Book Discussion Groups

The Library has book discussion kits, DIBS (Discussions In BoxeS). These contain a selection of challenging and entertaining discussion book sets plus a binder full of reviews and information about the authors. They have a check-out period of six weeks. Click here to see a list of the available titles.

The Library also sponsors various book discussion groups. The Contemporary Books Discussion Group and the Mystery Book Discussion Group meet monthly, September through May. Newcomers are welcome anytime. Occasionally the Library sponsors book discussions on specific topics. Check our Calendar of Events or our newsletter Pages for information on days, times, and the titles to be discussed in any of our groups.

Contemporary Books Discussion Group

The contemporary group reads both classic and current popular fiction and nonfiction titles which are chosen by a vote of the entire group at the end of each discussion year. The leaders are volunteers from the group who are given supplemental material (author biographies, book reviews, etc.) by the Library liaison. The Library provides the books, which are loaned to the participants. This group offers both afternoon and evening sessions. For a list of books from previous years, click here. (.pdf file)

CONTEMPORARY BOOKS DISCUSSIONS 2010-2011
Meeting Wednesdays Sept.-May
1-2:30 p.m. and 7-8:30 p.m.
Malmros Conference Room

25 August 2010 (note this is the 4th Wednesday)
7 p.m. One special stand-alone discussion of the All Iowa Reads 2010 book Driftless by David Rhodes

15 September 2010
Afternoon: Martin Luther King, Jr. for Armchair Theologians by Rufus Burrow, Jr.
Evening: The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester

9 October 2010
2 p.m. Libraries Together Book Club Blow Out: Paul Ingram from Prairie Lights Bookstore gives booktalks

20 October 2010
Afternoon: Black Hawk by Kerry Trask
Evening: Martin Luther King, Jr. for Armchair Theologians by Rufus Burrow, Jr.

17 November 2009
Afternoon: The Case for Israel by Alan Dershowitz
Evening: Black Hawk by Kerry Trask

15 December 2010
Afternoon: Winter's Bone by Daniel Woodrell
Evening: The Case for Israel by Alan Dershowitz

19 January 2011
Afternoon: The Iliad by Homer
Evening: Winter's Bone by Daniel Woodrell

16 February 2011
Afternoon: The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf
Evening: The Iliad by Homer

23 March 2011 (note this is the 4th Wednesday)
Afternoon: The Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell 
Evening: The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf

20 April 2011
Afternoon: The Help by Kathryn Stockett 
Evening: The Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

18 May 2011
Afternoon: The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester
Evening: The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Mystery Book Discussion Group

The mystery group is lead by the Library liaison. The mysteries to be discussed are chosen for the year based on a theme upon which the group votes. The books may be literary criticism, biographies, or true crime as well as fictional mysteries. The Library provides the books, which are loaned to the participants. For a list of books from previous years, click here. (.pdf file)

MYSTERY BOOKS DISCUSSION
September 2010 to May 2011
Funded by the Friends of the Bettendorf Public Library
& The Bettendorf Public Library Foundation
Saturdays from 9:30-11:00 a.m.
Malmros Conference Room

11 September 2010
Summer of the Big Bachi by Naomi Hirahara

9 October 2010
The Witch Doctor's Wife by Tamar Myers

13 November 2010
Still Life by Louise Pebby

11 December 2010
Spirit House by Christopher G. Moore

8 January 2011
A Share in Death by Deborah Crombie

12 February 2011
Last Rituals by Yrsa Sigurdardottir

12 March 2011
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

9 April 2011
Fer-de-Lance by Rex Stout

14 May 2011
Big City, Bad Blood by Sean Chercover