I’ve Never Wanted to Be In a Book Club

I read.

I read A LOT.

I read whatever I want, whenever I want and sometimes it’s fluffy and silly and plotless and sometimes it’s deep and my heart is moved and my soul is touched by the words on the pages. I read for myself. I read for all the places I discover between the covers of a book, for all the adventures, for the laughs. I read for me.

I read for solace. I read for relaxation. I read to decompress at the end of the day. I read knowing that if I hate a book, I can stop reading it at any time and the only person I have to answer to is myself  (“The Count of Monte Cristo” kicked my ass, I’m sorry to say. I am not sorry to say that I gave it away after reading 35 excruciating pages to someone who will hopefully enjoy it more than I).

So, why on earth did I agree to join a book club?

I have no idea. But I did and our first book, Still Alice, sits on my desk waiting for me to dive in and get started.

stillalice_bookcover
Part of me is afraid I won’t like this book. That I won’t find connections to the characters or that I’ll hate the plot or that I’ll want to slam it shut and hurl it across the room after five pages and I won’t have anything to contribute at the book club besides, “Hey! These crackers are fantastic! Can I have another glass of wine, please?” I’ve never been to a book club – do they actually talk about books?

What I do know is that I’m looking forward to the connections with friends. I’m looking forward to opening a new book (please be good, please be good, please be good) and I’m actually curious how this book club stuff works and if I can actually converse intelligently about anything I’ve read or if I will, instead, be the watcher of the hors d’oeuvres and guzzler of drinks with pink umbrellas.

About sarah

Sarah is a book nerd, a music lover, an endorphin junkie, a coffee addict. Oh, and a goof ball. She writes, she tweets, and she sings off key.

Comments

  1. I guess you know I have never belonged to a book club. But I hope the book is good, because I think the meetings would be awful if it were not. Or you’d need to bring your own bottle of wine. Or stay home and talk to us about NOT books.

    Oh and your Buzz post on this book is due 2 weeks from today, mkay?

    • Linney – the book I am reading right now (the Pre-book club book) is fantastic, so I hope to be able to follow it up with something good. CROSS FINGERS.

  2. I love reading too and I had the same hesitations, especially when someone picked a really crappy book that took me forever to get through (Hello Playing for Pizza.) We did actually talk about the book when we met, I got through two (The Memory Keepers Daughter and My Sister’s Keeper.) I actually suggested My Sister’s Keeper and was really shocked when everyone else didn’t agree that it was a great discussion book. Not sure if you read it or not, but I thought it was the perfect debate. We kind of all drifted apart, but I would definitely do it again…as long as I had a say in what we were reading!

    • I can’t imagine having to sit around and talk about “Playing for Pizza”. Oy. But I really enjoyed “My Sister’s Keeper” – the book (the movie, not so much), and I agree that it seems as though it would trigger some interesting discussion.

      I’m gonna be optimistic about this book… I’m hoping it’s a good one. I’m late to the game, so I’m not sure how they picked it, but… I really hope it’s good.

  3. Book clubs have interested me, for the sense of belonging they might provide me. Alas, I am a little too maverick for that to seem enjoyable. My Sister’s Keeper was a fabulous book.

    Enjoy your book; hope its a good read.

  4. I’ve been in 2 book clubs. One rocked, one sucked. I think the big difference is how well you get along without the book. I mean really, the book doesn’t even play *that* big of a role in the whole thing. Just enjoy the drinks and nod your head every now and then. 🙂

  5. I’ve been in several bookclubs, and if this one doesn’t work just jump to another. It’s a lot about chemistry. My personal rules – i’ll try to read it, but won’t feel guilty if I didn’t. I still go to meeting if I didn’t read it. We talk about books but also about other stuff. The food and wine are always big draws as well.

    Anyway, let us know what you think of the book – it’s tenatively on one of my “to-read” lists.

  6. I joined one book club and it didn’t last. You always have the know it all that has to comment about everything. The socializing was fun but sometimes discussing the book was a little painful.

  7. My biggest complaint with book clubs is usually the book choice. I like to read what I want to read and if I can’t get into a book within the first chapter or two I stop reading.

    • Apparently for the next go round, we all write a book suggestion on a piece of paper and randomly select one for the next book. Sooooo, I need to come up with a book. I mean, I COULD BE THE ONE EVERYONE HATES FOR PICKING A BAD BOOK. Oh, the pressure.

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