Do you book club?
Barring my dry spell, I have always belonged to a book club, sometimes several at the same time. I find them fascinating. When it comes down to it, a book club is an excuse to get together with other adults and talk about something other than children. Have I sold you yet?
I’ve done online book clubs, serial book clubs, and children’s book clubs. My latest one is more my kind of book club. When we met last week, we spent the first ten minutes talking about the book (which no one read) and then the other two hours chatting and eating cake! Did I mention wine? Fabulous. We’ve promised to be more diligent next time.
Any whos, after a long discussion, we finally settled on the Guernsey Potato Peel Pie and Literary Society — I’ll let you know how I get on.
Do you belong to a book club?
Twebsterarmstrong | 4th Dec 09
http://sites.google.com/site/wabaunseebookclub/
Iota | 3rd Dec 09
I belong to two. The first meets in someone’s home at 7.00pm. Everyone is punctual. We discuss a book, then have a little time of chat, and everyone leaves at 9.00pm. I have got to know the women over time, but it took ages even to remember their names!
The second is a group of 4. We meet at a cafe at 6.00pm, or even earlier if we can wing it with husbands and childcare. We are usually chucked out of the cafe when it closes at 10.00. We used to discuss a book, but gave that up over a year ago. We have named ourselves the Bad Girls’ Book Club.
Kevin is a shocking book, but SO MUCH to discuss. Can’t believe they ousted you for that.
A Modern Mother | 3rd Dec 09
Experimental — I still haven’t bought it yet! Ugghhh
Experimental Mum | 29th Nov 09
I’m in two bookclubs, although I must admit they are 10% book, 90% wine! We read The Guernsey Literacy Society a few months ago and all loved it – it would make a great film, hope you enjoy it.
A Modern Mother | 29th Nov 09
Kelly– I had a major dry spell with books, when the girls were babies…
Po — three a month, impressive! Will check out Witch of Portobello…
Mamma Po | 28th Nov 09
I started one with some friends a couple of months ago as an incentive to get me reading something other than my OU textbooks. It works! I am now reading around 3 novels a month and just devouring them.
The meetings are great fun too – as you say, a good excuse to get out and socialise without nattering about the children. We take it in turns to host and cook with guests bringing contributions like pudding and wine. It’s my favourite new venture. We do mostly talk about the books but it’s fairly light-hearted…Last book we read was Paulo Coelho’s Witch of Portobello and we spent a long time discussing how we’d imagined the male lead to look…
Kelly | 28th Nov 09
Oh, before I had my baby I read three books a week on average. I have read 2 in 4 months 🙁
Perhaps joining a book club would give me the kick up the bottom I need.
Not sure I can face a room full of strangers, I like the idea of an online one.
A Modern Mother | 28th Nov 09
Heather – Believe it or not I’m really shy and have the same fear, but usally something comes out!
Insomniac – a sabbatical sounds really good around now…
Hannah – there is a certain amount of guilt if you don’t read the book…
Hannah | 28th Nov 09
I love the idea of a book club but I’m super picky about what I read so I think it’d put me off if I had to read something I wasn’t that into – I’d end up with guilt about it and I certainly don’t need anymore of that!
Your perseverence for finding a group that works for you is great.
Insomniac Mummy | 28th Nov 09
I have a pile oif new books just waiting to be read. I’m just too tired at the moment to enjoy them.
I’ve never been in a book club, might have to find one online when my mojo returns from it’s sabbatical.
🙂
Heather | 28th Nov 09
I fear book clubs. I like reading but find i don’t have ‘enough’ to say about the book, charcters etc. i just wanna read not talk about it.
Victoria | 27th Nov 09
I’m in 2 book clubs One I haven’t been too for a year (!) although I have bought the books, but have only read one (!). My excuse – baby girl born 15 months ago! Other club is through my Mums & Tots group. Everyone has at least one child, struggles to find time to read the book and looks forward to an evening of chat, cake and wine – discussion about the book fits in between all this. Have to say that both clubs have introduced books to me that I wouldn’t have normally have chosen. Must look out this Guernsey book.
Jennie | 27th Nov 09
I’m not in a book club, but I had to comment because I LOVED the “Guernsey Potato Peel Pie and Literary Society”. It came from Readers Digest in one of their condensed editions with 4 books in each volume, and I really enjoyed it. I’ve been meaning to find out whether the author has written anything else, and you’ve jogged my memory and reminded me to do it while I’m online – well done! I hope you enjoy it too.
