It's a perfect plot, but hardly a mystery. Small groups of folks gather at locations throughout the metro area. Their goal: To discuss the latest best-seller, well-known classic or a work from a more obscure writer. A seemingly endless variety of book clubs are in full swing, providing opportunities to soak up and discuss strong stories and colorful characters and share common ground with others who love to read.

"It's more satisfying to me than watching a television program or something of that nature. You can draw your own pictures of the characters," said Barbara Knapp, who is in her 70s and a member of the Friends of the Roswell Library, which promotes and raises money for the library through a bookstore and other events.

Tami Chappell/Special (ENLARGE)

Seven-year old Ryan Campbell reads 'The Adventure of the Bailey School Kids' while at the 2007 Gwinnett Reading Festival.

Tami Chappell/Special (ENLARGE)

(Left to right) Isabella Spiker, Denise Chandler, Bailey Chandler and Chandler BolesLooking over books at the 2007 Gwinnett Reading Festival.

Tami Chappell/Special (ENLARGE)

Seven-year old Joseph Davis listens as his mother Clarissa Davis reads him 'Martina the Beautiful Cockroach'

Tami Chappell/Special (ENLARGE)

071020 LAWRENCEVILLE,GA-Seven-year old Tara O'Leary-Steib looks through books for her free book at the 2007 Gwinnett Reading Festival.

Phil Skinner/AJC (ENLARGE)

Ladies discuss 'Miss American Pie' over wine and food during a book club meeting at Coffee Buy the Book in Roswell.

RELATED LINK: • More Gwinnett news • More North Fulton news

She's participated in the library's Noonday Nosh Book Club for seven years. Some meetings have several people; others have more than 20.

"What I get out of it, I think, is more probably opening my mind to different books I probably wouldn't read otherwise," she said.

Some clubs, like the ones at Books-A-Million in Lawrenceville, are just starting. Others, like those at Book Exchange in Marietta and Coffee Buy the Book in Roswell, sometimes meet with authors. All beckon those who love to read.

Wherever you live and whatever your literary interests, there's probably a club for you.

BOOK CLUBS

• History Book Club

Next meeting: 7 p.m. Nov. 19 (meets every other month)

Selection: "Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community and War" by Nathaniel Philbrick

Location: Gwinnett History Museum, 455 S. Perry St., Lawrenceville

Info: 770-822-5178, www.gwinnettpl.org

• Reading Pals Book Club (first-third grade)

Next meeting: 6-7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 4 (meets the first Tuesday of every month)

Selection: "Mummies in the Morning," part of The Magic Tree House Series by Mary Pope Osborne

Location: Roswell Regional Library, 115 Norcross St.

Info: 770-640-3075, www.af.public.lib.ga.us/roswell_regional.html

• Snack Attack Book Club (fourth-sixth grades)

Next meeting: 6:30-7:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 3 (meets the first Monday of every month)

Selection: "Peter and the Starcatchers" by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson

Location: Roswell Regional Library, 115 Norcross St.

Info: 770-640-3075, www.af.public.lib.ga.us/roswell_regional.html

• Noon Day Nosh Book Club

Next meeting: noon, Nov. 20; noon, Dec. 18

Selections: "Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert (November), "Suite Francaise" by Irene Nemirovsky (December)

Location: Roswell Regional Library, 115 Norcross St.

Info: 770-640-3075,www.af.public.lib.ga.us/roswell_regional.html

• Friends of Northeast Spruill Oaks Book Club

Next meeting: 10:30 a.m.-

12:30 p.m. Dec. 5 (meets the first Wednesday of every month)

Selections: "The Many Lives and Secret Sorrows of Josephine B," by Sandra Gulland (December); "The Memory Keeper's Daughter," by Kim Edwards (January).

Location: Northeast/Spruill Oaks Regional Library, 9560 Spruill Road, Johns Creek

Info: 770-360-8820, www.af.public.lib.ga.us/northeast_spruill_oaks_regional.html

• Ocee Adult Book Club

Next meeting: 10:30-11:30 a.m. Monday, Dec. 3 (meets first Monday of every month)

Next selection: "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez

Location: Dr. Robert E. Fulton Regional at Ocee, 5090 Abbotts Bridge Road, Johns Creek

Info: 770-360-8897, www.af.public.lib.ga.us/ocee__dr__robert_e__fulton_regional__at.html

• Readers Circle Book Club

Next meeting: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 8 (meets second Thursday of every month)

Selection: N/A

Location: Barnes and Noble, Mansell Crossing Shopping Center, 7660 Northpoint Parkway, Suite 200, Alpharetta

Info: 770-993-8340, www.barnesandnoble.com

• Fiction Forum

Next meeting: Meets the third Thursday of every month, at 7 p.m. (Will not meet in December)

Selection: N/A

Location: Barnes & Noble, The Forum on Peachtree Parkway, 5141 Peachtree Parkway, Norcross

