LUCY BURDETTE: Before we get to the topic of the day (book clubs!), I'd like to extend my tremendous gratitude for everyone who helped launch The Mango Murders. The event at RJ Julia Booksellers was amazing--it's so much fun to talk to friends and readers in person! As an aside, if audio books are your poison, A POISONOUS PALATE is 75% off through September 5.
LUCY BURDETTE: Now back to the topic at hand...It seems odd to me that mysteries and crime fiction can be lumped into a category of non-book club books--in other words, escapist reading, nothing worth discussing. We couldn't disagree more! With September around the corner and book clubs resuming meeting or planning their reads for the year, we thought we'd make a few suggestions. Five of us have new books that are just out or are coming this fall, and all of us have ideas about which of our books might make great book club fodder. Today you’ll hear from three of the Reds. We’ll suggest a book, a couple of discussion questions, and maybe something memorable to eat along with it. We’ll do part 2 with the other new releases in October.
I choose the brand new Mango Murders. You’ll find all my book club questions here, but here are a few to get you started:
1. Setting as Character: How does the tropical backdrop of Key West influence the tone and atmosphere of the story? In what ways does the setting contribute to the mystery?
2. Hayley’s Expertise: Hayley uses her culinary knowledge to aid in solving the crime. How important is her career as a food critic to the investigation? In what other ways does her profession help or hinder her?3. The Explosion: The pivotal moment of the story is the explosion that transforms a party into chaos. How did this event shift the story's tone and escalate the stakes for Hayley?
4. Themes of Rivalry and Envy: The mystery revolves around professional rivalries and “recipe envy.” How do these themes play out among the characters? How do they relate to the world of food and culinary competition?
For the book club snack, I suggest a mango upside down cake. It’s super easy but delicious and fits with the theme perfectly.
RHYS BOWEN: Lucy, it’s funny that this arrived in my in box today as I’d just mailed off the list of book club questions to my publicist. (Of course this isn’t a mystery novel but historical fiction so more book clubs do tend to ask ).
Here are some of my questions for readers of Mrs. Endicott’s Splendid Adventure.
1. Did Ellie Endicott make the right decision when her husband demanded a divorce? What would you have done in the same circumstances.
2. Ellie takes two women with her—women she would not normally have considered friends. Would you have taken them?
3. Ellie has been the perfect wife. Everything runs like clockwork, her husband says. And yet the moment she is free of him she makes some rash decisions. Is this a side of her character she has not allowed to emerge before or is she evolving as a person?
4. One of her impulsive decisions is to take Yvette. Do you think that turned out well or badly for all involved?
5. What themes do you find running through the book? Second chances? Personal growth? The power of female bonding?
And for my book club snack it has to be a French cheese board with a fresh baguette.
HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: ALL THIS COULD BE YOURS is perfect for book clubs because it’s about an author on booktour–and her relationships with her readers, librarians, and booksellers. What starts as a glam cross country book tour turns into a deadly cross-country cat and mouse chase, with the author running for her life. No spoilers here--and even if you haven't read the book yet, you’ll be able to answer these!
1. On page one, Tessa walks out of her job, live on Insta—she's tired of feeling invisible. Tired of having good ideas that are appropriated by others, and tired of cleaning up after her colleagues' poor decisions and disasters. Have you ever felt like that in the work place? Have you ever just wanted to quit?
2. Tessa is part of a group called #MomsWithDreams. What would be your dream? Is there something that you have always wanted to do with your life? (If so, what’s stopping you?)
3. From the time she was a child, Tessa had a contentious relationship with her social-climbing mother. And that influence put Tessa in some extremely high-stakes situations–where she made decisions that she thought would make her mother happy. Have you ever done something to make someone else happy–only to have it backfire miserably?
4. Almost all of this book takes place in bookstores, libraries, airports and hotels–it's all on Tessa's book tour for her surprise bestselling novel. Have you ever been to an author event at a bookstore or library? Did you enjoy it? Have you ever wondered how the author felt about it?
