Let’s talk about book club.
The inspiration to start one came from Amanda via Twitter. (Here is the original tweet.) I fell in love with the idea immediately. I’ve always wanted to join a book club. Minus the part where you get together with people you don’t know well and socialize, it sounds like something I would really enjoy. All the open book clubs I know of in my area are “meetups” or hosted by large stores, like Barnes and Noble. Strangers. Pass.
I put feelers out on Twitter and Facebook, and enough people liked the idea for me to move forward. Yay! Time to brainstorm.
The first thing we need to decide on is subject matter or genre. I’ll share some ideas we’ve tossed around the past month on Facebook. Let me know which one, if any, you prefer, and share your suggestions as well. Sometime next week, I will pick the most popular ones and put it to a vote. The vote will mist likely decide the book club unless, of course, the vote results in Elizabethan Poetry or Self Published Vampire Erotica. I will immediately pull rank, and with pleasure.
- Contemporary Children’s/Young Adult. I’ve read The Twilight Series and The Iron Fey Series. That is the extent of my experience with this genre, minus one or two books I’m sure I’m forgetting. If we focused on children’s/young adult books, I would like to use this club as a way to read ahead of Mikey and monitor his content. Finding books at his level with appropriate content is a challenge. And, okay, it’s an excuse for me to read books like The Hunger Games. (Nope, never read it.)
- Classic Children’s Literature/Young Adult. Nothing revolutionary here, just revisiting the classics and reading what we read as children, but with a greater appreciation for themes we may have been too naive to understand.
- Contemporary Fiction. The bestsellers, the talked about “it” books, or the whispered ones only cool people know about for the time being. These are the books Hollywood turns into movies so, no, not all of them will read like Dickens. Addictive books fall into this category.
- Contemporary Literature. Jonathon Safran Foer, Nicole Krauss, Haruki Murakami, Jeffrey Eugenides, and anyone else who puts a little meat on the bone. I admit I’m a little partial to this one. I always feel better about myself when I dip into my unread library (more on that here), and a contemporary lit club would, hopefully, give that feeling of accomplishment I sometimes deny myself.
Some other ideas are to read from lists, like the Western Canon or 100 Greatest Books of All Time, etc. Really, the possibilities are endless, and we can always combine categories. Vampiric Urban Fantasy meets Spanish Literature? Easy enough. In Venezuela they call that Hugo Ch�vez. (Zing!) I’ll be happy with almost anything, although I would love to focus on contemporary titles. I am so, so, so behind. For years I only read Latin American literature by the likes of Garcia Marquez, Esquivel, Allende, Puig, Rulfo, etc. It was an addiction, though now I can barely tolerate the lyrical writing. Then I went to law school. Then I had children. There is an entire decade of reading I’ve missed, with the exception of John Irving. I became obsessed with him while pregnant with Nicholas. (He can be hit or miss, don’t you think?)
So. Genre/theme/subject matter: let’s pick one.
We’ll discuss where to “meet” after we decide what to read. I can tell you it won’t be in person! (Holla!)
Having just been asked to join a local book club w/other English speaking colleagues at the university, I will take a back seat on this one. However, I’m still intrigued. My local book club will be focusing on contemporary fiction/literature (starting w/’Cutting for Stone’), but, like you, I’m also curious about ‘The Hunger Games’. I’m game for anything, so I’ll just see where this goes and perhaps just take it book by book. Fun idea!
I’ll give it a whirl. I don’t have a good track record with book clubs though. I never had time to read the books but went to the social meetings (neighborhood book club) for the food. That doesn’t sound like me does it? Snark snark.
I think the great thing about book clubs is they can “force” you to read something you normally wouldn’t. Since the only thing currently on my list is “The Hunger Games”, I’m game for any of the above. The only thing that scares me a bit is contemperary fiction . . . sometimes it’s good and sometimes I wonder what I should be smoking to make it rise to the rave reviews. But, then again, still reading something I otherwise wouldn’t . . . so . . . it’s all good!
