While reading on one’s own is always a deeply pleasurable and rewarding experience, it can be even more enriching to read as part of a group. Many surprising insights and fresh perspectives can arise from the shared reading experience. But picking the right book to read together is essential.  

Here are ten novels from the Booker Library – and some accompanying questions to get the conversation started. All of these books contain stories which are instantly engaging, but they also involve many rich topics and themes to consider.  

So gather together a book club from family, friends and fellow bookworms to pore over the titles on this reading list together. Whether meeting in person or as part of The Booker Prize Book Club online, these diverse tales are sure to inspire a lot of discussion and debate, while enjoying a cuppa and slice of cake.  

The Public Image by Muriel Spark

The tension between the private and public life of celebrities might seem like well-trodden territory, but not when it’s treated with Spark’s customary sharp wit. This slender novel, shortlisted for the very first Booker Prize in 1969, follows Annabel Christopher who has experienced a meteoric rise in her acting career, from inconspicuous supporting roles to becoming a leading star known as the Tiger-Lady. However, her screenwriter husband Frederick is wracked with insecurity and jealousy as his own career diminishes, especially as he is dismissed as little more than a doting spouse by the wider world. He plans an outrageous scheme to expose what he believes to be his wife’s hypocrisy, but Annabel (as her public moniker suggests) has great resilience. Spark’s humour abounds as she ruthlessly dissects her characters and their intentions, but she also probes darker questions about the inner workings of relationships. Readers will discover this story has even more relevance in our modern age of online life and social media, where the images couples present publicly don’t always tally with what’s occurring behind closed doors.  

Talking point for book clubs: Frederick is overwhelmed with frustration that Annabel’s fame is enhanced through her false public image, but might he maintain a similar facade if his career was as successful as his wife’s?  

Hotel du Lac by Anita Brookner

Edith Hope is a writer of romance novels who travels to the upscale Hotel du Lac in Switzerland, purportedly to work on her new book as the holiday season winds down. However, there are murky things in her past which have led her to this self-imposed exile. During her stay, she observes the curious inhabitants whose daily routines conceal their true reasons for retreating from the world. Although Edith isn’t looking for a suitor, she encounters a wealthy businessman who possesses an ambiguous smile. The fact that Edith finds herself caught up in the kind of amorous narrative she’d normally write herself isn’t just ironic, it reveals the unwitting way people can be trapped by social constrictions. The outward charm and light humour of Brookner’s observations of this subdued environment gradually reveal the deeper psychological complexity of her characters’ motivations. There’s a lot of immediate pleasure to be found in this quiet novel, which won the 1984 Booker Prize, but the story also presents much to ponder regarding the mystery of Edith’s past and the wayward experience of love.  

Talking point for book clubs: Though Edith travelled to this foreign hotel in order to mend her ways, she seems determined not to change. How do her close observations of the other guests influence her decisions about how to move forward in life?  

The Folding Star by Alan Hollinghurst

Hollinghurst won the 2004 Booker Prize for his masterful novel The Line of Beauty and he’s become one of England’s most respected living writers. However, this earlier novel, shortlisted for the 1994 Booker Prize, explores loneliness, obsession and loss in a complex way. It follows Edward Manners, who moves to Belgium as a private tutor of English. Though he engages in a number of trysts, he develops a larger romantic fixation with his gifted pupil, Luc. He also becomes enraptured with the paintings and life story of artist Edgar Orst. The ambiguous nature of Orst’s art mirrors how nothing about the book’s protagonist is entirely clear. Through Hollinghurst’s precise and beautiful prose various themes develop and inform the predicament in which Edward finds himself. The explicitly sexual nature of the first section of this tale contributes to the story’s deeper complexity as Edward’s personal history and emotional conflicts are gradually revealed. There are many enigmatic elements to this novel which will get any book group talking.  

Talking point for book clubs: Edward shrugs off potential romantic relationships in favour of his infatuation with a younger man, but do you believe he would ultimately find it fulfilling if Luc returned his love?  