Alex Walsh | 27th Nov 09
S’funny the timing of this, I’ve always been a voracious reader, apart from while I was doing my English Lit degree anyway, but have only recently joined a book club and set myself up an ancillary blog to deal with my reading to boot.
I did it to get out of the rut I was in- I tend to read the same genres and authors as I did as a teenager. I was terribly precocious as a young teen and now I’m in my mid thirties I just want to read for fun. For the record I tend to read science fiction, fantasy, horror, humour and thrillers.
The book club has about 13 regular members, mostly under 40 and with the exception of the chap who runs it and myself, is entirely female. They do a fair range of books and we’re currently reading Wolf Hall.
Anyway, it’s pulled me out of a temporary lull in book reading, which is always a good thing 🙂
A Modern Mother | 27th Nov 09
Jen — Agreed, I think someone leading this discussion is a good thing, or you can totally go off track…
SPD — HA ha, glad you got my name right!
SingleParentDad | 26th Nov 09
Susanna! What are you doing?
The first rule of book club, is no one talks about book club.
Or is that something else entirely?
Jennifer Howze | 26th Nov 09
I do a book club and I love it. I really like that it exposes me to fiction I wouldn’t otherwise read. But unlike a lot of folks – including you Modern Mother – I like a book club that focuses on the books. There is some chat about personal lives and current events (during our last book club a lady explained how she fell, caught her finger in the handle of a wardrobe and almost completely lost the use of her hand!). But mainly we talk about the book, with the “leader” doing some research beforehand about the author, the book, the backstory, etc.
Of course, there’s still wine…
mummy almighty | 26th Nov 09
Oh I love the sound of a book club that chats and has wine and cakes. There is a book club in our road but I worry I won’t have time to read the books and might get behind with discussions, then i’d feel like I was at school again!! Is it like this in reality???
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http://mummyalmighty.blogspot.com/
A Modern Mother | 26th Nov 09
Dawn — a book club breakaway — fab
Rosie — thanks!
Rosie Scribble | 26th Nov 09
On a completely unrelated note, Happy Thanksgiving!
Dawn/LittleGreenFingers | 26th Nov 09
I sort of got kicked out of the local NCT bookgroup for getting too tipsy and opinionated, so we formed a breakaway group called The Coven.
We are currently having themed months. This time it is ‘books from our teenage years’ so I’ve got to revisit ‘Flowers in the Attic’ by Virginia Andrews and Judy Bloom’s ‘Forever’… Oh and if there’s time, ‘The Diary of Adrian Mole aged 13 3/4’. We are, as you can see, definitely not high brow.
A Modern Mother | 26th Nov 09
Lissa — good luck in your search!
Potty — it did come highly recommended… and I’m fascinated by WW2, and writing, and…
Rosie — none? really? sorry.
Laura — yes, sometimes that happens and then I just come up with some excuse why I didn’t read it, like, I started it and HATED it 😉
Nicola — and that is what it is all about!
Nicola | 25th Nov 09
Ooh yes – and I am just about to blog about it too! It definitely isn’t a very high brow book club – more the drink lots / talk about the book a bit / save your sanity type of get together with some fantastic women. I was ‘invited’ to join it this time last year and have had a blast the past 12 months getting to know these women and also being introduced to books which I would never had read in a month of Sundays.
Laura McIntyre | 25th Nov 09
I have always wanted to belong to a book club, my problem is while i love reading i have not patience for a book i don’t enjoy. Im not sure i could read a book someone else choose for me
Rosie Scribble | 25th Nov 09
I would love to belong to a bookclub, but there are none near us. Sob.
Potty Mummy | 25th Nov 09
OK, well given the recommendations for your current book in this comment box that’s my Christmas read sorted. Did you know that you’ve just created a virtual book club Susanne?
Lissa, Peak Princess | 25th Nov 09
When we lived in London we had a fabulously boozy book club that always degenerated into gossip session and ended up with little to do with the books we’d read (Dickens’ Our Mutual Friend becamse Our M***** F****** because everyone but me hated it). Now I live in the genteel Peak District and our village book club is a sober, genteel affair. Somewhere in the middle (intellectually not geographically as that would be Birmingham!) would be perfect.