What do you mean I’m not helpful?
Like Amy, I’m game for any of the above but the contemporary fiction scares me a little (same reason). Maybe the adult contemporary with a sprinkling of young adult contemporary? If you go with the young adult contemporary I’d be reading ahead of my son too, and I like that. I’ve read the Twilight Series (meh) and the first book of the Hunger Games (pleasantly surprised). Whatever you decide, I look forward to this book club. It’s right up my alley.
Nothing against YA (I devoured the Hunger Games series (see what I did there?)), but my top pick would also be contemporary lit. Second would be contemporary fiction, but I read enough of that on my own that delving into some more “meaty” texts would be a welcome change and would probably provide more fodder for discussion. Also, this: “Vampiric Urban Fantasy meets Spanish Literature? Easy enough. In Venezuela they call that Hugo Ch�vez. (Zing!)?” Hilarious.
I like to read a little from each category, so I’m game for anything. Would it be too crazy to rotate categories?
I like the idea to rotate categories!
My top choices would be contemporary lit and contemporary fiction, but YA would be OK too. I can’t read ahead of my 14yo daughter – she just finished both Pillars of the Earth books and is on the second Game of Thrones, so we’re pretty much neck and neck. :) A few months ago (before I read about your unread library) I made a commitment to one shelf – to read and get rid of, to read and keep, or to edcide I’m never going to read and just get rid of, each book. Pretty much all the books on this shelf are contemporary lit – lots of stuff from other countries, so I’d be thrilled if we read any of those. Eugenides’ new book is on my list to read. Irving is mostly a miss for me, not sure why. I’ve loved some of Ann Patchett (Bel Canto) but not all of it. In addition to reading a shared book, I’d also love a place for people to post suggestions.
I like the idea for the challenge it’ll be. I’m not very well read and am not familiar with most of the authors you mentioned, but I would love to be pushed a little. I’ve been stuck in the self help/hobby section for years. I’d like to get lost in something.
I’ll be honest–contemporary fiction scares me, too. I’m afraid it will be all James Patterson.
I like that contemporary lit is in the lead. On Facebook, YA was definitely the favorite. It’s only 6:30am, so there’s still time for the vote to swing in that direction. ;)
I’m already a member of a book club here in town (like you, I was wary of the meet-strangers-in-Barnes-and-Noble variety, so I just up and started my own three years ago, and we’ve been going strong ever since), so I’m not sure I’ll be able to participate in this, but for what it’s worth, I love the idea of re-reading classic children’s literature. The other day, I was watching “Little Women,” and I realized just how much of that book was full of ideas on education and feminism… It would undoubtedly spark lots of great discussion today, now that we’re all adults and over the fact that Laurie chose Amy (oh wait… not over it). I kind of like Melissa’s idea of rotating categories. That way you’re reading something different and unique each month. My “in-person” book club does mainly contemporary fiction (we’re reading “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” for January and did “The Hunger Games” earlier this year), but really it’s whatever the 8 of us want to read each month. (We use a voting process.) Anyway, I may not be able to participate in this club every month, but I’d undoubtedly be reading along behind you… :)
I’m not over Laurie choosing Amy, either.
I had to read Little Men and Jo’s Boys to decide Jo was totally better off without him, and that their was room in my heart for the professor.
I might have to do that. I think I read both as a child but was so pissed off I couldn’t enjoy it. ;)
I was a YA voter, but honestly, I’m willing to give it a shot on whatever is decided. Jules, you might just have draw a category out of a hat…
I know, I know. It might have to come to that! We are all such book lovers that we don’t really care one way or the other.
My vote is for Contemporary literature. One of my best friends was a middle school librarian and I’ve had my fill of Young Adult Lit.
That’s the one I’m voting for, too!
I’m game for reading anything, and one of the things I’ve loved about bookgroups is that I’ve read things I wouldn’t otherwise. Sometimes I’m pleasantly surprised, occasionally I’m thrilled, and every once in a while I wish for those hours back.