5. Tessa becomes very apprehensive about parasocial relationships–devoted and adoring fans who relate to her book so much that they feel Tessa must understand them, personally, and should be their friend. Has reading a certain book ever made you feel so personally close to the author–that you feel they are thinking your very thoughts?
6. Tessa hears the voice of her main character very powerfully. Do you think that’s weird? Or do you think it’s logical that authors “hear” their character’s voices?
7. Tessa is on a weeks-long book tour, and must leave her beloved husband and two kids back home. How would you feel about that? She is the sole breadwinner–would that make a difference?
8. Tessa has to communicate with her family by Zoom and Facetime. And realizes she's only seeing what her husband and kids are putting in camera range–what are they leaving out? Would it frustrate you– or worry you?-- to know you’re not seeing the whole picture?
9. Tessa has memories of a gorgeous place she spent a few summer vacations. Did you have an idyllic place you visited as a child? What’s your best memory of that–or worst–and how vivid is it to you?
10. Tessa knows her life is an open book (ha ha) because her tour schedule is on her website–and as a result everyone knows exactly where she will be in person. And even what airport she might be using. Has the vulnerability of a public schedule ever seemed scary to you?
And for food for your event? Got to be Caesar salad with grilled chicken and a glass of red wine. That’s Tessa’s room service go-to!
Red readers, do you belong to a book club? How are the book selections made? What about the snacks? Does someone run the show or is it a free for all?
I don't belong to a book club . . . .
ReplyDeleteexcept for us here:)
DeleteSo true! 😄
DeleteI don't belong to a book club now.
ReplyDeleteI did before and one of the reasons I dropped out was they always choose books that I had no interest in reading and then if I did read it, most of the book clubbers did not read the book. It's better for me to read the books I want to read at any moment.
Yes I understand that Dru!
DeleteI have NEVER belonged to a book club!
ReplyDeleteI am happy to support a book I enjoy reading by writing book reviews, recommending it by word-of-mouth & posting on social media but reading (for me) is a solitary endeavour.
Sounds like a perfect solution for you Grace!
DeleteAgree with Lucy here.
DeleteI totally agree Grace about reading being a solitary endeavor
DeleteDoes a 4th grade book club count? Even if I don’t remember the book/books or why we had the group or if it was a kind of “new way to get kids to read” 1955 thing? Elisabeth Interesting that we early responders aren’t book club people??
ReplyDeleteIt is Elisabeth! But I do think we right here are your club!
DeleteYes, fourth grade book club counts. And I agree with Lucy.
DeleteWell, yes, Lucy. We may whine a bit more than we wine than some book clubs, but the book conversations are great! Elisabeth.
DeleteI have never belonged to a book club. There are a couple of bookclubs that I have followed on Facebook but usually I don't read what they assign. I prefer to choose what interests me. I am happy to recommend books that I love. JRW is my book club.
ReplyDeleteexactly!
DeleteSame here, JUDY.
DeleteThe idea that JRW is my book club sounds good to me. I often discover new to me novels from reading this blog daily.
DeleteExactly!
DeleteDiana, there are so many authors it is impossible to sample stories written by all of them.
DeleteInterestingly, I met one of my cousin's friends last week and we began to discuss mysteries. She is a long-time reader of that genre. As we talked, I realized that the only author (of the ones we discussed) that we had in common was Louise Penny.
Judy, lucky that you and a friend found an author that you both love.💕
DeleteYes I belong to a book club.
ReplyDeleteIt's the mystery book club at the Wareham Free Library and I co-run it with my partner in crime fiction Nancy.
How do the books get chosen? It starts with a list. I compile a list of titles and check to make sure there are enough copies of each title in the library system. If not, I take it off the list. Once it is set, I copy and paste the synopsis (usually from Amazon) into the list. Then I send it off to Nancy. She takes a look at it, makes a suggestion for any changes. Once the list is finalized, it goes out to the membership and they vote for their choices.
Nancy compiles the list by whatever deadline she lists in the initial email and at the next meeting the titles for the next two months are announced.
I do try to split the list between male and female authors since almost the entire membership of the mystery book club is female.
