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What is your Book Discussion Group reading these days?

C

Concetta

New Member
I attend the book discussion group at the local public library and I am really enjoying it. The best thing for me is that I am reading books I may never have picked up on my own.

The library just published the list for 2007 and here it is:

January - The Children’s Blizzard - David Laskin
Februrary - Beloved - Toni Morrison
March - The Master - Colm Toibin
April - The Turn of the Screw & Other Short Fiction - Henry James
May - The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - Mark Twain
June - 1776 - David McCullough
July - Washington’s General - Terry Golway
August - Le Pere Goriot - Honore de Balzac
September - To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
October - The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay - Michael Chabon
November - The Lost Painting - Jonathan Harr
December - The Crying of Lot 49 - Thomas Pynchon

What do you think? I am looking forward to many of these.

Do you belong to a live book discussion group? What are you reading? How is it going? How do you select books?
 
I belong to a group that meets at my local library too. We started in July and so far the group has changed each time according to who can get there. I'm the only one who has been there every time. We are not all reading the same book. We just get together and talk about what each of us have been reading. I've asked everyone if they would want to do a group read and they've all said they prefer the open-ended concept. The problem is, there's no comittment so I never know how many will be there and I'm expected to provide snacks. Last time, the other facilitator couldn't be there so I had to provide food and drink too. We meet tomorrow night, so I'll report over the weekend!
 
I'm not in a book group which is one of the reasons I'm here.
I'm ashamed to say I've not read any of the books on your list....not even the "classics":eek:
 
Phlebas said:
I'm not in a book group which is one of the reasons I'm here.
I'm ashamed to say I've not read any of the books on your list....not even the "classics":eek:
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What I have found with my f2f group is that most of them are reading what I would call lighter stuff..there have been notable exceptions, but for the most part, these ladies don't want to encounter anything "too shocking"..which is a bit frustrating for those of us who want to read more than the Mitford series, for example. That's why we're keeping it open ended. Some of the ladies had a bad experience with the first Oprah book, so they're leery of anything in the modern literary fiction genre (this is where I wish we had Moto's similie with the head bashing the wall)
 
I'm not in one either, to be honest it doesn't appeal at all! I'm more of a mood reader and couldn't be doing with a reading list compiled by someone else. My selection policy involves a long session in waterstones perusing book-backs, then purchasing my next 5 or 6. The internet plays a big part in my choices based on recommendations and reviews.
 
abecedarian said:
Some of the ladies had a bad experience with the first Oprah book, so they're leery of anything in the modern literary fiction genre (this is where I wish we had Moto's similie with the head bashing the wall)
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First Oprah book = modern literary fiction genre; afraid you've lost me.
Are you saying they read something by Oprah and as a result won't read anything by a contemporary author again?:confused:
 
Phlebas said:
First Oprah book = modern literary fiction genre; afraid you've lost me.
Are you saying they read something by Oprah and as a result won't read anything by a contemporary author again?:confused:
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Not exactly..they don't want to have to discuss a "smutty book"..(feel free to say that in your best Hermione Gringold imitation) I think most of these ladies don't want to read outside their comfort zone. Only one is close to my age, and she's much more flexible..the rest are old enough to be my mother and except for one or two..they just don't want to be challenged. It's very hard to explain, and I like each and every one of these people..
 
I think we are voting on the year's list next Wed., it's a new group for me and I'm not sure yet if I'll stick with it.
 
that's pathetic. i've only read one of those books.

i belong to a group especially for sir gawain and the green knight. as for what our book club is reading..erm..there's about 15 people and we can't make up our mind. lunch, when me meet, is only 20 means and everyone argues non stop. i'm thinking of starting a group at a bookstore.
 
abcde:

  • My book group was talking about starting a half hour earlier to have a more "open" discussion prior to discussing the book of the month - we haven't yet decided on that. Is yours an interesting discussion?
  • What is f2f?
  • Also, what is interesting to me is that the thing that your group doesn't like about selecting a book for the whole group to read is exactly what attracts the members of my group - the "I would have never picked this up otherwise" factor or, as you put it, reading outside your comfort zone. Even in the cases where someone doesn't like the book (which was my case last month) the discussions are still fun to be a part of and I am always glad I went.
  • We don't have a set group either, although there are some "regulars" - the library director brings in some bottled water, some people buy some coffee before they get there - stop with the food thing if it makes it too hard...
 
Concetta said:
abcde:
  • My book group was talking about starting a half hour earlier to have a more "open" discussion prior to discussing the book of the month - we haven't yet decided on that. Is yours an interesting discussion?
  • What is f2f?
  • Also, what is interesting to me is that the thing that your group doesn't like about selecting a book for the whole group to read is exactly what attracts the members of my group - the "I would have never picked this up otherwise" factor or, as you put it, reading outside your comfort zone. Even in the cases where someone doesn't like the book (which was my case last month) the discussions are still fun to be a part of and I am always glad I went.
  • We don't have a set group either, although there are some "regulars" - the library director brings in some bottled water, some people buy some coffee before they get there - stop with the food thing if it makes it too hard...
Click to expand...

f2f=face to face..as opposed to online like this!

Its funny how much we find to talk about with us each reading something totally different. Even if someone is reading something I would not want to read, the topic and the interest that person has in it, makes the book worthy of some discussion. With most of them being older, they usually start reminiscing and then pretty soon we all are.

I was really torn between the two types of groups when I was planning this..for the reasons you mention. Yet, we find ourselves taking notes of the other books mentioned at the last meeting, I jumped up and grabbed a few books off the shelf so they could actuallly look at some books I thought they'd like. So really, I don't think there's just one way to do this book group stuff. Its fun however it gets done.

Tomorrow night, I thought I'd see if someone else wants to do snacks, or if they are even essential. The main reason I wanted to include them at all is because the librarians who participate will not have had dinner, and might be pretty hungry by 6:30 pm.
 
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