A Modern Mother | 25th Nov 09
The Mommy — yes, that’s a benefit, reading something you normally wouldn’t
Liz — that is too cute about your mum!
Liz (LivingwithKids) | 25th Nov 09
My mum (78) bookclubs (two different ones) and she loves it… mind you, I don’t think she always reads the books, I think a lot of the appeal is probably wine and cake. I know I need to read more so a book club would really help me focus. I think I might join one in the New Year. @nappyvalleygirl’s English Lit seminars at Uni sound similar to mine!
The Mommy | 25th Nov 09
I do bookclub! And we just ready “Guernsey” – fantastic book! Everyone loved it. *my pick* Being in a bookclub has expanded my library and my willingness to pick up something I wouldn’t normally choose for myself.
A Modern Mother | 25th Nov 09
Yes, blogging can interfere with lots of things I am learning!
Emily O | 25th Nov 09
I did an online one for nearly a year and enjoyed that. But then there was a run of not very good books and I found it a struggle ploughing through them. I’m very diligent with these things and always make sure I read the book on time, which can be an effort! I’d like to do another online one, although I tend to blog too late into the evenings at the moment and don’t make enough time to read!
Expat Mum | 25th Nov 09
I used to but it was more of a professional one and I stopped working in that profession. Bit pointless. I keep picking this book up and can’t get past the second page. Let us know what it’s like. (How’s that for getting someone else to do something for me?)
nappyvalleygirl | 25th Nov 09
I’ve never done a book club, but am thinking of joining one here. Like the idea of ten minutes on the book and the rest chatting…..sounds a bit like some of my English Lit seminars at University in fact.
TooManyHats | 25th Nov 09
I don’t belong to a book club, but your current one sounds wonderful. I read the Guernsey book this year – it was very enjoyable.
Melitsa | 25th Nov 09
Only recently have a been part of a book club and loved it. We moved away so now I belong to an online book club. It’s not always easy but it’s such a good escape.
A Modern Mother | 25th Nov 09
Mad- too funny
Bunbling – I see your point
Peggy – you are me a few years ago!
Peggy@ Perfectly Happy Mum | 25th Nov 09
For me to join a book club would mean that I can read again… unfortunately I can’t read anymore. I rarely last 2 pages before snoring with the book wedged on my nose or if it is VERY exciting I can probably last 4 pages.
Maybe someday though… I would love to belong to your book club, I can definitely do cakes anytime!
Bumbling | 25th Nov 09
I would love to join a book club, but I don’t know of any round my way and have no idea how to find out! Plus I’d have to persuade the hubbie that it would do him good to have an evening alone with the littl’un…
TheMadHouse | 25th Nov 09
I tried one at the local library, but full of old dears and far too highbrow for me, plus they actually tallked about the books. I do an online round robin
A Modern Mother | 25th Nov 09
Will check out anobii.com, thanks for the tip
Antonella | 25th Nov 09
Good choice. I loved the Guernesey Potato Peel etc. book. I don’t have much time to be in a ‘proper’ book club, but I exchange books with some of my friends and we talk about them informally. I’m also totally addicted to a website called http://www.anobii.com where you can organize your own shelf with books, revews etc. and get to know other people with similar tastes. But my daughter, 10, has just joined a young reviewers’ book club set up by our local independent bookshop and she’s totally enthusiastic about it. Ciao. A.
A Modern Mother | 25th Nov 09
Start your own?
Vic | 25th Nov 09
I’d love to (if only for cake and wine!) but have no patience with many book club types of books.
Anyone want to point me in the direction of an urban fantasy/paranormal romance one?
A Modern Mother | 25th Nov 09
Oh dear, am showing my age!
Caroline | 25th Nov 09
I’m in a book club in the village I live in. I’m 41, and I’m the youngest by about 20 years!!!! I really enjoy it; I’ve met people I’d never have met otherwise, and have read some fabulous books that I’d never previously have picked up in a million years. (And some real dreadful ones, too!). Book clubs definitely get a thumbs up from me!
A Modern Mother | 25th Nov 09
A Belgian one would be fab — you could all sit around munching on chocolate and waffles!
Mwa | 25th Nov 09
Sigh… I wish I was in a book club. I’ve never heard of a Belgian one. It surely must exist – I may have to look into this.