Info: 770-209-4244, www.barnesandnoble.com

• Chick Lit Book Club

Next meeting: 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 4

Selection: "Rise and Shine" by Anna Quindlen

Location: Coffee Buy the Book, 1132 Canton St., Roswell

Info: 770-594-0822, www.coffeebuythebook.com

• Coffee Buy the Book Main Book Club

Next meetings: 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 6; 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 31

Selection: "Talk Talk" by T.C. Boyle for December, "The Tender Bar" by J.R. Moehringer for January

Location: Coffee Buy the Book, 1132 Canton St., Roswell

Info: 770-594-0822, www.coffeebuythebook.com

• Mystery Book Club

Next meetings: 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 11; 7 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 8

Selection: "The Collectors" by David Baldacci for December; "The Intelligencer" by Leslie Silbert for January

Location: Coffee Buy the Book, 1132 Canton St., Roswell

Info: 770-594-0822, www.coffeebuythebook.com

• Sci-Fi Book Club

Next meeting: 7 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 13

Selection: "Hogfather" by Terry Pratchett

Location: Coffee Buy the Book, 1132 Canton St., Roswell

Info: 770-594-0822, www.coffeebuythebook.com

• Book Exchange Book Club

Next meeting: 6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 10 (meets the second Monday of every month)

Selection: "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel

Location: Book Exchange, 2956 Canton Road, Marietta

Info: 770-427-4848, www.bookexchangemarietta.com

• Fiction Book Club

Next meeting: 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 29 (meets the fourth Thursday of every month)

Selection: "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" by Mark Haddon

Location: Books-A-Million, Discover Mills, 5900 Sugarloaf Parkway, Suite 321, Lawrenceville

Info: 678-847-5115, www.booksamillion.com.

• African-American Book Club

Next meeting: 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 29 (meets the fourth Thursday of every month)

Selection: "Their Eyes Were Watching God" by Zora Neale Hurston

Location: Books-A-Million, Discover Mills, 5900 Sugarloaf Parkway, Suite 321, Lawrenceville

Info: 678-847-5115, a href="http://www.booksamillion.com"cclass="popup">www.booksamillion.com.

• FaithPoint Book Club

Next meeting: 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 24

Selection: "Facing the Giants" by Eric Wilson, Alex Kendrick, Stephen Kendrick

Location: Books-A-Million, Discover Mills, 5900 Sugarloaf Parkway, Suite 321, Lawrenceville

Info: 678-847-5115, a href="http://www.booksamillion.com"cclass="popup">www.booksamillion.com.

• Teen Book Club

Next meeting: 2 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 24

Selection: "The Truth About Forever" by Sarah Dessen

Location: Books-A-Million, Discover Mills, 5900 Sugarloaf Parkway, Suite 321, Lawrenceville

Info: 678-847-5115, a href="http://www.booksamillion.com"cclass="popup">www.booksamillion.com.

• Literary Book Club

Next meeting: 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 26

Selection: "Abundance" by Sena Jeter Naslund

Location: Books-A-Million, Discover Mills, 5900 Sugarloaf Parkway, Suite 321, Lawrenceville

Info: 678-847-5115, a href="http://www.booksamillion.com"cclass="popup">www.booksamillion.com

TEACH OTHERS TO READ

Literacy Volunteers of Atlanta offers training on becoming a literary tutor. To volunteer, you'll need to attend an orientation session, held from 9:30-11 a.m. the second Saturday of every month.

The time commitment is two hours a week (students and tutors meet twice a week, for an hour). You must be at least 18 to tutor. Info: 404-377-7323, www.lvama.org

SUGGESTED READING

If you're more into reading on your own than with a discussion group, consider titles from the Top 25 Reading List of the Georgia Center for the Book (For a new list available in early January, visit www.georgiacenterforthebook.org):

"The Last Radio Baby," Raymond Andrews

"Ugly Ways," Tina McElroy Ansa

"Going to Ground: Simple Life on a Georgia Pond," Amy Blackmarr

"Wrapped in Rainbows: The Life of Zora Neale Hurston," Valerie Boyd

"The Latin Deli," Judith Ortiz Cofer

"The Water is Wide," Pat Conroy

"A Childhood: The Biography of a Place," Harry Crews

"Wit," Margaret Edson

"The Temple Bombing," Melissa Fay Greene

"Trouble No More," Tony Grooms

"Leaving Birmingham: Notes of a Native Son," Paul Hemphill

"Daughter of My People," James Kilgo

"The Last Radio Baby," Raymond Andrews

"Woman of Color, Daughter of Privilege," Kent Andersen Leslie

"The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter," Carson McCullers

"Lamb in His Bosom," Caroline Miller

"Sabbath Creek," Judson Mitcham

"Everything That Rises Must Converge," Flannery O'Connor

"And the Dead Shall Rise," Steve Oney

"Where Peachtree Meets Sweet Auburn," Gary Pomerantz

"Wild Ginger," Bettie Sellers

"The Celestine Sibley Sampler," Celestine Sibley

"Freedom: Georgia's Anti-Slavery Heritage 1733-1865," Michael Thurmond

"Driving Miss Daisy," Alfred Uhry

"Mama Makes Up Her Mind," Bailey White

"A Distant Flame," Philip Lee Williams

BOOKSTORE STORYTIMES

• When: 10 a.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, 10:30 a.m. Saturdays

• Where: Barnes & Noble, Mansell Crossing Shopping Center, 7660 North Point Parkway, Suite 200, Alpharetta, 770-993-8340, www.barnesandnoble.com.