We generally don't do snacks except for the December meeting. We also try to choose a classic title once a year and if we can, we also try to pick a book once a year that has been adapted into a film and watch the film at the meeting after the discussion of the book. But we've only done that once so far.
Nancy and I run the show. She does a presentation and then the floor is opened for discussion. We did try to open up who runs the meeting every other month but as you might imagine, the membership never really liked to step up. Only once did someone else say they'd do it. So as it stands right now, Nancy and I do it. Oh and through effort and/or happenstance, I'm usually the one who stumbles into getting an author to either join the meeting via Zoom or making an in-person appearance when we read one of their books.
that sounds like a very well run group Jay--they are lucky to have you and Nancy.
DeleteJay sounds like you and Nancy do an amazing job.
DeleteJay, this sounds like your book club is very well organized. They are lucky to have you and Nancy.
DeleteJay, how do your readers response to having the author present? Does it stifle their comments or reaction to the book? Does everyone discuss with comments to be polite?
DeleteIt's a great book club, and I'm honored to have been invited twice!
DeleteI joined a library book club when we retired and moved to a new place. The leader sets the books and the schedule (the wonderful Leah) with a variety of genres. Usually I read the books each month, but if I don’t like it, I don’t read it and often go to the meeting to see what others say. It runs well.
DeleteAlso belong to a group of ladies in a book group. We set a schedule for the year and each member chooses one book for us to read. Again, we do really well staying on task and then usually chat the last 10-15 minutes.
Reading these comments, I realize I am lucky to have 2 book clubs that function well!
Congrats to Lucy, Rhys, and Hank on their new creations! And I get a TON of ideas from JRW, so enjoy this group! (Heather S)
Lucy, it seems to work but we do have moments where it feels like pulling teeth.
DeleteAnonymous & Diana - We like to do the parts we do and so it isn't WORK per se.
Margo, for some authors I couldn't have gotten the members to say a word if I'd lit a literal fire under them. But then others they were a lot more engaged. Which is why Nancy and I always prepare a bunch of questions when we are able to have a guest so if the rest of the group forgets how to speak, we still have plenty for the author to answer questions about.
Thanks Edith! And you were a great guest both times!
I belonged to a book club for over 20 years with around 12 people. We met once a month and one person was the "leader". We met in a room provided by a local Temple, not in someone's home. The leader brought snacks and prepared a 10 min talk about the author, then we discussed the book for about 40 min and the rest of the time (another hour) we chatted about all sorts of things! The book club is still going on (started around 1998). I left a few years ago because the book choices over time weren't ones that I was interested in. Books were chosen by a vote at the beginning of each year.
ReplyDeleteIt would be interesting to discuss the three JRW books but not the story from the readers view, but to ask questions of each author.
ReplyDeleteLet's do that!
DeleteThe only book club that I participated in was at my local public library Before the pandemic. I already knew what we were going to read because it was the Jane Austen Book club. We also read the modern adaptations like McCall Smith's EMMA, Joanne Trollope's SENSE AND SENSIBILITY and Val Dermid's NORTHANGER ABBEY.
ReplyDeleteFor me, reading a book is solitary. Though I have tried online book clubs, it did not work for me. The discussions on social media went too fast for me. Sometimes there will be multiple people typing comments about the book at the same time. I love the Book Club Questions for all three of your books. And who drew that picture of three ladies reading the three novels?
A relative and her daughter participated in a Mother-Daughter book club and one of the books they read was a children's? YA? novel by a local author. I think the title of the book was Birdie about a young teenager living in Medieval England.
I don’t belong to a book club, but have thought of joining one.
ReplyDeleteCount me in as a member of the JRW's book club, but no other. I'll choose what I want to read and when. The local library has a book club. This year, the leader (our adult section person) chose all of the books at the beginning of the year and printed out a flyer so people could see the list. I wouldn't have chosen any of them to read personally--just not interested. We do have a number of patrons who will read the book club selection, but don't come to the discussion. For them, it's a way of broadening their reading.
