One of the first things I wanted to do once I moved here was find a book club. A group of us from Bridge View tried having a book club about 8 years ago but it fizzled out. I participated in a few book clubs at The Minnesota Women's Press. I enjoyed the books we read there but it was a different group of women for each book we read plus there was a fee, in addition to buying the book. So I didn't continue after participating in 2 or 3 sessions.
I asked yesterday at the library if there were any book clubs in Tomahawk. There is a book club that is part of the library. The librarian gave me the name of the leader, I talked to her last night. There are 16 members, meeting once per month year round. I like that there's no break for the summer. She said it's rare that all 16 make every gathering but they always have at least 10. So I signed up.
They have an interesting system for getting each month's assigned book. The group decides on which books to read, then gives the library the list for the next few months. The library then gets enough copies of each book through interlibrary loan. Then members pick up their individual copies, and return them the day after the book is discussed. This is so much easier than having to order the books on line, or visit different libraries looking for a copy.
The book for July is State of Wonder by Ann Patchett. I picked it up today. When I saw the cover I was thinking I have this book. I do. It sounds like it will be a very good book.
Have any of you participated in book clubs? I'm not sure why but they also seem to be a woman's thing. Do men have book clubs? We did have one man in our Bridge View book club. It was nice to get the male view. Maybe the Tomahawk book club has male members, I don't know yet. I hope so
This sounds so exciting.
ReplyDeleteI was a member of a book club when I worked in Abilene - for several years. I loved it. We did not all read the same book. Each month one of the members would present an in-depth book review. Then they would go around the room and we would all comment on the book that we were currently reading - and whether we would recommend it or not. We had enough members that we only had to give a report once every other year. We had a great time. I met some really neat people that way.
I'll have to check out the book you are all reading. That is neat that you do not have to buy the book. What a neat idea.
Janet, that certainly sounds like a different kind of book club. I'm not sure I'd enjoy that as much. But it would be a good way to be introduced to books to be added to one's reading list.
Delete