Book Clubs

[imoan]

How many book clubs are you a member of?

I'm currently in 2 book clubs and then have my challenge by myself. The first book club meets virtually (with the lovely women of TIP). I really enjoy this one... we read great books, we have good discussions, and I love the women.

The second book club kind of blows and I'm considering leaving. We just don't really see eye-to-eye on what a book club should be. Most of the women (friends of a friend) are really shallow and vapid and don't want to read anything of substance. They were actually all saying during our last meeting that they want to read 50 Shades of Gray for our next book. That was pretty much when I knew it was the beginning of the end.

Are you in any book clubs? Do you like one over the other? What has your experience been?

[lemondrop]

Other than the ones we just started on here, I'm not. I think I'd enjoy one IRL until we get to a stupid book decision. I don't blame you at all for wanting to leave a book club that wants to read 50SoG, especially if they're vapid in general. I can't imagine discussions are all that deep.

After my move, I think I'm going to look to join one.

[imoan]

I just don't understand. What could you POSSIBLY discussion in-depth about a book like 50SoG?! And how awkward would that meeting be?! We read The Dante Club (Matthew Pearl) for our first book... and they were all bitching about how it was a tough read and it was long. The one we were supposed to read for this meeting was Act Like a Woman, Think Like a Man (Steve Harvey). I don't know how we would discuss that one either. I'm not going to join them for that discussion... but what do you say about that book?

[pthermal]

I'm in 2. One FB local club and the other is a FB nestie (getting pregnant moms) one.

The picks are decent. Some fluff some 'real' reading. For instance last month's picks were The Fault in Our Stars and The Hobbit. Next month is Little Bee and Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children.

[PinkSquirrel]

May 18, 2012 14:41:05 GMT -5 imoan said:

I just don't understand. What could you POSSIBLY discussion in-depth about a book like 50SoG?! And how awkward would that meeting be?!

I think a lot of people reading it have no idea what it's about, they just hear other people talking about it and decide they must read it. I would honestly love to sit in a room an watch people try to discuss something like 50 shades. I have zero shame and am not easily embarrassed talking about sex, but watching others squirm would ba AMAZING.

I'm not currently in any book clubs. A friend and I are trying to get one started. I'm pretty sure we'll just get drunk and forget to talk about the book if we don't recruit some additional members

[DarcyLongfellow]

Just ones on TN/here.

I was in one years ago. It was definitely the "sit around, gossip, and drink wine -- oh, and just call it book club" variety. Unfortunately, I was new to town and this was a book club put together by a friend of a girl I'd just met, so it was a bit weird/boring for me since I didn't know any of the people they were gossiping about.

A local bookstore in my town has a book club. I've thought about joining it, but the discussions are at an awkward time for me (bed time for DD during the week). Maybe someday when she's older :-)

[lemondrop]

May 18, 2012 14:41:05 GMT -5 imoan said:

I just don't understand. What could you POSSIBLY discussion in-depth about a book like 50SoG?! And how awkward would that meeting be?! We read The Dante Club (Matthew Pearl) for our first book... and they were all bitching about how it was a tough read and it was long. The one we were supposed to read for this meeting was Act Like a Woman, Think Like a Man (Steve Harvey). I don't know how we would discuss that one either. I'm not going to join them for that discussion... but what do you say about that book?

I'm guessing 50SoG discussions go something like this:

"OMG! This book was so amazing."

"Oh, I totally agree. It saved my marriage."

"Mine, too. OMG."

"How many times did you masturbate while reading?"

I'm not even sure what the Steve Harvey book is about.

[chicacocodrilo]

I'm in one. It's been great for the most part. We meet for dinner, have a few drinks, then vote on the next book. We tend to stay away from the fluff, and go back and forth with contemporary literature and classics. I'd say our worst selections were Adrenaline and Before I Go to Sleep. I wasn't the only one who thought so, which was a relief, I was worried we'd be stuck on that track.

We have good discussions--I always walk away thinking about something I hadn't noticed or didn't really consider when I read the novel. Good group of women, but with life getting the way, it's kind of falling apart. We haven't met since March.

I was just talking to a coworker who wants to start a book club here since her book club has fallen apart, too. I told her I was in! Fingers crossed it pans out.

[bluelikejazz]

None in real life. I tried to start one but it became a bunch of women either not showing up or coming and saying "I haven't finished the book, I don't want spoilers" and then just drinking and visiting.

I plan on participating in the Wuthering Heights discussion though!

[BravoBravo]

I tried to make one in a mom's group I was in and everyone was hot and heavy to do it. But then everyone would cancel, I tried to do it with FB but that was a flop too.

[imoan]

I love the way we do it on TIP using our chatzy board. We grab our own wine, cozy up in front of our laptops and talk. So far we've done My Antonia, Watership Down, Flowers for Algernon and now The Great Gatsby. Much better than the shit my other book club picks.