ReplyDeleteI have a good friend who is in two book clubs, and she is always reading something that she doesn’t necessarily enjoy. But I think she likes the company and the fact that it stretches her mind. Mine feels already very stretched.😂
DeleteSome of these comments are really interesting to me. I stick with my book club partly because they (we) choose books I wouldn't find on my own.We read books by women authors, mostly fiction. We try to include as many different cultures and places as we can.. Recently we read a book (Beyond the Bridge) that was translated from the French and set on the Caribbean island of Guadaloupe. Fascinating. I would never have picked it up myself. We also look for themes of social justice and liberation, as we are all older, political activist types. Our members are accomplished (not me so much), One, who was also a physician, has published a historical novel which I really enjoyed (Patricia Kullberg, Girl in the River). We maintain a running list of book suggestions and choose books by consensus a few at a time. It works well and I look forward to our meetings, even if I am hurrying to read the book at the last minute.
ReplyDeleteThat is so interesting, Gillian. Your book club sounds like a group of like-minded women with a purpose. If the discussions are interesting and the subject is intriguing, I can see how that would work.
DeleteAlso, some of the most vibrant conversations about books are between people with very different life experiences. For sure, you have done some things no one else in the group has done.
I no longer belong to an in person book club, although I have contemplated joining the one in my new neighborhood. I like reading my own thing and am happy to talk books with my friends more informally.
ReplyDeleteI belong to two book clubs both very close to each other and ‘sponsored’ by the library and therefore free. There is a collection of about 200 books from libraries around the province. Some book bags have cd’s, and maybe 1 large print, but always 10 copies of the book. Obviously, each book club can accommodate up to 10 readers. I always try and read the audiobook, which causes some other readers grief, as they, never having listened to a book, don’t understand what I can be hearing. Otherwise, I try and get the ebook (I have trouble reading the script in a regular book), so really appreciate if we know what we are reading a few months in advance so I can get the book.
ReplyDeleteBoth clubs are very different. The first one is coming up on the 15th anniversary, and I think I have been there for 12 of them. It has no format, except that we all get the book, have a month to read it, and then the choser of the book (10 books a season and 10 members = 1 choice a year), begins the discussion with their opinion on the book. This can vary from context, writer’s ability, time-flipping, setting – whatever you want to talk about. Speaker has the floor, but you can ask questions/interject/debate either through their talk, or when you get the floor. Turns come around the table. Each person at the end of their speech, rates the book. This is often more interesting than the comments. Score out of 10. Next question is would you recommend it to someone else – often a high score does not mean the book is recommended, or recommended with caveats. I have been accused of having Margo math – which apparently is not a proper thing. For interest it might begin – give her a 4 because she wrote it (that might be a 2 – depends) + 4 for subject matter, but – 6 because it was so contrived and did not make any sense, add a -2 for main character being too stupid to live, and then a red bow to tie it up – yuck! (once you see the red bow, the whole group starts deleting points!) So add it up and you get 6. (I have no idea how it comes to 6 but apparently Margo math doesn’t make sense anyway. Others have started to use it…) The end of the discussion brings on the tea and cakes – tea was put on 2 hours ago, and cakes could possibly be egg salad sandwiches. ‘Cakes’ are responsibility of the person whose book it is. We all love it, and love the format. Meeting are 2:30 – 4:30 in case you need to book an Uber (husband).
Second club is 5 readers, access to the same collection, and boring as sin. Liberrian choses book (she likes mushy love stories, none of us do), we read them, come together at the Center after picking up a leftover tea and cookie from the previous group using the area, and settle. “Did you like the book?” “Enter quick comment here”. Meeting is over. Think I stay because there are too few people to quit. Often find myself rereading a book previously chosen by other book club that I probably read 5 years before.
As you can see, we rarely get ‘hot off the press’ books, and I don’t think any of the three books suggested this morning would ever be on the list – nor would War and Peace. I think we only read 2 mysteries – Louise Penny’s Still Life – maybe not the best to introduce the characters or maybe you need two books to get to love her, and a book about a mystery on Malta in WW2 involving a soldier – I forget the title, but it was very good. I would love to debate The Thursday Murder Club.
