I had to make a big decision this week.
Okay, in the grand scheme of things . . . marriage, which country to live in, take the job or not . . . it wasn't a big decision, but a lot was riding on it.
I was assigned the opportunity to
choose our next book for book club.
We all read the same book or books and then discuss together. You've read previous blog posts here about discussion questions and how to run a book club.
Think about it . . .
You go to a huge bookstore or library and the shelves are loaded with books. SO many to choose from! I love it! Let me browse all day. All the better if they have a cafe and can make a decent cup of tea. I'll stay longer and shop more if I have sustenance.
So, which book for our upcoming meeting in early June? Hmmm.
Oh, The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Barbery looks good, but . . . no, our library ordered several in February but they
aren't in yet. Uhm, how about Leonard Woolf by Glendinning? Nope, too long at 500 pages. The History of Insects looks good by Y. Roberts, but not enough copies either. People of the Book by G Brooks?
Jasmine Nights by Somtow is intriguing but again, too old to still be actively circulating. Okay, George MacDonald's Lilith? Again, no copies in library. Some things, even good books, just don't hang around forever.
I've decided on Mexican Days by Tony Cohan. I've read his previous book and enjoyed it. This one takes us deeper into the nuances of Mexico, old and new. We'll see how it goes . . . and how it goes over with the book club.
Does it matter if they like the books I read? No, not in the sense of us all having to agree. Book clubs serve to stretch us, getting us to read authors and subjects we might not have chosen on our own. But we have to hope that the majority of the people will find some benefit in each title chosen.
I was about to resort to a Louis L'Amour Western with a happy conclusion in which the good guy rides off with the happy woman on the horse behind him. But then, my friend Rachael would choose a wacky sci-fi next time and I'd be obliged to read it! See, it does matter what we choose so it doesn't come back to haunt us in future meetings!
Okay, in the grand scheme of things . . . marriage, which country to live in, take the job or not . . . it wasn't a big decision, but a lot was riding on it.
- What if they didn't like it?
- What if it was hard to get?
- What if . . .
I was assigned the opportunity to
choose our next book for book club.We all read the same book or books and then discuss together. You've read previous blog posts here about discussion questions and how to run a book club.
Think about it . . .
You go to a huge bookstore or library and the shelves are loaded with books. SO many to choose from! I love it! Let me browse all day. All the better if they have a cafe and can make a decent cup of tea. I'll stay longer and shop more if I have sustenance.
So, which book for our upcoming meeting in early June? Hmmm.
Oh, The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Barbery looks good, but . . . no, our library ordered several in February but they
aren't in yet. Uhm, how about Leonard Woolf by Glendinning? Nope, too long at 500 pages. The History of Insects looks good by Y. Roberts, but not enough copies either. People of the Book by G Brooks?Jasmine Nights by Somtow is intriguing but again, too old to still be actively circulating. Okay, George MacDonald's Lilith? Again, no copies in library. Some things, even good books, just don't hang around forever.
I've decided on Mexican Days by Tony Cohan. I've read his previous book and enjoyed it. This one takes us deeper into the nuances of Mexico, old and new. We'll see how it goes . . . and how it goes over with the book club.
Does it matter if they like the books I read? No, not in the sense of us all having to agree. Book clubs serve to stretch us, getting us to read authors and subjects we might not have chosen on our own. But we have to hope that the majority of the people will find some benefit in each title chosen.
I was about to resort to a Louis L'Amour Western with a happy conclusion in which the good guy rides off with the happy woman on the horse behind him. But then, my friend Rachael would choose a wacky sci-fi next time and I'd be obliged to read it! See, it does matter what we choose so it doesn't come back to haunt us in future meetings!
Biography? Historical Fiction? Travel Writing? Fantasy?
Ethics? Cultural Exploration? Science Fiction? Politics?
Spiritual? General Non-Fiction?
Reader's Links: www.allreaders.com Reading Group Guides
Ethics? Cultural Exploration? Science Fiction? Politics?
Spiritual? General Non-Fiction?
Reader's Links: www.allreaders.com Reading Group Guides
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