[secretlyevil]

I've been in a book club for over five years. Members take turn picking books for each month. We've read anything from self-help (don't ask) to poetry to non-fiction to fluffy and everything in between. Only two rules - we read books no one has read before and if it's your choice, you lead the discussion. Works out pretty well. There is no way I could be in more than one. I tried to participate in a few on the other board but it was just too much.

ETA: Mine was started by myself and another knottie from the local board I met while wedding planning.

[shananagins]

I'm in 3 IRL book clubs. I don't go to all 3 regularly. One is way more a wine club that occasionally talks about a book, one is a group of coworkers (teachers) and that one is great because it's a combo dinner club/ book club. I look forward to it every month. The third is all neighbors. I only go to it if it's a book I'm excited about. When I found out my neighborhood had a book club I was excited. Unfortunately it's not that great

[angnshaun]

One. They are mine and my sisters friends. Like i said in the other thread its a drinking slash book club... I didnt get home till after midnight last night. We all live with in walking distance and we either walk or when its nice ride bikes!

ETA: just want to point out that we absolutely talk about the book most of the time we go back and forth ....

[nova726]

I'm not in any.

I'm always considering joining one but then I don't because I just want to read the books that I want to read, I don't want to "have"to read something.

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[ChillyMcFreeze]

I recently joined one with some women I work with and their college friends, but we haven't met since March. The two books we read since I joined were good: Silver Sparrow and The Night Circus. We have good discussions AND plenty of wine! It's pretty great.

[So_Fetch]

My job has sucked so much that I haven't had time to read - but as of June 1 things will get better and hopefully I'll be able to do the TIP book club. I am a part of an IRL book club - but we've gotten to the point where it's mostly a "meet up and have dinner" club. We read popular fiction mostly. (ie The Help).

[duckduck]

I'm here and I'm in one book club IRL. I really like it. We read a mix of stuff and we do actually talk about the books! Sometimes we get into pretty in-depth discussions, and other times we just can't find that much to say about it and we veer off pretty quickly into talking about husbands and babies. It depends on the book.

The only drawback for me is that one of the girls is a slow reader, so we can't pick anything that's too long. It rules out a lot of books that we'd otherwise like to read. We might need to start saying "read to the halfway point and we'll spend two meetings on this one" or something.

[Eggie]

None in real life.. I prefer the virtual ones like this and NBC because they are less pressure and if I don't want to participate in a discussion/read a book, it's no biggie. :Y:

[lemondrop]

May 20, 2012 11:12:43 GMT -5 Eggie said:

None in real life.. I prefer the virtual ones like this and NBC because they are less pressure and if I don't want to participate in a discussion/read a book, it's no biggie.

I like that, too. I would still love to find a perfect IRL book club, where the books are interesting, the conversation flows and people who don't read the book don't complain about spoilers.

[sparrowsong]

No, I should join one though because I need to meet more women friends.

I'm stubborn about what I read though. When my to-read list is like 80 books long, I hate "wasting time" reading a book that is not something I really want to read. That's really the main reason why I've never joined one.

[mollymoe]

I've never been part of a book club although I also thought it would be a good way for me to meet new friends. I've never meet anyone that belongs to a club and I think I would be too nervous to join one through meetup.com or something similar.

[angnshaun]

May 20, 2012 11:22:02 GMT -5 lemondrop said:

May 20, 2012 11:12:43 GMT -5 Eggie said:

None in real life.. I prefer the virtual ones like this and NBC because they are less pressure and if I don't want to participate in a discussion/read a book, it's no biggie.

I like that, too. I would still love to find a perfect IRL book club, where the books are interesting, the conversation flows and people who don't read the book don't complain about spoilers.

There have been a few bcs that i didnt read the book for whatever reason. I find that online bcs i rarely read the books. The IRL BC keeps me honest kwim lol

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[Eggie]

May 20, 2012 11:22:02 GMT -5 lemondrop said:

May 20, 2012 11:12:43 GMT -5 Eggie said:

None in real life.. I prefer the virtual ones like this and NBC because they are less pressure and if I don't want to participate in a discussion/read a book, it's no biggie.

I like that, too. I would still love to find a perfect IRL book club, where the books are interesting, the conversation flows and people who don't read the book don't complain about spoilers.

This would be ideal!! Maybe someday.. a girl can dream, right!

[lemondrop]

May 20, 2012 19:53:14 GMT -5 Eggie said:

May 20, 2012 11:22:02 GMT -5 lemondrop said:

I like that, too. I would still love to find a perfect IRL book club, where the books are interesting, the conversation flows and people who don't read the book don't complain about spoilers.

This would be ideal!! Maybe someday.. a girl can dream, right!

I often wish I could live entirely in dream world.

[secretlyevil]

Too bad you all aren't by me. My book club comes pretty darn close to the "perfect book club."