Anyway, long winded way of saying that I love Club 1. We read stuff that I often would not. We debate freely and without consequence. I would always recommend joining a book club.
Like Jay, I belong to a book club for mystery readers and am one of the two coordinators. Unlike Jay and his co-leader, we aren't that organized! We started the group about a year ago as part of the program of the OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) at a local university. We have about 12-15 active members and meet monthly. In fact, we are meeting later today to talk about Bootlegger's Daughter by Margaret Maron. We've been focusing on series books and reading the first book in the series. If we can find discussion questions, we use those but otherwise we just wing it (sometimes that works, sometimes it doesn't). We pick the next book at the end of each meeting -- someone checks local library copies while we talk. Right now we are meeting on Zoom because our building is closed on Fridays during the summer, but our meetings are usually a combination of Zoom and in-person. Most of the classes our OLLI offers are that same combination so everyone is familiar with it and it works well for us.
ReplyDeleteChris, that sounds like fun! if at some point, you would like to have one or more of the reds visit, we would be delighted.
DeleteOh, that would be wonderful. I'd love it and I'll ask the group. I can't imagine they would say no.
DeleteYes, we are all in! xxx
DeleteI have to organize and so does Nancy, that's just how we work things. The hard part is making sure the book we want to read has enough copies in the system. Sometimes we read the first book in the series but sometimes we don't have a choice and have to read one a little further along.
DeleteI love the food suggestions, Lucy, Rhys, and Hank.
ReplyDeleteI don't belong to a book club, but I write a series based on one (the Cozy Capers Book Group Mysteries)! They only read cozy mysteries, and food is up to the host, which rotates.
Great idea, to summarize and provide questions for book clubs, Reds!
ReplyDeleteI've talked about my book clubs before, and I am still grateful for the one I have stuck with now for maybe 16 years. The other one is still going, but even after being a member for close to 10 years, with two neighbors in the group, I never felt like a treasured part of it. Almost everyone was a librarian, or had volunteered at the library, except me and one neighbor. Four of the members, no lie, are named Jeanne, two syllables, so I always called it the Jeanne Book Club. For all their experience as librarians, there was a lot of judgement about books and choices made on what to read, which I got frustrated with. To me, a book club should challenge the members, and make us think about issues and relationships we might not have access to in real life, and they stick with safe stuff.
Contrast that to the "Mary Kay" book club, as I refer to it because the children's science author Mary Kay Carson invited me to join it. Through the years we have lost members who moved away, and now four members have passed to the big library in the sky. Over the years the dynamic of the group has changed, with several of the male partners now active participants. It's an eclectic group. Not just that the professions are so varied, but also that we have couples with no children, including Judy and Leslie, married lesbians, a surgeon and a hospital chaplain. One member has a trans child, which has led to some serious discussions I would never have had otherwise. There are some different perspectives from my own that I appreciate. We mostly stick to older books, including some I would not ordinarily choose to read on my own, but our discussions almost always make me glad I persevered.
those sound like fascinating groups of readers Karen! I love the description of going to the big library in the sky. May it be so!
DeleteThat is what I like about my Book Club 1. The different genres of books, and the different things we all bring to the table. One of our members (sadly she died a few years ago) joined the bookclub with a very low literacy aptitude. She only borrowed books from the library about elementary school reading level. She tried to read all the books and although she often didn't finish the book, she never failed to offer a comment on what she had read, that usually stumped the rest of us for the insight.
DeleteAs for diversity - one member has a Queer daughter, one is an environmentalist, one is very Christian woman's and children's welfare who worked often in Haiti when she could go there, all of us have had death, and tragedy of some form in their families, and all of us have some nugget of life experiences to offer to the discussion - without prejudice.
That wasn't Karen that was me. Need more water...to restart brain.
DeleteMargo, you are a hoot!!
DeleteWe have a member like your late friend, whose comments and observations are brilliant and insightful. I am always eager to hear what Dawn thinks.
