What’s YOUR favorite girlfriend book?

Book clubs, personal escapes, great girlfriend gifts … girlfriend books are universally popular. From ‘Chick lit’ to romance, historical to fantasy, women are generally always searching for a new  book

to lose themselves in, recommend to a friend or give as a girlfriend gift. One way to be a better friend – share great recommendations, like these potential Book Club books!

And, with book clubs and Oprah reading recommendations, the pressure is on to find great girlfriend books to read and share. So, girlfriends, let’s explore some great books for women (for yourself or your club). And, please add your thoughts on these books too!

1. Anything by Kris Radish – Not only is Kris a wonderful, kind person (I’ve had the honor of interviewing her for our first Girlfriendology podcast and first video interview) but she writes great girlfriend fiction. Never one to get too sappy or sweet, she always mixes real women into the story and leads them through lessons that they can learn in the comfort of their relationships with their girlfriends. One of my particular favorites is “The Elegant Gathering of the White Snows” and her new book “Searching for Paradise in Parker PA” is very good too, as is every book in between!

Searching for Paradise in Parker PA, by Kris Radish

2. Books by Women and for Women – We interviewed author Rosie Molinary back in our third podcast and she was great! (We’re up to 85 podcasts so listen in to some great archives of interview with Rosie and other amazing women!) Her book, Hijas Americanas: Beauty, Body Image and Growing up Latina, is a great read on how girlfriends and our communities impact our self esteem. Rosie’s publisher, SEAL PRESS, has interesting, informative and enlightening books that make great reads for yourself or book club, as well as gifts for girlfriends. (See more book recommendations from Seal Press below.)

3. Waiting to Exhale – was recommended by Twitter girlfriend, Joede – the knitter from BlackPearlStyle.  From Publishers Weekly: “A racy, zesty, irreverent and absorbing book with broad mainstream appeal, McMillan’s third novel (after Mama and Disappearing Acts ) tells the stories of four 30ish black women bound together in warm, supportive friendship and in their dwindling hopes of finding Mr. Right. Savannah, Bernadine, Robin and Gloria are successful professional or self-employed women living in Phoenix. All are independent, upwardly mobile and “waiting to exhale”–to stop holding their breaths waiting for the proper mate to come along.”

Red Envelope gifts for girlfriends

4. Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, by Rebecca Wells – Shared by Twitter girlfriend, Sandwiched. From Publishers Weekly: Carrying echoes of both Fannie Flagg and Pat Conroy, Wells’s second novel continues the story of Siddalee Walker, introduced in Little Altars Everywhere (1992). When Sidda asks her mother, the aging belle Vivi, for help in researching women’s friendships, Vivi sends her daughter a scrapbook. From this artifact of Vivi’s own lifelong friendship with three women collectively known as “the Ya-Ya’s,” and from Sidda’s response to it, a story unfolds regarding a dark period in Vivi and Sidda’s past that plagues their present relationship. Told through several narrative vehicles and traveling through space and time from Depression-era Louisiana to present-day Seattle, this novel attempts to wed a folksy homespun tale to a soul-searching examination of conscience. But while Wells’ ambition is admirable and her talent undeniable, she never quite makes this difficult marriage work.

5. The Friday Night Knitting Club, by Kate Jacobs – Kate was great to talk with on our Girlfriendology podcast. This book is fabulous and a fun one for book clubs. Also, check out her new books: Comfort Food and Knit Two. Recommended by Twitter friend Denise, aka: Motivation Mama.

6. The Saving Graces, by Patricia Gaffney – Publisher’s Weekly says: “Four friends in Washington, D.C., have been meeting once a week for 10 years, relying on each other for laughter, advice and encouragement. There’s Emma, approaching 40 and in love with a married man named Mick; Rudy, the unstable depressive whose marriage is on the rocks; happily married Lee, who desperately wishes to have a child with her husband, Henry; and Isabel, the divorced cancer survivor who is in love with her neighbor, Kirby. They call themselves “The Saving Graces,” after a dog they once hit with a car, rescued and nursed to recovery: now “she’s old and grizzled like us… but she is the sweetest dog.” Each chapter is told from the perspective of one of the Graces, and though Gaffney provides each character with a distinctive voice, the stories are overly emotional and predictable. Together the women help each other with their various love troubles until Isabel’s cancer returns, a blow that brings them even closer, “putting things in perspective” and setting the scene for the inevitable weepy ending. The Graces eventually get what they long for; each finds her own brand of bittersweet satisfaction, with hard-won lessons learned.” Recommended by Twitter girlfriend Diane.

7. Angry Housewives Eating BonBons, by Lorna Landvik – Actually ANYTHING by Lorna Landvik is a great read for book clubs, a fun retreat from the stress of holidays or any time. Landvik made her debut as a novelist with the critically acclaimed Patty Jane’s House of Curl. She is also the author of Your Oasis on Flame Lake, The Tall Pine Polka, Welcome to the Great Mysterious, Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons, Oh My Stars and her newest novel, THE VIEW FROM MOUNT JOY.

Twenty Wishes, by Debbie Macomber

8. Books by Debbie Macomber – Debbie talked with us on a recent Girlfriendology Podcast about how her girlfriends have been there for her. And, they must have inspired her – she has over 100 million books in print so she has a lot of girlfriend fans out there! Personal favorite? Twenty Wishes – inspiring book that would make a great girlfriend gift.

9. Crafty books for creative girlfriends – Girlfriends and Girlfriendology podcast guests, Carol Duvall, Katie Hacker, Jill MacKay, Margot Potter, Kathy Cano Murillo, and others inspire us with their crafty creativity through dozens of books that make great girlfriend gifts for creative friends. For beading, mosaic, paper crafts and more – check out these creative girlfriend books!

10. Confessions of a Shopaholic, by Sophie Kinsella – Recommended by Twitter girlfriend, Pamela. Often we women don’t discuss finances – and this book might change that. Read it with your book club and discuss the economic lessons you learn!

What other great girlfriend books do you love? What would you recommend to a girlfriend book club? Share in the comments. Thanks!

Next week: TOP TEN girlfriend movies (another great list for girlfriend gifts and holiday viewing!) – send us your recommendations at Twitter or ideas (at) girlfriendology (dot) com. Thanks girlfriends!

Related articles: Girlfriend books, more girlfriend books,Book Club review: Years of Wonder

* From Seal Press: Two recommendations on Seal’s list for the holidays: (1) For your mom or your best friend, check out The List: 100 Ways to Shake Up Your Life, by Gail Belsky. This is the perfect holiday gift to spark some fun ideas for New Year’s resolutions, or just ways to spice things up a bit. Specifically geared toward women in their 40s, 50s, and 60s, this book has some fantastic suggestions for challenging yourself and/or the women you love. (2) For anyone who’s interested in a memoir unlike anything they’ve read before, consider getting Labor of Love: the Story of One Man’s Extraordinary Pregnancy, by Thomas Beatie. Thomas has been getting a lot of attention in the media, but his memoir is worth the read. The book is an experience unlike anything you may have read or seen thus far, as it grapples with the tough challenges and amazing rewards that Thomas and Nancy encountered on their journey to conceive and give birth to their beautiful little girl.

More Girlfriendology Book Club books:

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Tags: books, books for women, carol duvall, debbie macomber, Fiction, girlfriend books, Interview, jill mackay, kate jacobs, katie hacker, kris radish, Lorna Landvik, oprah, Oprah Winfrey, Podcast, Seal Press

This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 2nd, 2008 at 11:13 am and is filed under Book Club, Books. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.