Comments on: Clubbing – Booking Through Thursday

By: holly

holly — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 18:19:14 +0000

I belong to a monthly book group that’s been meeting for over 10 years. We have a rotation schedule so that everyone in the group gets to choose a book on a regular basis (about once a year, now). The only restriction on book choices is that the book “must” be available in paperback. (“Must” because we often make exceptions…..) I like the democracy of rotation. Sure, I sometimes read a book I think was a complete waste of time, but more often I read a book that I would not have read otherwise; more often than not, it raises questions for me that lead me to other books. The person who chooses hosts the meeting and starts the discussion, but you couldn’t call it “leading” in any meaningful way. We’re all too vocal and opinionated to need a leader (but we’re polite about it).

By: carol

carol — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 18:48:46 +0000

I enjoyed reading your post. I could not imagine having to read a book weekly, but the once a month works for me. I belong to my local library. I feel like you that you get much more out of the book by reading as a group. I think you grow as a person and as a reader.

By: Dorothy W.

Dorothy W. — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 14:50:31 +0000

I’ve had a lot of the experiences you describe, particularly with the problem of getting the book read on time and making it fit my schedule. I used to read on a schedule all the time for class, but it’s nice to have more freedom now! I find myself too easily involved in clubs too, which means the number of books I choose on my own can get a little too limited. But book groups have been a great experience for me, so I’m simply making it work!

By: Heidi

Heidi — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 00:35:23 +0000

I have to agree about the timing. I usually would read the book right after bookclub met, and then it would be a few weeks till we met again and I would have forgotten some details.

By: John Alwyine-Mosely

John Alwyine-Mosely — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 18:39:24 +0000

Like you one of my real reasons for not joining a bookclub is that I lack the flexibility due to work. My Post

By: Lisa

Lisa — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 17:55:37 +0000

I’ve never been in a book club before, but I’d love to join a face to face book club. I think I’d like the dicsussion phase very much. It would be exciting to read books that I normally wouldn’t choose myself. Here’s my response: http://southerngal-lisa.blogspot.com/2008/06/booking-through-thursday-clubbing.html

By: Jaimie

Jaimie — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 14:45:18 +0000

I would love to be a member of an actual sit down and discuss face to face book club. And I think I would rather have people be too polite than one person take over everything.
I just joined an online club but I knew one person in it before I joined. I am very excited about it!

By: John Mutford

John Mutford — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 14:24:31 +0000

Unlike you, I have walked out of a bookclub meeting with less appreciation for a book (or more). Usually though, it just strengthens my views. For instance, after reading Ishiguro's Never Let You Go I went to the bookclub knowing that I wasn't a fan. Hearing other people's issues made me dislike it even more. On the other hand, I went to bookclub knowing how much I liked Saramago's Blindness and though I was in the minority, the problems others had with the book made me defensive and I ended up feeling even stronger about it.

By: Lezlie

Lezlie — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 13:06:17 +0000

I’ve never been in a book club. I always think to myself, “What if I don’t want to read that right now?” I’m sort of a fussy reader, I guess.

Have a great weekend, Margaret!
Lezlie

By: Kay

Kay — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 11:41:44 +0000

I really enjoy moderating the two book groups that meet at our library. I try to let the members have lots of input and choice regarding the books. We are somewhat constrained by the fact that we need to have enough copies of the book in our library system. Plus it’s hard for it to be a recent book because if it isn’t well known there are enough copies and if it is popular, it’s hard to pull in enough books for each member to have one. However, I think we have a pretty good system in place. Members suggest books and I then see if they would be suitable and then prepare a ballot and everyone votes. I choose the order that the winning books are read.

I had not ever been in a face-to-face group before leading these two groups, but I had participated in many online groups. I have thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I do appreciate that it is hard to get your “own” reading done when you are part of a book group. Our groups meet once a month.