• When: 10 a.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays

• Where: Barnes & Noble, The Forum on Peachtree Parkway

5141 Peachtree Parkway, Norcross, 770-209-4244, www.barnesandnoble.com.

• When: 10:30 a.m. Mondays, 11 a.m. Saturdays

• Where: Barnes & Noble, Pleasant Hill Square Shopping Center

2205 Pleasant Hill Road, Suite 100, Duluth, 770-495-7200, www.barnesandnoble.com.

• When: 11 a.m. Thursdays

• Where: Barnes & Noble, Mall Of Georgia, 3333 Buford Drive, Buford, 678-482-4150, www.barnesandnoble.com.

LIBRARY STORYTIMES

If you have children, consider attending storytimes that entertain and expose your kids to the lifelong pleasure of reading.

• Preschool storytime

Saturday, Nov. 17, 10 a.m. Norcross branch, 6025 Buford Highway; 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Lilburn branch, 788 Hillcrest Road. 770-978-5154, www.gwinnettpl.org.

• Walking One-ders Storytime (for toddlers)

Monday, Nov. 26, Dec. 3 and Dec. 10, 10-10:45 a.m. and 11-11:45 a.m., Roswell Regional Library, 115 Norcross St. Free, reservations required. 770-640-3075, www.af.public.lib.ga.us/roswell_regional.html.

• Storytime for 3s, 4s and 5s

Monday, Nov. 26, Dec. 3 and Dec. 10, 4-4:30 p.m. Roswell Regional Library, 115 Norcross St. Free, reservations required. 770-640-3075, www.af.public.lib.ga.us/roswell_regional.html.

• Parent Lapsit Storytime

Tuesday, Nov. 27, Dec. 4, Dec. 11, Dec. 18, 10:30-11 a.m. Alpharetta Branch Library, 238 Canton St., Alpharetta. 770-740-2425, http://www.af.public.lib.ga.us/alpharetta_branch.html.

• Storytime for 3s, 4s and 5s

Wednesday, Nov. 28, Dec. 5 and Dec. 12,

11:30 a.m.-noon. Roswell Regional Library, 115 Norcross St. Free, reservations required. 770-640-3075, www.af.public.lib.ga.us/roswell_regional.html.

• Terrific Twos Storytime

Wednesday, Nov. 28, Dec. 5 and Dec. 12, 10-10:30 a.m., 10:45-11:15 a.m. Roswell Regional Library, 115 Norcross St. Free, reservations required. 770-640-3075, www.af.public.lib.ga.us/roswell_regional.html.

• Bouncing Babies Storytime

Thursday, Nov. 29, Dec. 6 and Dec. 13, 10-10:45 a.m. Roswell Regional Library, 115 Norcross St. Free, reservations required. 770-640-3075, www.af.public.lib.ga.us/roswell_regional.html.

• Family program

Tuesday, Dec. 4, 6:30 p.m., with puppet shows, storytelling, songs and other events, Forsyth County Library-Cumming branch, 585 Dahlonega Road, Cumming. 770-781-9840, www.forsyth.public.lib.ga.us.

• Family program

Thursday, Dec. 6, 6:30 p.m., with puppet shows, storytelling, songs and other events, Forsyth County Library-Sharon Forks branch, 2820 Old Atlanta Road, Cumming. 770-781-9840, www.forsyth.public.lib.ga.us.

• Time for Twos (18 months to 2 years)

Tuesday, Dec. 11 and Dec. 18, 11:30 a.m.-noon. Ocee Regional Library, 5090 Abbotts Bridge Road, Alpharetta. Free. 770-360-8897 ext. 240, www.af.public.lib.ga.us/ocee__dr__robert_e__fulton_regional__at.html.

• Time for Tots (birth-12 months)

Tuesday, Dec. 11 and Dec. 18, 11-11:30 a.m. Ocee Regional Library, 5090 Abbotts Bridge Road, Alpharetta. Free. 770-360-8897 ext. 240, www.af.public.lib.ga.us/ocee__dr__robert_e__fulton_regional__at.html.

• Preschool Storytime

Wednesdays, Dec. 12 and Dec. 19, 11:40 a.m.-12:10 p.m. Ocee Regional Library, 5090 Abbotts Bridge Road, Alpharetta. Free. 770-360-8897 ext. 240.