In my face-to-face bookgroup (which recently died after 5 years, so I’m especially excited about this one) we had a few ground rules that I think were useful: books had to be available in paperback, and they couldn’t be over a certain length. To choose books we just rotated picks (reverse alphabetically by first name, if you’re interested) so everyone got a chance to choose. Another model is my mother’s long-time bookgroup: they had one meeting a year at a bookstore where they all pulled all the books they were wanting to read, then as a group they voted to choose 12. I see no reason we couldn’t do that electronically.
However we do this, I’m looking forward to the experiment!
I’m liking all these tips. Everything will be put up to a vote as far as what we read, where we meet, etc. As far as I know, book clubs are a democratic experience. It will be a little more difficult for us since we are online, but we’ll make it work.
So, I’m already in two book clubs (that’s how much I love the darn things) but I’d love to hop in to this one should it go the contemporary fiction/something I’ve read or might be reading route. And PLEASE don’t think contemporary fiction=James Patterson, Jules. That might be it to the greater masses, but if the book can be bought in the paperback section of Walgreen’s, that’s telling you something right there! haha
Some great contemporary fiction to head for with this: Rules of Civility (THAT is a fun read), The Language of Flowers, The Art of Fielding, anything Franzen or Eugenides, Safran Foer or Nicole Krauss. Two great books that sparked a lot of discussion in my book club in recent months: Colum McCann’s Let the Great World Spin and Jeannette Walls’ The Glass Castle.
If you do decide to go classic, my vote goes for The Great Gatsby. With a Baz Luhrmann remake slated for 2012 in the theaters (with Leo DiCaprio channeling his old school Titantic good looks), would be a great time to re-read this one. And I, for one, haven’t picked it up since high school.
I suspect the contemporary fiction and contemporary literature categories can be grouped into one. Awesome. I’ve read The Glass Castle. It is difficult for me to believe all that really happened!
Leonardo DiCaprio as The Great Gatsby? We might to put that one into the book club so we can all go out and watch the movie. Oh! Maybe the so-Cal book club members can turn it into a field trip! :)
Oh, I’m also thinking of re-reading “Gatsby,” after it was discussed in “Reading Lolita in Tehran,” which is my current read. It’s an upsetting book.
I’ve been eyeballing that Tehran book. I feel that it is something I need to read. I felt the same way about Night by Elie Wiesel.
Like “Night,” it is horrifying, in a different way. But the same disregard for human life in the name of a belief. It’s a strange book to be reading during the Christmas season, I’ll say that.
I have had this for a couple of years and not read it – it was a Book Club chocie that I never read for some reason. It’s on The Unread Shelf and I think it might be my next one.
I re-read The Great Gatsby a couple of months ago, after reading The Paris Wife and then re-reading everything Hemingway and Fitzgerald. I’d only read them in high school and college because they were required, but I really loved the GG and I’ve forgotten so much about it (I probably read The Cliff Notes instead of the whole story.)
Let’s not choose. I love to jump around. Right now I’m reading Darkfever and War and Peace. They sort of balance each other out.
+1000 points. (I read Night by Elie Wiesel right before Dark Fever.)
For those who are curious, Jen and I went to law school together. She was our valedictorian and now practices estate law and some bankruptcy.
I’m going to be really bossy now. You must stop everything and read The Hunger Games trilogy. Right. Now.
So so good. Everyone I know has read it and absolutely loved it.
I could not agree more…and was just wading through responses waiting for my turn to say so.
Are we all invited to this bookclub? Even lurkers?
Everyone is invited! The more the merrier.
I’m going to read The Hunger Games. Promise! I need to have it done by the time the movie comes out.
My vote is for Contemporary Lit., hopefully with some non-fiction thrown in, too. I also wouldn’t mind throwing in some classic children’s or adult fiction. I have resisted joining a book club (I resist joining anything, generally). There was a local one here in my neighborhood, but it focused too much on Twilight books and trashy fiction. (When the collective group found the “The Lovely Bones” just too dark and upsetting, I couldn’t hang.) I admit to being an incorrigible book snob — it sounds like I should be hanging with Gail up there! :-)
(Note: I don’t think of The Lovely Bones as trashy fiction — but that was the reaction to something slightly meatier.) (2nd note: I am not quite as adverse to meeting people…maybe if there are just a few SoCal locals? I’m always up for a reason to uncork some vino!)
