I said in the comments to The Traveler’s Gift that I’d give a report on how my in-person book group went… but first, I think I need to tell you a bit about it.
We’re a group of women from my church, ranging in age from late-20s to 76 (she’s a firecracker; I hope I’m that spunky when I’m 76!). We — there’s usually anywhere from 4 to 10 of us — meet once a month, rotating homes, to chat about books, life, religion… whatever suits our mood (last night it was yard work and lingerie. Don’t ask.). We nominate books once a year, and then one woman organizes it into a list, two books per month. The deal is: read both, read one, don’t read at all, just come. 🙂 I think they’ve done a fairly good job over the years (I only started going last year when I moved here; I think the group’s been going for at least 7 years) reading a balanced selection of classics and contemporary fiction. But, as is always the case, opinions on those books range widely. We are not intellectuals; most of the time our discussions are about things other than the books. And more often than not, if people haven’t read the book, our “discussion” is more along the lines of convincing those who haven’t read the book to read it.
Last night was, actually, fairly tame. I have to say that I wasn’t the only one who disliked the books… though I think we were in the minority. I put out, for the Inheritance, my reasons for disliking posthumously published works (and yes, I used that word in a sentence, and yes, they did make fun of me for doing so), which Mdme. 76 dismissed out of hand. Who cares? It was a good, moral book. In fact, that was the main consensus: it was light, it was moral therefore it was a good story. They were glad it was printed; even though I bemoaned the fact that this, of all of Alcott’s works, was the least worthy. Ah, well. I didn’t go to convince people of my position.
As for the Traveler’s Gift, the consensus was, again, that because the ideas were good, the book was worth reading. I was really glad when someone else said that the ideas were great, everyone needs them, but the writing was crap. (YAY!) I gave a very impassioned defense of getting to know Joshua Chamberlin from another source… and then got labeled a deep reader. I think that’s the first time that’s ever happened. I know that over at my online book group, I’m one of the shallow readers, not understanding, not getting a third of what the books that we read are about.
But, really, isn’t that why we go to book groups? (At least that’s why I do.) I go not only because I enjoy the company of these women, but I am glad they pick books that I wouldn’t normally. I enjoy what they have to say, even when I vehemently disagree with them. (I’d get made fun of for using that word, too.) But I’m also glad for the Nook, for an opportunity to associate with people who challenge my reading and then help me understand what I’ve read. I need both in my life. And I think on some small level, even though I’m not nearly the most well-read of the group, I hope to help challenge and stretch others. (That is, if I don’t offend them all.)
All this got me to thinking: Why do you go to book groups? What do you get out of them? What do you bring to them? Are they a worthwhile part of your life?
Oh, we spent a considerable amount of time talking about Stephenie Meyer last night. Mdme. 76 wanted to know if she should read them. I don’t know if she will, but you know, I’d love to hear what she thinks of Bella and Edward. Even if she hates it.
The Book Nut 
As a newly called ward enrichment leader, one of my jobs has been to get small groups up and running, including a book club. Two of my biggets worries have been a) that we’ll have such a wide variety of reading tastes and styles that the reading list will turn to only the simplest, most noncontroversial choices (not that those are necessarily bad), and b) that no one will really know what to talk about when they get together. After all, I’m not sure what <>I<> would say other than that I liked or disliked the book.So it’s nice to hear your explanation of what goes on in your book club, and how you and everyone else benefit from it. It sounds like exactly what I would hope for from a book club, and I hope we can pull off something similar with our group.
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I belong to two book groups and love them. Oddly enough some of our best discussions are when either we hated the book or when there was wide disagreement. Some books that we’ve all loved have actually left us with not much else to say other than, loved it. Funny that.Anyway, wanted to say a very belated happy birthday too! The Tshirt you got was super cute. I want one 🙂
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Amy — we do a fair amount of self-censoring; there are several of us who are much more willing to read things with “questionable” content, and take it upon ourselves to weed the more controversial choices out for the others. I don’t know if that’s right or wrong, but it’s what happens, and it keeps the group a happy place.And Iliana — I totally agree. The best group meetings are the ones where people disagree. Then there’s really something to talk about. 🙂 Oh, and my parents got the shirt from Signals catalog…
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Um I REALLY wouldn’t say that you are one of the SHALLOW readers – MELISSA, please!! I feel you are always making me think and stretch – and you are always giving me book suggestions. I am SO glad to have you at the nook. I liked this post.
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Yeah, but I’m not Cami or Kellie, who both come up with AMAZING insights and pick upon the smallest things and interpret them in wonderous ways.But thanks for saying so. I’m glad you introduced me to the Nook.
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Oh please, SHALLOW? Let’s not use that word any more on the nook. I think every person there brings light and ideas to everyone else continually. I know for sure you’ve changed my mind on more than one occasion. I love my in-person book group because it’s fun to get together, we really do have great discussions about great books, and it does widen my book choices. I am afraid of moving, in fact, because I think I’ll never find another book group like it. Only in my book group can we have practically an all-out fight over a book for over 2 hours and still remain friends. Hooray! The online book group is awesome too. That one will never go away if I move. And though sometimes it’s harder to talk really understand what the other readers are saying, I also get what in-person book groups never get: a chance to write. Maybe it’s the English major coming out in me, but I just can’t think about things properly until I’ve written about them. Every now and then, I think if I ever went back to school, at least I’d have loads of material online to start some pretty good papers. Oh dear. This is a novella. Well, there you go. I live for book groups. Hooray.
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I loved my old book group. We read some great books and some controversial ones and the discussion was always worth showing up for.In my new locale, I’ve struggled to get a book group going, encountered resistance from church folks over the first selection and have been unable to grow beyond 2-3 participants.Most of the time, “questionable” stuff in books doesn’t even register with me. Only after one book groupie said “I’m glad Monica didn’t read Water For Elephants; I think parts would have bothered her” that it even occurred to me AT ALL. (Oh, yeah…the cooch tent, etc.) But the idea of reading only what one is comfortable with is just foreign to me.I’m intrigued by the idea of an online book group with more adventurous readers.Mary Ellen
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I participate in two F2F book groups… one of them I’m totally in charge of. I do it because I love it! I love talking books. When we met this last time, one of the ladies that comes to my group said to us “I read SO MUCH this summer… more than I’ve ever read before… I read SEVEN books!!!!” I got the biggest kick out of that! I love getting people in my group to read things they would have never thought of otherwise. And I love it when people have differing opinions. This last time we were discussing the Twilight books, and one of our members walked in, threw all three books on the floor and said, “You guys can have ’em! I don’t want them anymore!!” We died laughing!Whew.. sorry. Long comment.
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