A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian by Marina Lewycka

The title of this novel might make it sound like a dry textbook, but its racy story is utterly absorbing. Longlisted for the 2005 Booker Prize, Lewycka’s tale begins with an irresistible premise. Adult sisters Nadia and Vera discover that their 84-year-old father Nikolai is marrying a much younger woman, a manipulative gold digger named Valentina. The sisters have been estranged since their mother’s death, but they set aside their differences to rescue their father from making a tragic mistake. What follows is a fast-paced and warm-hearted story about familial strife. Nikolai is originally from Ukraine but has lived in England for many years. Amidst his amorous struggles, he’s also preoccupied with writing a history of tractors and his native country. His writing is interspersed with Lewycka’s narrative in a way which cleverly reveals more than Nikolai intended. Family secrets are uncovered, alongside significant Ukrainian events from the past. Lewycka strikes a delicate balance between a riveting family story and a sober look at history. It’s a hilarious novel which also inspires lots of serious talking points for readers regarding morality, political conflict and family dynamics.  

Talking point for book clubs: In what ways do Nadia and Vera’s discoveries about their family history and homeland change their opinions about Valentina’s motives for marrying their father?  

The Blazing World by Siri Hustvedt

Embittered artist Harriet is frustrated that female artists don’t get taken as seriously as men. She devises a grand project to expose this prejudice and get her revenge. She selects three living male artists to present original shows as their own work, when really Harriet is the true creator. With so much subterfuge going on, questions naturally arise what exactly Harriet has made up, and the extent to which she’s created one of the most ingenious artworks of our time. The novel presents a mixture of personal notebooks, statements from family, friends and an art critic, as well as gallery show reviews. Many points of view compete against each other and readers must come to their own conclusions. Hustvedt’s innovative story may sound convoluted, but it’s actually quite straightforward to follow and this collection of fragments presents a truer portrait of a person than any straightforward narrative. There is also plenty of wicked humour to be found in this novel, which was longlisted for the 2014 Booker Prize. It’s a brilliant assemblage of clever word play, innovative narrative techniques, psychological insights and dramatic twists. The sense of Harriet’s justified indignation and passion burns on every page.  

Talking point for book clubs: There are many competing opinions in the assortment of documents presented in this story. Is it possible to piece together certain facts about the creation of this art through these subjective accounts, or is the truth always left ambiguous?  

A Whole Life by Robert Seethaler, translated by Charlotte Collins

This brief novel, shortlisted for the 2016 International Booker Prize, presents the full span of one individual’s life. Through remarkably compressed and beautiful prose we follow mountain man Andreas Egger throughout the early twentieth century. He experiences a difficult childhood, love, and war, and witnesses how the barren slopes surrounding him develop into a highly populated holiday village. Though he’s a man with plain values and simple aspirations, this extremely meditative story meaningfully considers what’s most important in life. There’s something movingly dignified in Egger’s mostly solitary existence and the way the narrative focuses so intensely on his circumscribed experience as something separate from the politics and larger changes occurring around him. As a hardy, muscular man, he spends many years working to lay the foundations of the growing township. His story demonstrates that although we spend the majority of our lives labouring to earn a living, this work doesn’t define us. Even as the world around him is transformed, Egger retains something constant at the core of his being. It’s a tale that encourages deep personal reflection about paths not taken and will undoubtably encourage readers to share their own life experiences. 

Talking point for book clubs: In what ways does Egger maintain agency in his own life, when it is partly shaped by romantic tragedy, the development of his surroundings and the war in which he’s conscripted to fight? 

Exit West by Mohsin Hamid

We’re accustomed to thinking of national identities as being fixed and borders between countries being concrete, but what would happen if these demarcations became truly porous? Hamid ingeniously explores this in his extremely thoughtful and compelling novel, which was shortlisted for the 2017 Booker Prize. Portals between nations spontaneously appear and with increasing frequency. It turns strangers around the world into literal neighbours and frees passage for thousands of refugees who want to build a new life for themselves elsewhere. The fantastical plot is a stroke of imaginative daring, and it inspires us to re-conceptualise our conventional understanding of citizenship while allowing awe-inspiring possibilities within the story. It’s also a tale about love, the way it transforms over time as we change and how living in different locations can radically alter our relationships. The only characters who are named in this novel are Nadia and Saeed, a couple fleeing from an anonymous war-torn city, but by withholding names Hamid creates a new method for readers to re-evaluate preconceived notions. It’s an adventurous story of one couple’s dramatic journey which opens optimistic possibilities that are distinct from the frequently grim world events found in daily news stories. By considering immigration through a fantastical point of view, this novel inspires readers to discuss and reconsider how we approach modern societal challenges. 