I read The Lovely Bones when it first came out. I don’t remember it being dark or depressing. I thought it was original and amazing. I was in my mid 20s. Maybe I would think differently if I read it as a parent?
I can be a book snob, too. Gail ALWAYS reads the best books. You should friend her on GoodReads. Her selections are top notch and she writes nice, detailed reviews.
p.s. I’m not opposed to meeting in person, either.
People were upset because yes, it dealt with the murder of girl and its affect on her family. But I was already a parent when I read it — it didn’t give me nightmares, any more than the nightly news. I’ll go check out GoodReads..I belong to Library Thing, which is similar, but GoodReads seems to have more (and more active) members. I’m such a nerd — this is making my day, talking about books here in the comments section…I need to get wrapping!
You have no idea. I have people coming over tomorrow and I’m sitting here day dreaming about books. Must get working!
I think a mix of everything might be the way to go. We are all such diverse readers. Really, I will read anything. That doesn’t mean I’ll always like it, but I’ll read it. It’s a compulsion for me.
I can’t tell you how excited I am that you are doing this! Other book clubs have never appealed to me for the same reasons as you (although somehow I feel like all of us who participate actually wouldn’t mind meeting in person at some point since it feels kind of like we all know each other a little right)? I’m in the darn Midwest and I would have loved to join some type of “outing”! Anyway, I vote for Contemporary Literature. As someone with 2 English degrees it’s a crime that I can’t remember sitting down and reading an entire book recently and the authors you mentioned appeal to me. Of course I’d be up for reading classics too as I don’t remember all that I read in school as it was years and years ago and possibly there was a lot to read and maybe I skimmed more than I should have. Ahem. It’s funny that you should mention Marquez because I wrote about him a month or so ago and the connection (for me) of him and Vargas Llosa! Such a small world! :)
how about we pull a category out of a hat to get started, and start a rotation? or decide if there’s a category we definitely don’t want to read, but include the others, and have Jules set a rotation order so we can mix it up
I see you are sticking with Book Club. :) You know that I am in and up for anything. Except Eating Animals, but since it is non-fiction I guess I am safe. I wish I could add a brilliant suggestion, but I am too tired.
No, that’s just what I titled this post. That’s next in the long ling of decisions.
Did I really write that sentence?
Yes–but why don’t you want to read Eating Animals? (I don’t want to, either. I’m quite happy with my ignorant bliss.)
Many moons ago I read A Diet for a New America and went immediate vegetarian. I held that diet for about 8 years and then jumped off the bandwagon. I know reading Eating would change everything again. So, like you ignorant (reacquired) bliss is the way to go.
Hi, Jules. First time commenting here, I think. I enjoy your writing, the book discussion drew me out of my wallflower state : ). I’d so vote for the Western Cannon–am I really the only one? Though I’d perhaps be swayed into Contemp Lit, though anything with children in peril and I’m out! I’m reading Crime and Punishment right now, and its pretty good.
I think it would be just you and me, Sarah. Sigh.
Not really weighing in on the book club thing (though it’s totally fabulous), just wanted to squeal in delight at A Christmas Carol. I’m re-reading for the third Christmas in a row and it’s become one of my favorite things about the holidays. I know it may not show the most sophisticated taste on my part, but I’m not overly worried about that at Christmas…or ever…
I’ve never read it! I know, shameful.
It’s a much quicker read than you would expect from Dickens. And there are so many little research rabbit-holes for you to scramble down (a la “bowler hats”).
I am game for any genre. :)
Love the idea of contemporary lit. Until a few years ago, my fiction of choice was generally British Lit – Regency through WWII. I am a fan of contemporary work -like Foer, Krause, Nick Hornby, Zadie Smith – but I also love non-fiction. Might be interesting to link up the two – like Night followed with Foer’s Everything is Illuminated, for example.
