Friday night I had a meeting of my Book club. We have been together about 8 years. Some people have moved, some people have splintered off to form a Bunko club instead, but our core group of 6 woman have remained through out the years. It is an inter generational group with people in their twenties and people in their sixties. This adds dimension to our discussions. One of the first books we read was about the Taliban and Afghanistan. Someone brought a color coded map which I thought was pretty cool. I think the next one was a about a talking gorilla. We read all different kinds of things. This year we read Caliph's House: A Year in Casablanca by Tahir Shah which was about renovating a house in Morocco. Enjoyable but it did not make me want to renovate anything in Morocco. We read Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortensen and David Oliver Relin. After that book we donated money to build schools in the mountains of Pakistan in the book club's name. This past month we read The Nine: the Secret World Inside the Supreme court. I haven't finished that one because halfway through I got too disheartened to read on. Clarence Thomas is worse than expected shall we say. With the election coming up it was even harder to read. Next month we are reading the Hounds of Baskerville. Last year we read a spooky book in October. We read The Thirteenth Tale. I recommended that one with some trepidation due to some hints of incest but everyone loved it for the spooky factor so we are hoping to repeat the theme this year.
Yep, we always talk about the book. ( Well except that one time we tried to read Shakespeare) But of course we also follow along on with what's happening with every one's families births, weddings, school problems, etc. We manage to talk religion and politics pretty well too. No arguments have ever occurred although we do get loud. (Inga and Erik hate it when Book Club is at my house!) Someone usually has a funny story. I guess I will always remember Bernadette's stories about delivering the newspaper on her pony and sharing one bathroom with eleven other siblings. Oh yes, and her boss that thought Canada was in Europe. Judy and I are separated by a generation but we have remarkable parallels in our lives. Hopefully that means someday soon I will start traveling to all the places she has been. (Well I'll pass on Antarctica at Christmas!) I am often tired upon arriving but less tired when leaving. Book clubs are a good thing.
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6 comments:
I started a book club in Chiswick a few years ago and abandoned it... I found that most of the woman were trying to sound intellectual and were quoting things from the internet instead of discussing the book, which is what I wanted to do. So I'm glad to hear your club is a success, wish I could join! If you're struggling for a good book, I can't recommend The Book Thief by Markus Zusak enough.... beautiful book about a young girl in Germany during the war.
By the way, I'm Marions daughter ;)
Alina,
My favorite book of the year was March by Geraldine Brooks. Beautifully written but some people hate one of the main characters so much they hate the book. I loved it.
It is the story of the absent father in Little Women.
Well, I quite like a book that makes me feel strongly, wether love or hate, towards the characters. I have never read Little Woman, perhaps I'll do that first and then try March.
I'm always open to book suggestions!
Another of my favourites was The Time Travelers Wife.
Alina,
No need to read Little Women before reading March. There are no real strong connections. I read the Time Traveler Wife too and really like it. Did you read Life of Pi? Ahab's Wife? I loved both of those. I am halfway through The Book Thief.
Cindy
I did read the Life Of Pi... first book of my pretentious book club, and I really enjoyed it. Haven't read Ahab's Wife. I'm making a list now!! How are you finding The Book Thief? Nick is in the process of reading it and is getting sick of me asking if he still likes it. When I love a book I really want other people to enjoy it!
Alina,
I didn't think I was going to like it at first maybe due to the subject but I am warming up to it. But I liked the book Max made Liesl and the description of his feathery hair.
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