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A Greek Getaway, Aphrodite & Anne Tyler
An interview with Nancy Foley, debut discussion guides, and more ...
Book Club News: April Issue
Hello Book Clubbers,
In this issue, we bring you discussions of two books that are both, in different ways, inspired by Greece.
Dinah Jefferies’ The Greek House is an immersive beach read that will sweep you away to 1930s Corfu, while Lauren J. A. Bear’s Aphrodite in Pieces is an impressively creative take on the Greek goddess of love.
We also feature Anne Tyler’s captivating family drama Three Days in June, now out in paperback, an interview with Nancy Foley, author of I Am Agatha (based loosely on the life of painter Agnes Martin), and 600+ more recommended debuts you can find paired with reading guides and other materials for your book club right on BookBrowse.
Plus, see what future book club books and Ask the Author interviews we have in the works!
Thanks for reading,
The BookBrowse Team
Book Club Discussions
Discussions are open to all! If you’d like to participate, you can do so by creating an account here. Please note that discussions can contain spoilers.
The Greek House by Dinah Jefferies
From the Jacket Corfu, 1930 The moment Thirza Caruthers sets foot on Corfu, memories flood back: the scent of jasmine, the green shutters of her family's home ― and her brother Billy's tragic disappearance years before. Returning to the Greek house, high above clear blue waters, Thirza tries to escape by immersing herself in painting ― and a passionate affair. But as webs of love, envy, and betrayal tighten around the family, buried secrets surface. |  |
From the Discussion
“I haven’t read many books with a Greek setting and found that to be charming. The beginning of part 2 took me a minute to switch from Dulcie’s perspective to Thirza’s but once I was halfway through I was hooked.” —Stephanie_G
“I enjoyed [Dinah Jefferies’] writing style, the storyline, the characters, and the location. I belong to a luxury travel book club and this is definitely a book to be added to that group’s reading list also!” —Terri_C
See what people are saying in response to this question: Thirza loved the sound of her mother’s typewriter as a child. “The rituals that hadn’t seemed…important…had turned out to be the things that…held a family together.” Do you agree with her? Are there rituals you can point to within your own family?
Aphrodite in Pieces by Lauren J. A. Bear
From the Jacket Experience the myth and magic of antiquity's most alluring—and provocative—goddess as never witnessed before, in this gorgeously rendered, unflinching, and deeply vulnerable retelling from the author of Mother of Rome and Medusa's Sisters. From the Discussion “I am definitely recommending it to my book club. I have enjoyed several books that are rewrites of Greek mythology. None of them really have the same originality as this book.” —Paula_B |  |
“I wasn’t sure I’d like the self-told memoir style of the narrative but that actually ended up being one of the things that made the book so engaging. I had a pretty deep familiarity with stories of Greek mythology going into the book, which I think gave me an added level of enjoyment, but I don’t think it was necessary to appreciate the story.” —Linda_B1
See what people are saying in response to this question: When Aphrodite complains about Alexandros’s housekeeping, he responds, “I haven’t the time to maintain it.” She replies, “We make time for the things we truly want, don’t we?” (p. 65) Do you agree with her?
Featured Paperback
Stay on top of paperback releases for your book club with our Recent Paperbacks section, and discover additional content for featured titles, including reviews, “beyond the book” articles, and discussion questions. Below is just one new paperback we recommend.
Three Days in June by Anne Tyler
Gail Baines didn't seem like someone I would want to know. But I found her story compelling and I wanted to learn more about her…Her voice reminded me of Lucy Barton in Elizabeth Strout's novels (Kathy W). Anne Tyler has always had a way of capturing characters so that you feel like you've known them for a very long time. And with Three Days in June, she's absolutely done it again (Joselle K). This spare novel reveals deep characters with flaws. In just three days, Tyler reveals the most important parts of their lives. The struggles, regrets, pivots, moments of forgiveness, and hope…Three Days in June gives us a glimpse into a woman's life on the eve of her daughter's wedding and on the edge of her own happiness (Susan L). … continued Reviewed by BookBrowse First Impressions Reviewers |  |
An Interview with Nancy Foley
In addition to regular Ask the Author interviews in our community forum, BookBrowse offers supplemental content for readers and book clubs on our Author Interviews page.
Below is an interview with Nancy Foley about her debut novel I Am Agatha, featured in our 4/8 e-zine, which is loosely based on the life of the abstract expressionist painter Agnes Martin.
How did you determine when to adhere closely to fact, and when to just take inspiration from it? A: I was inspired by Agnes Martin's life and art, and especially by her time at Mesa Portales, but I never envisioned a story about Martin, the actual person. This wasn't a difficult decision, as Agatha's voice was immediately vivid to me. |  |
As I worked on the first few drafts, I borrowed details from Martin's life only when it suited me and didn't deliberate too much about it otherwise; this was a kind of strategy in order not to falter or lose momentum, as I did have doubts about borrowing aspects of Martin's life and art. But the truth is that out of creative ruthlessness I quickly put those concerns aside and never seriously considered doing otherwise. … continued
Reading Guides for Debuts
Nancy Foley’s I Am Agatha is one of more than 600 featured books in our Debuts category of book club books, all of which come conveniently paired with handy discussion questions for you and your book club. Discover new first-time authors as well as earlier work by established authors, and have great conversations along the way. This is one of 100+ themed reading guide categories available to BookBrowse members. Non-members can browse a limited number of categories, while members can access the full selection. |  |
Discussions & Ask the Author Interviews
Discussions are open to all, so please join us! If you would like to receive a message when a particular discussion opens, you can sign up for a one-time notification. You can also find inspiration for your book club among our more than 200 past discussions. Currently, we’re discussing Dinah Jefferies’ The Greek House and Lauren J. A. Bear’s Aphrodite in Pieces, among other books. |  |
Starting this week, we feature Ms. Mebel Goes Back to the Chopping Block by Jesse Q Sutanto and Won't Be Long Now by Elizabeth Hardinger.
BookBrowse regularly hosts Ask the Author sessions in our community forum. We invite you to follow along and post your own questions in any future interviews that interest you. In the meantime, see our recent conversation with Michelle Collins Anderson, author of The Moonshine Women. |  |
About BookBrowse
BookBrowse offers a cornucopia of resources for book clubs, including recommended books by genre, time period, setting, and a wide range of themes; advice on starting and running a book club; and much more!
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