12 responses to “Favourite Week: Book Clubs”

• 

  Cat Woods May 5th, 2010 at 09:41

  *grins sheepishly*

  I did, but I hated the books they picked to read. Ugh!

  Now I have my own, informal book chats with my DD and her friends. We all love the same kinds of books and discuss their merits liberally.

• 

  TK Richardson May 5th, 2010 at 12:04

  Just like Cat, I used to belong to a book club and didn’t at all like the books they picked. So, I do the same thing, and have informal chats with my girls and their friends over the same books. It’s fun and gives me a window to my reader. It also provides valuable information from their perspective.

• 

  Belle May 5th, 2010 at 13:47

  I’ve never belonged to a bookclub but they always sound so wonderful (for some reason, I keep thinking about the food and social aspect of it!).

• 

  Jemi Fraser May 5th, 2010 at 18:22

  I don’t know of any book clubs in my area. I’ve thought once or twice about starting one, but it comes down to a time factor. I love to talk books too. I’ve got the kids in my class doing book club-like discussions (although they all read their own books). I give them a topic to discuss and away they go. It’s awesome!

• 

  jean May 5th, 2010 at 20:50

  Cat, every once in awhile my book club picks a book I can’t get through–or have no desire to get through. I usually give the first chapter a go and if I still don’t want to read it, I just skip that meeting. The clubs are both big enough that we can get away with a few people missing here and there.

  In both clubs we usually propose several books and if only go with ones that the majority are interested in reading. It seems to work fairly well.

  In a way, it sounds like you have your own book group/club that works similarly.

• 

  jean May 5th, 2010 at 20:53

  TK, that’s a bummer that you found a club that picked books you weren’t interested in, too.

  Sometimes, everyone looks at me with awe when I pick things apart in the books (editing points, etc)–they don’t know I do writing on my own time. (I’m so secretive.)

  I did belong to a book club a few years back that didn’t really discuss the books and the books they selected were strange. Dr. Phil books, kids books, etc. I think it was an excuse to get together to drink wine. Actually, now that I think about it, I’m pretty sure that’s all it was!

• 

  jean May 5th, 2010 at 20:55

  Belle, thanks for stopping by!

  They are pretty wonderful if you get a group of talkers and avid readers. The social aspect is pretty phenomenal (as are the goodies). Both the book clubs I am in at the moment meet in public places–one a library and the other a cafe–we disrupt everything and it’s wonderful!

• 

  jean May 5th, 2010 at 20:58

  If you keep your ear to the ground, you may hear of some. About a year and a half ago, I didn’t know of any in town and now I know of about five. There are only so many books I can read in a month though. My own piles of ‘to be read’ isn’t getting any smaller!

  The time commitment can be a bit much. I always leave both clubs on a high and find myself smiling, so for me, it is something I try to put at the top of all my lists as I get such joy from them. Doing the dishes can always wait another day! (They don’t give me that happy high.)
  

• 

  TK Richardson May 5th, 2010 at 23:20

  Jean, come to think of it, the book club was more social. I guess the martini glasses and blood shot eyes should have alerted me, but since I don’t drink, well – I missed the signals. It was a fun group of ladies, though, but they never let me pick a book. They said something like, “No, you’ll pick something huge like War and Peace, or the Constitution (which isn’t huge, btw). *sigh* Anyway, I quit – but we’re still friends.

• 

  jean May 6th, 2010 at 08:56

  Have I got a book club for you, TK. They are burning their way through a list of 100 ‘most readable’ classics at two a month. (I’m not part of this club, but one of my clubs shares members.) While I don’t think the constitution is on the list, I’m guessing War and Peace is. They get quite passionate about the books. They were about ready to lynch John Updike over writing Rabbit, Run as they thought it was a horrendous piece of work. However, a few months later he passed away, so they cooled off a bit, but they still get pretty excited if you mention his name. (Which is a pretty amusing game.)

• 

  TK Richardson May 6th, 2010 at 09:07

  Jean, that sounds like my kind of book club! Two classics a month!?!?! Sounds perfect. Where do I sign up?

• 

  jean May 6th, 2010 at 16:07

  Well, first of all TK, you are going to have to move to Canada… We have a guest room if you need it.