STARRED REVIEW
January 01, 2020

Book Clubs: January 2020

Feature by
What to read with your book club in January 2020.
STARRED REVIEW
January 01, 2020

Book Clubs: January 2020

Feature by
What to read with your book club in January 2020.
January 01, 2020

Book Clubs: January 2020

Feature by
What to read with your book club in January 2020.
Share this Article:

What to read with your book club in January 2020


The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo
Yangsze Choo’s second novel, The Night Tiger is a suspenseful work of fiction set in 1930s Malaysia. Ren, a young servant, attempts to fulfill the extraordinary final desire of his late master, Dr. MacFarlane, whose finger was amputated following an accident. MacFarlane asks Ren to track down the finger and ensure that it’s put in his grave. If the finger isn’t buried before 49 days have passed, the doctor’s spirit will never rest. The tale of Ren’s quest intersects with the story of Ji Lin, a seamstress and dance-hall worker who comes into possession of a remarkably well-maintained amputated finger. The plot thickens when the corpse of a young woman who appears to have been attacked by a tiger is found. Mixing in elements of Malay folklore, Choo spins a wonderfully compelling historical thriller that’s enriched by themes of class and imperialism. Reading groups will savor this acclaimed, multilayered mystery.

Frederick Douglass by David W. Blight
The first substantial biography of Douglass in almost 25 years, Blight’s important book rightfully won the 2019 Pulitzer Prize in History.

Daughter of Moloka'i by Alan Brennert
This companion novel to Brennert’s popular Moloka'i follows the story of Ruth, whose sense of identity is transformed when she gets a letter from her mother, Rachel, who was confined to a leprosy colony in Hawaii.

Barracoon by Zora Neale Hurston
In 1927, Hurston interviewed 86-year-old Cudjo Lewis, one of the few remaining survivors of the transatlantic slave trade. Providing a deeply personal look at a dark chapter in history, Hurston’s book is revelatory.

The Far Field by Madhuri Vijay
When her mother dies, Shalini travels to a village in the Himalayas in search of a salesman who visited her family when she was a child, convinced that he is a link to her mother. Vijay writes with poise and polish in this electrifying story of one woman’s attempt to come to terms with her past and her homeland.

Frederick Douglass
By David W. Blight
Simon & Schuster

ISBN 9781416590316

Review By

Get the Books

The Night Tiger

The Night Tiger

By Yangsze Choo
Flatiron
ISBN 9781250175458
Frederick Douglass

Frederick Douglass

By David W. Blight
Simon & Schuster
ISBN 9781416590316
Daughter of Moloka’i

Daughter of Moloka’i

By Alan Brennert
St. Martin's
ISBN 9781250137661
Barracoon

Barracoon

By Zora Neale Hurston
Amistad
ISBN 9780062748218
The Far Field

The Far Field

By Madhuri Vijay
Grove
ISBN 9780802128409

Get a custom reading list from BookPage!

Stay on top of new releases: Sign up for our newsletter to receive reading recommendations in your favorite genres.

Recent Features