Book Groups

AML Book Group

The AML Book Group meets the third Tuesday of the month. All are welcome, no registration required. Copies of the books will be available at the circulation desk. Please check the Program Calendar for discussion dates and times.

March 17, 2026 Book Discussion

Beyond the Sea

David Strayer

An exciting foray into Earth's inland waters, the remarkable species they contain, and the conservation challenges of protecting them. When we call Earth "the blue planet" we immediately envision the vast oceans that cover most of its surface. But seas aren't the only bodies of water that make Earth special. Millions of diverse inland waters rush, meander, and seep throughout the planet, teeming with life. These streams, lakes, wetlands, and groundwaters are home to thousands of species, many of which are extraordinary and some of which are critically endangered. In Beyond the Sea, ecologist David Strayer introduces readers to the world's most remarkable and varied inland waters, including massive lakes that fill only once a century, groundwaters miles beneath our feet that host unique microbes, volcanic lakes more corrosive than battery acid, and catastrophic floods that carry ten times more water than the Amazon River. Strayer also shares stories of the myriad fascinating species supported by these crucial ecosystems, featuring mussels that seduce fish, tiny tardigrades that cheat death, animals that photosynthesize, and plants that eat meat. Because humans have used—and abused—inland waters so intensively for everything from drinking water and fly-fishing to sewage disposal, many species around the world that depend on them are in desperate peril. Strayer explains the damage that humans have caused and offers solutions to sustain and restore inland-water ecosystems. Proving that the sea isn't the only aqueous realm of mystery and wonder, this book illuminates the secrets, science, and amazing denizens of the overlooked waters in our backyards.

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February 17, 2026 Book Discussion

The Island of Sea Women

Lisa See

From Lisa See, the New York Times bestselling author of The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, a novel about female friendship and family secrets on a small Korean island. Mi-ja and Young-sook, two girls living on the Korean island of Jeju, are best friends that come from very different backgrounds. When they are old enough, they begin working in the sea with their village’s all-female diving collective, led by Young-sook’s mother. As the girls take up their positions as baby divers, they know they are beginning a life of excitement and responsibility but also danger. Despite their love for each other, Mi-ja and Young-sook’s differences are impossible to ignore. The Island of Sea Women is an epoch set over many decades, beginning during a period of Japanese colonialism in the 1930s and 1940s, followed by World War II, the Korean War and its aftermath, through the era of cell phones and wet suits for the women divers. Throughout this time, the residents of Jeju find themselves caught between warring empires. Mi-ja is the daughter of a Japanese collaborator, and she will forever be marked by this association. Young-sook was born into a long line of haenyeo and will inherit her mother’s position leading the divers in their village. Little do the two friends know that after surviving hundreds of dives and developing the closest of bonds, forces outside their control will push their friendship to the breaking point. This beautiful, thoughtful novel illuminates a world turned upside down, one where the women are in charge, engaging in dangerous physical work, and the men take care of the children. A classic Lisa See story—one of women’s friendships and the larger forces that shape them—The Island of Sea Women introduces readers to the fierce and unforgettable female divers of Jeju Island and the dramatic history that shaped their lives.

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January 20, 2026 Book Discussion

James

Percival Everett

A brilliant, action-packed reimagining of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, both harrowing and ferociously funny, told from the enslaved Jim's point of view. From the “literary icon” (Oprah Daily), Pulitzer Prize Finalist, and one of the most decorated writers of our lifetime When the enslaved Jim overhears that he is about to be sold to a man in New Orleans, separated from his wife and daughter forever, he decides to hide on nearby Jackson Island until he can formulate a plan. Meanwhile, Huck Finn has faked his own death to escape his violent father, recently returned to town. As all readers of American literature know, thus begins the dangerous and transcendent journey by raft down the Mississippi River toward the elusive and too-often-unreliable promise of the Free States and beyond. While many narrative set pieces of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn remain in place (floods and storms, stumbling across both unexpected death and unexpected treasure in the myriad stopping points along the river’s banks, encountering the scam artists posing as the Duke and Dauphin…), Jim’s agency, intelligence and compassion are shown in a radically new light. Brimming with the electrifying humor and lacerating observations that have made Everett a “literary icon” (Oprah Daily), and one of the most decorated writers of our lifetime, James is destined to be a major publishing event and a cornerstone of twenty-first century American literature.