Speaking of Gatsby, production stills from Luhrman’s film look fabulous, I’m just not jumping on the 3D bandwagon.
How does book club meet? Google+ hangout? Chat of some sort? V. curious to hear how this works!
3D?! Are you serious? UGH. I’m not on board with the 3d trend.
I’m good with whatever you choose. Anything will be better than the book club I’m currently in! We’ve read Heaven is for real, The Help, and a Debbie Macomber christmas book. I can’t leave it without offending all the old ladies from church. Shoot me.
Haha! I wouldn’t be thrilled with those picks, either. O_o
All that talk about Little Women reminded me – has anyone here read March by Geraldine Brooks? It won the Pulitzer. I’ve really liked some of her other books (Year of Wonder, People of the Book) but haven’t been able to get very far in this one. Willing to give it another try if at some point we want to – maybe in conjunction with re-reading LW.
I read it and thought it was amazing. A little hard to get into, though, I agree. I’ve got Caleb’s Crossing on my shelf right now but I haven’t read it yet. I think reading March in conjunction with Little Women is a great idea! I haven’t read LW since elementary school.
Thanks – sometimes I just have to keep going for a bit and often find myself totally wrapped up in a book. I’ll give it another try. :)
I don’t remember March. I’ll have to look into it!
From Amazon:
From Louisa May Alcott�s beloved classic Little Women, Geraldine Brooks has animated the character of the absent father, March, and crafted a story �filled with the ache of love and marriage and with the power of war upon the mind and heart of one unforgettable man� (Sue Monk Kidd). With �pitch-perfect writing� (USA Today), Brooks follows March as he leaves behind his family to aid the Union cause in the Civil War. His experiences will utterly change his marriage and challenge his most ardently held beliefs. A lushly written, wholly original tale steeped in the details of another time, March secures Geraldine Brooks�s place as a renowned author of historical fiction.
I don’t think I’ve ever commented before. I found you during your William Morris Series and love your writing! I’m in a book group and we read contemporary fiction so I’d personally love to see us focus on a different genre. I like the idea of classics in general. I’m reading Little Women aloud to my girls and there’s so much I didn’t remember from when I read it in elementary school so it feels like I’m rediscovering it all over again….FUN.
Pity you are “strangerphobic” I like meeting strangers. My book club follows the recommendations from
Elaine Charles’s radio show “The book report” see http://bookreportradio.com/ . She interview the authors and it is a lot of fun to then read the book.
You know me, I vote YA. Not only do I enjoy the genre, after a long week of chasing my kids and working 2 jobs it’s something I can sink into without a lot of deep thinking. I’m game to try anything though. I’m not crazy about Lit and would probably beg out if that was the only option, however I love the idea of switching things up. I like to think outside of the box but only tend to read so under coercion.
Jules-I wish I could join in but I’m afraid I’d just fail miserably. I can barely read anything for myself these days. Being around 4 children all day has led me to be very ADD (unfortunately there is no H in there which might lead to easier weight loss). and time. Time always. Just wanted to tell you that I Think it’s a great thing you’re doing! :) And maybe….one day….
Cool idea. I love reading, have no time to socialize outside my kids’ activities and would prefer to confer wearing my yoga pants and hoodie. How does a Canuck join up?
We haven’t worked out the details, Kat. But please keep checking the blog! We’re going to make plans soon.
I’d love to participate :) I tried this once on twitter and we did one book but it fizzled. We logged into a chat roomish type thing. It was fun. I have a new kindle fire for Christmas and very excited to getting back to some reading! I’m up for anything.
New blog by the way for me (just started today) – reluctantly closed down K&B :( xo Bridget
Mememeemmememme!!!! I’m in.
Really, could anyone NOT wanna be in this club? I’m already expanding my vocabulary…..’holla’?
Hope you had a wonderful holiday Jules!
Brandi