Book Group Kits

Book Group Kits, canvas bags containing multiple copies of a single title, are available for loan to individuals representing local book groups.

How the program works:

  • One member of the group borrows the kit for the group with his or her library card. Book Group Book Bag kits can only be checked out from the Noah Webster Library.
  • The loan period is 4 weeks and kits may be renewed once.
  • That person is responsible for distributing the books to group members and for returning all books after the discussion. The bag and its entire contents must be returned to the library at the same time.
  • Kits may be returned to any branch of the West Hartford Library but may not be returned in a book drop or at other local libraries. 
  • The individual borrowing the kit will be responsible for any fines or replacement fees for damaged copies.
  • All items in the kits must be returned in the bag at the same time to avoid fines.  Overdue fines are charged on the bag and on each item in the kit.  The replacement cost for a Book Group Book Bag is $100.00. 
  • Kits may be reserved up to 1 week in advance by calling the Reference desk at the Noah Webster Library at 860.561.6990.

List of Kits

Fiction

The Age of MiraclesKaren Thompson Walker
AmericanahChimamanda Adichie
As Good as GoneLarry Watson
The Association of Small BombsKaran Mahajan
The Bluest EyeToni Morrison
BrooklynColm Toibin
The Cold MillionsJess Walter
Digging to AmericaAnne Tyler
DriftlessDavid Rhodes
The Elegance of the HedgehogMuriel Barbery
Ella Minnow PeaMark Dunn
The ExpeditionsKarl Iagnemma
Fates and FuriesLauren Groff
Fun HomeAlison Bechdel
A Gentleman in MoscowAmor Towles
Half of a Yellow SunChimamanda Adichie
HamnetMaggie O’Farrell
HomegoingYaa Gyasi
The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and SweetJamie Ford
The House in the Cerulean SeaTJ Klune
The Housekeeper and the ProfessorYoko Ogawa
I’ll Take You ThereWally Lamb
In Five Years *Just addedRebecca Serle
Interpreter of MaladiesJhumpa Lahiri
Into the Beautiful NorthLuis Alberto Urrea
Lady in the LakeLaura Lippman
A Lesson Before DyingErnest Gaines
Let the Great World SpinColum McCann
Life After LifeKate Atkinson
Lilac GirlsMartha Hall Kelly
Loving FrankNancy Horan
The Maid *Just addedNita Prose
Major Pettigrew’s Last StandHelen Simonson
A Man Called OveFredrik Backman
Mary CoinMarisa Silver
Miller’s ValleyAnna Quindlen
Mona in the Promised LandGish Jen
My AntoniaWilla Cather
My Brilliant Friend Elena Ferrante
My Mrs. BrownWilliam Norwich
Ordinary Grace *Just addedWilliam Kent Krueger
Our Souls at NightKent Haruf
Outcasts UnitedWarren St. John
Purple HibiscusChimamanda Adichie
Sarah’s KeyTatiana de Rosnay
The Shadow of the WindCarlos Zafon Ruiz
Shakespeare Saved My LifeLaura Bates
The Snow ChildEowyn Ivey
Snow Flower and the Secret FanLisa See
Someone: a novelAlice McDermott
State of WonderAnn Patchett
The Storied Life of A.J. FikryGabrielle Zevin
Straight ManRichard Russo
Such a Fun AgeKiley Reid
This Side of ParadiseF. Scott Fitzgerald
The Thursday Murder ClubRichard Osman
To Kill a MockingbirdHarper Lee
Tree Grows in BrooklynBetty Smith
The Turner HouseAngela Flournoy
Typical AmericanGish Jen
Underground RailroadColson Whitehead
Vinegar GirlAnne Tyler
The Water KnifePaolo Bacigalupi
Whiskey and CharlieAnnabelle Smith
The Whistling SeasonIvan Doig
White NoiseDon DeLillo
Widow’s WarSally Gunning
The Woman in the Library *Just addedSulari Gentill
Nonfiction 
Born a CrimeTrevor Noah
The Boys in the BoatDaniel James Brown
The Glass CastleJeanette Walls
H is for HawkHelen MacDonald
Hillbilly ElegyJ.D. Vance
The Lemon TreeSandy Tolan
Mountains beyond MountainsTracy Kidder
NightElie Wiesel
White FragilityRobin DiAngelo
Why Fish Don’t ExistLulu Miller