It felt strange to attend November’s meeting of the newer of my two book clubs, knowing all my eggs are now in one basket. (See https://www.buymeacoffee.com/maryanntip/breaking-up-with-your-book-club-numbers-matter.) To silence the “what if this book club doesn’t like me or what if I offend someone” thoughts, I had to remind myself that people come into and out of our lives for a reason. For now, this book club makes me happy, and that is all that matters.
We held a spirited discussion about The Dutch House by Ann Patchett. Only one of the five people assembled disliked the book. By the time we delved into the layers of time and occupants associated with the book’s “house,” all seemed satisfied with the discussion and the varying perspectives shared.
Library Book Kits
This book was our second library book kit (a bag of ten copies assembled by the local library, plus discussion questions, specifically for book clubs). What a great way to obtain books! No holds lists, no settling for ebook or audio or buying the book due to availability issues. The only snag was the kit holder’s need to track down a book when one member canceled last minute.
What Are The Rules For Choosing Books?
When a member suggested adding Lessons In Chemistry, by Bonnie Garmus, to our reading list, I was thrilled. I read the book and loved it, my old book club read and loved it, and now it is so popular, there is a TV series about it. However, a member objected. Strongly.
Her reasons: 1) Someone in our group had already read it, and it is more fun to discover a book together; and 2) She is watching the series and does not want to read a book about a program she is attached to. She would see a movie after reading a book, she explained, but not the other way around.
Always keen to research commonly accepted book club practices, I turned to Google. There, I stumbled upon a particularly helpful resource that tackles every issue you can think of around organizing book clubs (https://bookclubs.com/). I learned:
1) Reading Or Vetting The Book Is Crucial
Not only can a member suggest a book previously read by one of its members, they should! If no one has read the book, the advice continues, the member proposing it should heavily vet the book first. This way, members avoid massive disappointment from making time to read a book no one ends up liking. Members should know something about what they are getting into.
Personally, I like to consult reviews on https://goodreads.com/ before committing to any book — to assess the commonalities in the book reviewers’ opinions. I can usually tell after reading enough one and five star reviews whether the book might appeal to me or put me off.
2) If The Book Is Also A Movie, Even Better
Not only can members relive their book experience by watching the movie on their own, they might even make an event out of it. As an added bonus, it is perfectly acceptable to watch the movie instead of reading the book if, say, the book is not readily available or the member prefers to save some time by watching the movie. In other words, proposing a book you have read, or that has been made into a movie or series, is not only acceptable; it’s ideal.
That said, if one of the members of your book club vetoes the idea of a book for any reason when it is suggested, their opinion should be listened to and appreciated. I learned first-hand what it feels like to have strong feelings about a book club issue that are dismissed or ignored by the other members.
That's a wrap on New Book Club's meeting number eleven! Next month, we discuss Celeste Ng's Our Missing Hearts, and participate in a Christmas book/gift swap activity afterwards.