younger son Trelawny and his determination to survive racism, financial woes and Hurricane Andrew. ● I am privileged in that I have generally always had a pretty strong sense… Continue Reading “If I Survive You – Jonathan Escoffery”
The Last White Man – Mohsin Hamid
READ FOR BOOKCLUBChosen by Suzy Anders, a white man living in a fictional town, wakes one morning to discover his skin has turned brown. Confused and ashamed, he experiences change in the attitudes of the people in his family and community. Yet he is… Continue Reading “The Last White Man – Mohsin Hamid”
Demon Copperhead – Barbara Kingsolver
READ FOR WOMEN’S PRIZE Demon Copperhead is a book about institutional poverty and is a modern retelling of Dickens’ David Copperfield. Set in the Appalachias it tells the story of a young boy caught up in the system, for whom life is a mountain… Continue Reading “Demon Copperhead – Barbara Kingsolver”
The Swimmers – Julia Otsuka
READ FOR BOOKCLUBChosen by Rachel The Swimmers is about Alice, a Japanese American woman in the early stages of dementia. She swims daily but when a crack appears in the pool (ie in her memory) she has to stop swimming and move to a… Continue Reading “The Swimmers – Julia Otsuka”
We're
currently
reading
The Free-Range Bookclub 
Recent Comments