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West Acton Citizens’ Library Book Group

The West Acton Citizens’ Library Book Group meets on the second Wednesday of the month. All are welcome, no registration required. Copies of the books will be available at the West Acton branch. Please check the Program Calendar for discussion dates and times.

December 10, 2025 Book Discussion

Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore

Matthew Sullivan

Lydia Smith, a clerk at the Bright Ideas bookstore, calls the lonely regulars who spend every day marauding the store's overwhelmed shelves "BookFrogs." When Joey Molina, a young BookFrog, kills himself in the bookstore's upper room, he bequeaths his meager worldly possessions to her. Trinkets and books; the detritus of a lonely, uncared for man. But they seem to contain a hidden message. As Lydia untangles the mystery of Joey's suicide, she unearths a long buried memory from her own violent childhood.

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Cookbook Club

Join us each month for Cookbook Club, where we’ll meet to share and enjoy dishes we’ve each prepared from the selected book. Whether you’re a seasoned cook or just starting out, it’s a great way to try new recipes, swap tips, and connect with fellow food lovers. The monthly book will be the same for both Acton Memorial Library and West Acton Citizens’ Library meetings. Cookbooks will be available to check out at both library locations. Please register for each meeting on the library’s Program Calendar.

December 2025 Book Discussion

100 Cookies

Sarah Kieffer

Nominated for a 2020 Goodreads Choice Award for Best Cookbooks "This is a cookie gold mine! I’ve been waiting years for all of Sarah’s cookie wisdom to transfer from her brain to my kitchen, and here it is! Sarah’s recipes are reliable, approachable, and just plain crave-able. This world has reached peak cookie deliciousness thanks to Sarah."—Molly Yeh, star of Girl Meets Farm, author of Molly on the Range From celebrated blogger Sarah Kieffer, whose pan-banging cookie technique "broke the internet," this is a go-to baking book featuring 100 recipes for spectacular cookies, brownies, bars, and more! Organized into seven chapters and introducing innovative baking techniques, 100 Cookies features dessert recipes ranging from the Classic Chocolate Chip made three different ways to bars, brownies, and blondies that reflect a wide range of flavors and global inspiration. Chocolatey, fruity, crispy, chewy, classic, inventive—there's a foolproof recipe for the perfect treat for everyone in this cookie cookbook, including: Marshmallow Peanut Butter Brownies Pan-Banging Ginger Molasses Double Chocolate Espresso Cookies Olive Oil Sugar Cookies with Blood Orange Glaze Crème Brûlée Cheesecake Bars Snickerdoodles and many more! With gorgeous full-color photographs throughout, this is the comprehensive yet charming cookbook every cookie lover (or those who love to bake cookies) needs. ACCOMPLISHED AUTHOR: Sarah Kieffer is the beloved blogger behind The Vanilla Bean Blog, past winner of Saveur Reader's Choice Best Baking & Desserts Blog. She is "the one who broke the Internet with her pan-banging cookies, large, chocolate-rich, and rippled like sandbars. And this book offers plenty of bangers, with a whole chapter of crinkly treats for those who like to make some noise on the way to dessert. Baking them all could be your winter challenge."—The Boston Globe DELICIOUS SUCCESS: With more than 300,000 copies sold, 100 Cookies is a resounding success, and the seasonal follow-up, Baking for the Holidays, is beloved by bakers nationwide. Perfect for: Home bakers of all levels Fans of Sarah Kieffer's blog, Instagram, and cookbooks Owners of Dorie's Cookies, Dessert Person, Snacking Cakes, or Pastry Love

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Additional Resources for Book Lovers and Book Groups

• Booklist Blog: Freely accessible book lists, interviews, and resources from Booklist and the American Library Association.
• Goodreads: A social media site for book lovers.  Discover and create personalized shelves of books to read, track books you have already read and share your opinions about books with friends.
• LibraryThing: Create a library-quality catalog for your personal book collection while discovering new books through social networking.
• LitLovers: “The website for all things literary”– book club tips, book club title recommendations, reading guides and reviews …
• Reading Group Choices: Discover great book club reads and get advice on running your book club.
• ReadingGroupGuides: Need discussion questions to help run your next book club meeting?  This online community for book clubs has over 3,600 searchable guides.