Laura and I were the honored guests of my mom's book club tonight. They had read The Book Thief, which we had recommended for two reasons:
1. It's an unbelievable book and one of our all-time favorites; and
2. We got to do a little bragging because Major Agent just happens to represent Mr. Zusak. Pretty cool, huh?
Anyways, we had a great time discussing Zusak's beautiful prose and hanging out with some cool ladies. All in all, it was a pretty great evening.
Afterwards Laura and I were lamenting the lack of a book club of our own. A group of fun, young-ish women who get together once a month to drink wine and discuss books. Sound fab right? So why is it so hard to make this happen?
I was in a great book club back in my Chicago days and was really eager to find a new club once I moved to Cleveland. I finally found a group that was supposed to meet once a month and couldn't wait for the first meeting.
We were supposed to read Angels and Demons. Ok, so warning bells should have been going off at that point. Not like Angels and Demons is the most provocative book club book and this was like 5 years after the book was out, but whatever. I was keeping an open mind.
Sadly, I was the only one.
I showed up to the house for the club only to find out that it had been cancelled and no one had bothered to call me. The reason for cancellation? "Us moms just don't have time to read."
I cried all the way home.
And yes, I might have been a little bit post-partum-y at the time. But it was just so depressing to find myself in a new city with no friends and a group of women who don't make time for books. I mean, I don't have time for lots of things. Scrapbooking, for example. No time for it. Or cleaning my window screens. Yup, no time for that either. Or even returning phone calls. I almost never do that. But, no time for reading!? Seriously? Do they realize what they're missing?
So, tell us dear readers, are you in a book club? And if so, how did you get things started? We do (shockingly enough) have friends, but most of them claim they don't have time to read. It's sad and frustrating at the same time.
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14 comments:
I'm afraid that my dream book club likely resides in Oxford with Skatie. I don't know many voracious readers in this crazy town and the writers group I joined weren't exactly my speed (Sci Fi freaks). My BFF wants to start a Twilight book club, but much like Angels and Demons, it isn't a book I want to talk about every week and I think it is too commercial.
When are we all moving to Oxford?
Seriously. This all plays into my theory that Skatie needs to start a fantasy camp so we can all experience life as literary Southern Belles for a week.
They would make a killing.
Or...maybe once we're all ridiculously rich and famous we can have a book club/girls night getaway a few times a year in a new and exciting city. Good. Times.
Never been in a book club. I make time for reading on my own, then force my friends to read what books I deem "must be read," then discuss them excitedly once they've read them. It's a bit of an unofficial book club, I suppose.
Ha! I LOVE my bookclub! We read some great stuff--sometimes stuff I've been dying to read and sometimes stuff I would NEVER read (those are fun, too). Love the intelligent conversation with smart women. Who are these people who don't have time to read??? I'd go crazy--especially when you're in the world of children and laundry and supper.
Now you've all got me worried that if you did come to Oxford, you'd be disappointed because your expectations are so high. But, no. It's a great town. Bring it! You won't be disappointed.
Katie may have to weigh in here--I don't think she's in a book club because she only wants to read YA. I'm sure she would be welcome at the teenage bookclub at Square Books. They have two book clubs for kids--middle grade and teenager--led by the uber-cool Jill Moore.
http://www.squarebooks.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=165&Itemid=170
Check the link and sign up for the newsletter. It's fun to see what their picks are every month. My daughters pick and choose when they want to go based on what they're reading.
sf
I don't belong to a book club, but then we spend about as much on books as we do on groceries during any given month. >.<
The wonderful thing is that the kidlets enjoy going to the "Book Room" and reading more than anything else. I do assign a book to read for my eldest for school, but that's about it. :D
I was wondering where you girls had disappeared to! :-) I don't have a book club, but I would love to. I should start one with my mom. The only thing is I'm not crazy about the books she reads.
Sorry about the book club fail. So disappointing!
I've never been in a book club. My sister and I will discuss books, but I've never done it with a group except sometimes in critique group, we may chat about a book.
I wonder how I can find a local book club...hmmm.
I'm really lucky because I have two great book clubs. One is old college friends who are still in the area. We rotate houses and some drive up to an hour to come. We started w/ a connection of being old time friends...so I guess that is what keeps it going. Plus, we have a fantastic lady 'in charge' who sends reminder post cards every month.
The second one is for my church. The books are all classics or non fiction (sometimes great...sometimes ho-hum) but we meet for lunch and that is always fun. I go even if I haven't read the book -- which is, like, half the time :)
Keep at it -- it's worth the work once it all comes together!
And -- hello! LOVED The Book Thief!
Come join my book club!! We meet at a different restaurant every month and do the whole discuss-book-while-eating thing. It's so much fun. Maybe advertise the eating/getting away from the kids part . . . and then slyly slide in books?
I've never done the book club thing, but I'd actually like to if I could find the "right" group. My neighbors do a group but their books are WAY too serious for me...dark and depressing, and all of them very, very literary. Fine for once in a while, but not ALWAYS. (Honestly, I'm just not that deep)
Oh my...I thought about you two when I saw this. I signed on just to send it to you! Hint...PANTS!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9WdRnqUxtE&feature=related
I coudn't find a picture...just a video.
Ok, I have to say I'm really relieved to hear that we aren't the only ones struggling to convince friends to read.
Sara - That's sort of how we roll too, only our friends don't always read the books we hand out!
SF - Awesome link! I'm totally signing up for that. You and Katie are so lucky!
Danyelle - It's awesome that you've passed your love of books onto the kiddies. The library is still one of my favorite places on the planet.
Tess - Your book clubs sound EXACTLY like what I'm after. I'm so jealous!
Becca - I love your bribery idea! We're totally going to try that.
Kimberly - There was one member of our Chicago book club who was always trying to force everyone to read books about the black plague. Not good. My ideal book club includes a wide variety of books, but nothing about the black plague. I mean, eew.
LitGirl- Oh my god, THOSE PANTS! Seriously??? Are those socks or is there fur at the ankles? Oh Jennifer...WHY!? From the waist up she's aboslutely gorgeous, but those pants. Ouch. You totally made my day. Thanks for alerting us!
I've HEARD of those wonderful book clubs ... where everyone clicks and they're friends for life. No ... I don't belong to one of those. Maybe someday! :-)
I was in a book club for years. My favorite part was that we were all different ages and from different walks of life so we had a huge variety in what we read. And we always had great food and wine and fabulous conversations. I haven't gone as much in recent years because I got annoyed by the huge variety in what we read. From Nicolas Sparks and Dan Brown to Ayn Rand and Meg Wolitzer. Some of the books were great. Other times I just wanted to pick my own damn book to read. Y' know? I still love those ladies. They let me come eat and listen in on the conversation :^)
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