Talking point for book clubs: Many migrant stories focus on the challenging journey involved when individuals move from one place to another, but Hamid removes that element entirely in his novel. How does this alter our perception of what it means to be a migrant?  

Night Boat to Tangier by Kevin Barry

Maurice and Charlie are two ageing, long-term friends who also happen to be Irish gangsters. They wait at a Spanish port for a particular boat to arrive while mulling over the past and pondering the disappearance of Charlie’s daughter, Dilly. As they exchange memories, they consider how they got to this point, the real value of all their drug smuggling escapades and how they’ve become so estranged from the people who matter the most to them. Their funny dialogue and occasional dirty jokes are underpinned by more serious emotions which always seem to hang suspended in the background. Barry brilliantly plays with the meaning of language, draws sharp characterisations and creates humorous exchanges that are twisted with melancholy. It’s a tale which moves between the absurd and the alarmingly realistic to approach life’s big questions with much subtlety and profundity. This novel, longlisted for the 2019 Booker Prize, also cleverly plays upon Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot, one of the greatest works of Irish literature. While it’s immediately entertaining, it also leaves readers with a lot to ponder on issues to do with family, masculinity, regret and virtue. 

Talking point for book clubs: Although the pair of old men at the centre of this novel are often charming and amusing they are also criminals who have committed horrendous acts in the past. Do you believe they’ve learned the error of their ways given their current circumstances, or do you think they would have made the same decisions if they had to live their lives over again?

Trust by Hernan Diaz

This novel, longlisted for the Booker Prize 2022, presents, via four different manuscripts, a series of portraits of Wall Street tycoon Andrew Bevel and his brilliant wife Mildred in a way which makes the reader reassess and question the legitimacy of each preceding account. Every section creates a persuasive picture of these figures and their role in financial affairs leading up to the Great Depression. Though the different sections continuously reframe the same characters and events, each iteration shows them from radically different angles. Far from being convoluted or repetitive, this approach presents the reader with a dynamic understanding of how narrative can be shaped to fit the ideologies and points of views possessed by different protagonists. Moreover, it’s captivating how the reader is drawn into the magnetic glamour and power of these individuals who are at turns sympathetic and suspicious, seductive and repulsive, the saviours of America and the scourge of the nation. Diaz also has fun playing with the double meaning of financial terms such as ‘trust’, ‘bonds’ and ‘futures’. It’s a riveting story which inspires readers to question what really happened and ask why the majority of a nation’s wealth should be controlled by relatively few people.  

Talking point for book clubs: A variety of styles and genres are used in the different parts of this novel. In what ways do these forms of writing alter how we perceive the central story and the truth of the past? 

Is Mother Dead by Vigdis Hjorth, translated by Charlotte Barslund

Norwegian author Hjorth offers a unique and riveting perspective on familial rejection in this novel that was longlisted for the International Booker Prize 2023. It’s told from the perspective of successful artist Johanna who has recently returned to her native Norway after a long absence. A major retrospective of her deeply personal artwork will soon be shown in Oslo, prompting her to consider the remaining members of her family who she’s been estranged from for many years. Since her mother and sister still live in the city, she doggedly attempts to make contact with them, but when her advances are ignored and rejected, Johanna begins stalking her mother. The reasons for this family rift and the painful feelings surrounding it are gradually revealed, as she becomes more determined to get some answers. Hjorth’s prose is imbued with a lowkey solemnity and simmering resentment, and while the story raises many poignant questions regarding the dynamics of family life, it’s notable that there’s no question mark in the novel’s title. There’s much to discuss regarding the morality of Johanna’s erratic and intrusive actions, as well as her implacable family’s outright rejection of her. The tender issues at the heart of this book also inspire deep personal reflection.  

Talking point for book clubs: There’s a fundamental difference in how Johanna interprets the world through her art, versus how her family perceives reality. How do their competing points of view influence their inability to connect emotionally with one another, and their conflicting views on familial duty?