About Book Club

I had no idea belonging to a book club was going to be so tricky.  When we started, nearly 2 years ago, it was a group made up of neighbours and the friends (and friends of friends) of one of them.  That's me, I'm a friend, and we've known eachother since starting school 50 years ago.  One of the other members started school with us too.

Anyway the routine of this book group is that we meet mostly in the same home, and that person keeps a record of what we've read and who suggested the book.  We take it in turns to suggest a book to read, and mostly we are a couple of months ahead so people can read on if they feel that way inclined, or maybe reserve the book at their library.  I generally buy a copy.

I wonder why other people joined the group?  Did they want to read new books?  Did they want to be challenged by questioning their reading, their understandings?  Did they want to read books they would never have picked up without the prompting of someone else?  Did they want to share their sort of books with like-minded readers?  Did they want the discipline of reading a book each month to give them permission to take time for themselves?

Why did I join?  First I think because I like the people, and also because I'm confident to comment on books I've read.  I also wanted to be pushed to read genres I dont usually choose.  I think I'm just a bit disgruntled because some nights the best conversation is not about the book, but around the supper table afterwards.  Perhaps I expected too much.