I don't belong to a book club. Like others, I want to read want I want to read in the moment. Although the local library does run a mystery book club that meets every other month. I want to visit, but they meet on Fridays at 11. I'd have to work it out so I could take an early lunch or something.
ReplyDeleteI did participate in one book club where they usually rated the book. Because I was there, they did not - even though I told them I wouldn't get my feelings hurt if someone rated the book low. :)
Fascinating thread today! I live on the boundary between two library systems so I belong to a bookclub in each. I joined because I read so many mysteries I wanted to try other genres and have been exposed to lovely, thought provoking books I'd never otherwise try - The Midnight Library, The Measure, Olivia Ketteridge, A Gentleman in Moscow... I like finding out others found the same books great or frustrating or couldn't figure out how they won all those awards. Sometimes it's very much a book I wouldn't otherwise read, but it balances out. Jay's mystery-themed bookclub sounds wonderful, nothing like that in this area sadly, so hooray for online communities.
ReplyDeleteKathy, I also read all those books because of book club. And the best book club discussion we ever had was when we dissected The Midnight Library. Second best was about The Measure, which was such a thought-provoking story.
DeleteI love book discussions questions! Probably all those years of running library book clubs. I enjoy having the author's input on the discussion. Well done, Lucy!
ReplyDeleteI’ve never belonged to a book club. JRW is my book club!
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in college I briefly attended meetings of a book club consisting of students and faculty. It was hard to keep up with the book club book and stay on top of my studies, so I left after a couple of meetings. I don’t really think of myself as having been a member of that club.
I’d rather spend my time reading, than talking about books, if I even like the club’s current choice.
DebRo
Years ago I belonged to a genre book club at my library. There was a genre agreed upon for each month and folks could pick whatever book they fancied as long as it remained in said genre. Basically, members gave a brief synopsis of what they read and how it impacted them. I found myself being forced to try new genres which was great for my personal reading growth. I also discovered a number of new-to-me authors that way. I really enjoyed it except that the librarian in charge of the group never actually took charge. So, you would get folks who dominated every discussion with either their expertise or how they saw it. Many times, the shy folks were talked over because the moderator was afraid to moderate. I finally got so frustrated that I quit going. It was a shame because I really liked learning what everyone was reading based on the genre vs all reading the same book. -- Victoria
ReplyDeleteVictoria, I laughed at your description of the moderator who wouldn't moderate. That can be so frustrating.
DeleteI don't belong to a book club but I'm always reading. I just finished the audio version of Mrs Endicott's Splendid Adventure and it was wonderful! I highly recommend it. If I hadn't see so much about it here I probably wouldn't have tried it as it's not a mystery. I'm so glad I read it.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Betty
DeleteNo book club here unless you count online clubs. My one exposure to a live book club was pretty negative (and funny), so I haven't dared since. I do check to see what the library book clubs are reading but haven't been tempted so far to join.
ReplyDeleteThese questions are SO great! I love how there are no spoilers, and you can really tell what the book is about. And yes, I agree, book clubs SOUND great, but they sometimes have their...foibles. Except here at the Reds, of course!
ReplyDeleteI belonged to a traditional book club for a few years about 15 years ago. We had all worked at the same school at one point or another. It did expand my reading horizons into some genres or books I normally wouldn’t have chosen. But so many times most people hadn’t read the book. It became a catch up session (which was great because many people had changed schools or retired so we didn’t see each other very often) with a lot of wine mixed in, but not much book discussion. (We could have just as easily met at a restaurant for dinner and achieved the same thing.) I don’t know what happened but it somehow petered out after awhile.
ReplyDeleteWithin my group of elementary librarian colleagues we tried to start a children’s book club. We each brought a couple of kids’ books and gave a “book talk” so as to expand our knowledge of the many great books we had in our libraries. That was great fun but didn’t last long. This same group tried a traditional book club, since many of us are now retired. Again, it petered out.
I’m with many people who have stated that JRW is my book club. And I am very happy to be here. — Pat S
HANK: we just asked our library to notify us when your book is available. It said it will be published 8 September 2025.
