Jesmyn Ward’s novel “Sing, Unburied, Sing” is our first pick for the new PBS NewsHour-New York Times book club, “Now Read This.” Become a member of the book club by joining our Facebook group, or by signing up to our newsletter.



What is ‘Now Read This’?

Now Read This is a new book club offered jointly from the PBS NewsHour and The New York Times. Every month, we’ll pick a book that helps us makes sense of the world we’re living in — fiction, history, memoir, and more.

How long do I have to read the book?

A month! We’ll announce the book pick at the beginning of every month. Our first pick for the month of January is Jesmyn Ward’s novel “Sing, Unburied, Sing.” Join our Facebook group, Now Read This, and throughout the month, we’ll discuss the book with you as you read along.

What else does the book club provide?

As you read, we’ll post discussion questions and other material related to the book and from the author, including writer’s advice and an inside look at how the book was written. You can also read reviews of the book from the pages of the New York Times.

How do I get a question to the author?

You can submit questions about the book on our Facebook group or to our Google form. At the end of the month, the author will appear on the PBS NewsHour and take your questions.

Can my book club read along?

Absolutely! We’d love it if your local book club read along with us. We invite you to use our discussion questions and author insight as a guide, to submit your members’ own questions for the author and to play our video interviews with the author during your book club meetings.

Where can I get the book?

Most of our book picks will be already out in paperback. You can find the book in your local library, bookstore or online, at the sites IndieBound, Barnes & Noble, Amazon or from the publisher’s website.

READ MORE: Discussion questions for “Sing, Unburied, Sing”

READ MORE: In “Sing, Unburied, Sing,” a haunted road trip to prison

READ MORE: Writer’s advice from Jesmyn Ward