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Reading 250 Years of American History
26 books for 2026, current and upcoming discussions, and more ...
Book Club News: February Issue
Hello Book Clubbers,
This Black History Month, we discuss Victoria Christopher Murray’s Harlem Rhapsody, featuring the influential and inspirational Harlem Renaissance editor Jessie Redmon Fauset.
Our book club is also talking about Colleen Oakley’s Jane and Dan at the End of the World, the delightful and over-the-top story of a married couple getting caught up in a crime, and Fergus Craig’s I’m Not the Only Murderer in My Retirement Home, which follows a former serial killer adjusting to life in a retirement community, where things get awkward once someone else murders a resident.
Are you and your book club up for a challenge? In 2026, read your way through 250 years of American history with our picks for each decade.
Plus, check out upcoming discussions and Ask the Author interviews.
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.
Harlem Rhapsody by Victoria Christopher Murray
From the Jacket She found the literary voices that would inspire the world…. The extraordinary story of the woman who ignited the Harlem Renaissance, written by Victoria Christopher Murray, bestselling coauthor of The Personal Librarian. From the Discussion “I absolutely loved this book! It was the first book written by Victoria Christopher Murray that I read and I enjoyed it so much that I quickly bought her other books. I enjoyed the voice and tone of her writing, the characters, the historical setting, the storyline.” —Terri_C |  |
“I really enjoyed the book and learned about one person, Jessie Redmon Fauset, I had never heard of. Considering I was very familiar with all the other poets/writers mentioned in the book this was truly amazing. I enjoyed getting more insight into the personalities of the writers I was familiar with such as Langston Hughes, Nella Larsen, W.E.B. Du Bois and Countee Cullen.” —Joyce_Montague
See what people are saying in response to this question: Fauset asks her sister, “Has there ever been a force in your life that brought you an equal measure of joy and sorrow?” How do you think her relationship with Du Bois exemplifies this? How would you answer her question?
Jane and Dan at the End of the World by Colleen Oakley
From the Jacket Date night goes off the rails in this hilariously insightful take on midlife and marriage when one unhappy couple find themselves at the heart of a crime in progress, from the USA Today bestselling author of The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise. From the Discussion “The interaction and dialogue between Jane and Dan was great fun. There were a few twists that kept me curious as to how it was going to end.” —Michele_P1 |  |
“I was so surprised and delighted with this funny and engaging book! I put her previous (The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise) on reserve. It was just the right blend of silly and serious for light reading.” —Karen_K
See what people are saying in response to this question: Jane feels that most “want to believe that the person you are with is good or decent,” but in her heart believes “morality isn’t an absolute; it’s situational.” What’s your opinion of this? Do you agree?
I’m Not the Only Murderer in My Retirement Home by Fergus Craig
From the Jacket After a decades-long stint in prison, former serial killer Carol is looking to kick back and relax in her new retirement home...until a fellow resident drops dead and Carol has to prove she actually didn't do it this time.... From the Discussion “I had such fun reading this book. I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would. It was a great break from some of the more intense books I often read. I loved how the story/stories unfolded. Very entertaining.” —Melissa_C |  |
“I’m Not the Only Murderer in My Retirement Home was a funny, easy to read, easy to love, cozy book. I’ve lacked motivation reading lately, and this book knocked me out of my slump! I loved the characters (and loved to hate some of them).” —Olivia_G
See what people are saying in response to this question: Geoffrey mourns the loss of his identity, feeling “irrelevant.” “Old ladies, at least they were still in charge of the grandchildren’s birthday cards,” he thinks. Is it true that women have more of a place in society as they age than men do?
26 Books for Reading US History in 2026
This year, 2026, marks the 250th anniversary of the United States—in other words, 250 years of American history. In case you hadn’t noticed, at BookBrowse, we love historical fiction, and historical nonfiction, too. So here we present a challenge of sorts: read 26 books this year, each providing a glimpse into life in a different decade of the past two and a half centuries—using our list as is, or swapping out for your own picks. … continued |  |
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 I'm Not the Only Murderer in My Retirement Home by Fergus Craig, among other books. |  |
Starting this week, we feature A Crown of Stars by Shana Abe and The Violin Maker’s Secret by Evie Woods.
BookBrowse is now hosting 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 Maria Reva, author of Endling, a BookBrowse Top 20 book of 2025. |  |
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