11 Books That L.A. Book Club Members Can't Stop Talking About

The Los Angeles Times asked readers to share their favorite book club picks, and hundreds of people responded. The newspaper had already published a list of 101 great book club reads to kick off the 2026 LA Times Festival of Books. But readers had plenty of other ideas. Here are 11 books that real book clubs loved — and couldn't stop discussing.

To build their big list, the LA Times talked to more than 200 people who love books. They also heard from enthusiastic book club members across the country. Many readers felt strongly that their favorites deserved a spot. The books below are some of the best suggestions that came in from Los Angeles Times readers.

"Fahrenheit 451" by Ray Bradbury is a classic science fiction novel from 1953. Reader Margaret Hardy says her book group loved discussing it. She noted that the story imagines a future where books are banned and burned. What makes it even more striking is that the book itself has been banned many times in real life.

"Homegoing" by Yaa Gyasi is a historical fiction novel set in Ghana. Reader Melanie H. says she was completely hooked and couldn't stop thinking about it. She was amazed by the research and care Gyasi put into every character and time period. "It altered my brain and to this day I tell everyone about this book," she writes.

"Giovanni's Room" by James Baldwin moved many readers deeply. Reader Roxanne Yahner describes the writing as "beautifully written, elegant and eloquent." The novel follows two men exploring their identities at a time when doing so was dangerous. Some book club members found it hard to read, but everyone agreed they were deeply moved.

"The Satanic Verses" by Salman Rushdie is a complex and imaginative novel that several readers recommended. Reader Ellyn Moscowitz says her club learned a lot about Islam through the story. The book led to big discussions about death, the afterlife, and religion. It proved to be a rich and thought-provoking pick for any book club.

"Geek Love" by Katherine Dunn has been a reader favorite since the late 1980s. Reader Francesca Smithwick-Driver picked it for her club in the 1990s, and it still stands out. The story is about a family that runs a carnival, told by a character who is an albino dwarf. It explores big ideas about what it means to be "normal" and how we see ourselves and our families.

"The Master and Margarita" by Mikhail Bulgakov is a beloved Russian novel with many layers. Reader Kate Karp notes it even inspired the Rolling Stones song "Sympathy for the Devil." She says the book has many subplots and may need more than one reading to fully understand. But she believes the effort is well worth it.

"Klara and the Sun" by Kazuo Ishiguro and "Chain Gang All-Stars" by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah were recommended by reader Mike Gascoigne. He admits he is a very picky reader, but he truly enjoyed both books. They brought up topics like artificial intelligence, climate change, prison reform, and human nature. He says there was "a lot to discuss" about each title.

"All the King's Men" by Robert Penn Warren is a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel set in the 1930s American South. Reader Ken Muche calls it a powerful read that still feels very current today. The story of a politician's rise to power raises questions about truth, leadership, and personal choices. Muche says it also invites readers to think about their own mistakes and the value of taking responsibility.

"Girl, Woman, Other" by Bernardine Evaristo co-won the Booker Prize in 2019 and tells the stories of Black women in Britain from many different backgrounds. Reader Seth Kivnick says the book connected with both male and female members of his club. It is wide-ranging, powerful, and full of different voices. "Hell of a Book" by Jason Mott, which won the 2021 National Book Award, rounds out the list — reader Christine Almeida says her club talked about it for a solid 90 minutes without ever running out of things to say.