ReplyDeleteI belong to two book clubs. The first is when we used to have years ago called Street walkers and when everyone moved away and Covid came, we resorted to zoom which was really terrific during that horrible. We read everything and it is usually based on someone suggestion. Now, half of the Members meet via Zoom and the other half come in person. One of my favorite things to do, however is to attend Murder By The Book. This is our library book club and focuses on mysteries only. There are 25 members and a terrific librarian who does a tremendous amount of research on the authors as well as as the books. After she gives us a rundown, she asks who liked it and who didn’t. The really humorous part is I always like every book because I know how hard it is to get a beginning, a middle and an end that a publisher wants to publish! So I’m always in awe of every writer To that end, we laugh so hard because this group really pulls the books apart, even when they love them. I have told them that they are absolutely not allowed to do my books at their book club! I fear my poor heart, wouldn’t hold up! Seriously though they are a terrific bunch of people and I love going every month. Plus I feel like it gives me a really good perspective on my own writing. I get a chance to see what really irritates readers and make sure I don’t Make those mistakes And of course I get a lot of great recommendations to read from jungle reds. I spent most of the summer with my head down due to a pesky detached retina, and after three surgeries, I can tell you what kind of shoes and feet everybody has. I can also tell you that all the great recommendations for Books, which I have to listen to rather than read have saved My sanity.
ReplyDeleteSadly, I belong to no book clubs. I say sadly because I think I'd really enjoy being in one. However, problems that present themselves are the women I know where I live would not be women I'd want to be in a book club with. The women where I live with whom I'd like to be in a book club are dead. It's the truth. My best friend and best book buddy a gal could ever have has been gone five years. We went to book events together, too. Anything at our library isn't appealing to me because of the closed minded attitude of the director and several staff members. They don't welcome new unproven authors to their bookshelves. My dream book club is a group of open-minded, intelligent women who are interested in lots of different things (and won't come and just talk about gardening on the side), ones who like to eat good food (maybe meet at a restaurant), ones who might even be interested in visiting something present in the book (something unique, like a shoe repair shop still in business), and, of course, agreeable personalities. Oh, back to the problems of a book club for me is that there's a chance I might want to control it. A bit of control-freak coming through in wanting to keep things organized and on-track. Or, there might be someone else who is a control-freak and want to dominate. I wouldn't be a dominating control-freak; I'd be a nice control-freak. Haha. I haven't completely given up on a book club. We're building a new senior center here, and the library room at the current one is not really a big part of the center. I'd like to change that, with perhaps some book club offerings. Who knows, I could even include men. I will add to those who consider the Jungle Reds a type of book club. It really fits so many wants and needs, except we don't go out to eat .
ReplyDeleteThanks for the book club questions--I really enjoyed reading them. I don't belong to a book club, but I was asked to be a guest at a couple in Bern and Zürich and even (via Zoom) one in Ohio. They were all a lot of fun, and I was very flattered and pleased to be asked. I love taking about my books with people who've read them and have questions, even critical ones!
ReplyDeleteI belong to a book club here in Portugal and am enjoying it very much. I have to say we are very informal, and we are small - our attendance is usually 6 or 8, because no shows are usually traveling. We meet once a month at a cafe, and whoever picked that month's read usually kicks the discussion off by the equivalent of "Did anyone wonder about ..." Like I say, informal, but we actually have some good discussions. No special treats, though, unless they are on the menu. 🙂
ReplyDeleteI hope I don't leave anyone out but here's a list of the authors we've had that were either in person at a meeting or Zoomed in for it.
ReplyDeleteIngrid Thoft, Edith Maxwell (2x), Craig Johnson, Jane K. Cleland and Julie Hennrikus. We also sent questions to Rhys Bowen who responded to them so that became part of a meeting when we read one of her books as well.
I truly hope I didn't forget to mention someone because I enjoyed every author who took the time to make the appearance. Also, whenever we select a book, I try to send a message to the author's professional page on Facebook to let them know we are reading it and I usually send along the flyer the library makes up advertising the selection.