What would you think if your book club had chosed a "chick-lit" book?

I'd think 'great - a quick read this month'.

I'd try to keep an open mind but if I hated it I'd enjoy slagging it off. Like any book, really.

Actually sometimes the discussions do go a bit "deep" but they are still straightforward discussions that everyone in the group can join in with.

LucyEllensmummy, I think they're all different. I did English Lit A level and at uni and the book club meetings I go to are not as deep as that.

We tend to discuss the book by talking about which characters we liked, whether the plot was interesting throughout, if it held our attention, particular sections we enjoyed, bits that we found annoying and why...that kind of thing. Often it leads to a discussion about the issues as much as it is about the book! I've only been to three meetings so far, though. We only meet every 2 months and I can't always make it due to work. I can't even remember what the first book was but 2 were The Sixth Lamentation and Plainsong (loved Plainsong.)

I imagine some book groups maybe are a bit more like an English class but if you ask around a bit I'm sure you'd find one to suit you. x

I think I'd be surprised (knowing my book club friends) but not horrified if one of them suggested a chick-lit. Speaking entirely personally, if one of them did choose such a book it'd probably be out of curiousity, or, a desire to look at an alternative genre.

As others have said, one of the best things about being in a book club is reading stuff you wouldn't think to choose yourself ..... but ...... I must admit that perhaps I'd be a bit disappointed by a chick lit choice, mainly because they are so quick and easy to read (and I read very fast anyway) and though great for a feel-good "easy" holiday read by the pool perhaps, would probably be unlikely to "move" you, "surprise" you or prompt particularly thought provoking discussion in the same way a "weightier" or more unusual book would be likely to.

Mind you, my club has somehow managed to have quite long talks about Mills & Boon in the past, without actually reading one I hasten to add (sorry, I know that's snobby).

Is the point of a book group not to discuss and dissect the book (after a few glasses of wine and several family sized packets of crisps)?

How long would it take to discuss some of the crap out there posing as literature for us 'chicks'? "Did Will really want to shag Finella or was it just a misguided attempt to get his revenge on Jasmine for shagging Julio whilst on holiday with her friend Amy who was trying to get over the break up of her long distance romance with Graeme. Discuss"

Or something along those lines. Actually, it does sound kind of fun

what is wrong with the odd, light, chick-lit book??

I love to read, and I can do 'deep' books, but sometimes, a light hearted chicklit is as good as an ice-cream after a hearty meal (IYGWIM).

it certaianly would not put me off a group if one was suggested for once.

Can i be really niave here? Are book clubs like English lit classes for grown ups? I don't like chick lit, and i do try and read well written books, but the sub plots and imagery go wayy over my head. Im lucky if i can remember the last chapter i read tbh. Is it not all a bit poncy? Genuine question?

I would have been a bit disappointed too - I read all sorts of books and am partial to a bit of chick-lit or trash now and again but anything by Cecilia Ahern.... mmm. well it's not even really chick-lit, it's just a slow form of torture.

Well one chick lit book OK...but if they are mainly going to be chick lit then you are just in the wrong book club!

Sorry MM wasn't really having a go at you, more the other book club that someone wrote about.

I still think that I prefer to read the books I lik eand get together with a group of friends and drink wine!!!!

hence why i didn't join lol. you'd have liked mine - we drank wine, ate crisps and in the end had to introduce a rule that we must talk about the book for at least 30 minutes before we allowed the discussion to degenerate into childbirth and gossip. all book clubs have their own character and i've been in three very different ones. i've also been to two that i went to one time only and that was enough (largely because of the cliquey and unwelcoming attitudes of the existing members rather than the books tbh).
y'know - have a glass of wine but don't try and join in the discussion because we'll shoot you down. we know what we like and we like what we know. and we don't know you.

Well from what I've read I think I'll stay well clear of any book clubs! I like the books I like and will continue to read them. I am happy to try other peoples suggestions and have discovered many new to me authors this way but I can't imagine anything more ridiculous than being invited to talk about a book and my being able to join a club being based on my opinion!!!!! All very school playgroundish if you ask me

Exactly there are many many reasons why people join a book clun hence their democratic nature whereby everyone gets a chance to choose a book for discussion. OP when it is your turn you can choose something you feel is appropriate and possibly the chick lit lovers will be bored by it but it will be your turn.

as well as the 'thank god i can get out of the house for a glass of wine once a month' participants, but i thought that was a given lol.
fwiw, i would love to be in your book club mm, although i did turn my invite to the book club round the corner down, as it was way too intellectual. (they actually invited me to go and speak about a book we had read in the 'alternative' club lol, which i thought was hilarious - a speaker, no less!)

important to strike 'a fine balance' indeed x

book clubs can also be for getting people who don't read for pleasure to develop an interest in books either for the first time, or to rekindle an interest they had lost... to get them out of the house to meet people, to ease shy people into a social setting with a 'reason' to be there - ie if i can find something to say about a book then that will help me into the conversation etc -
you don't know why the others in your book club are there - maybe some of them are genuinely looking to start reading again after a long break struggling with babies and toddlers etc, or even didn't really like reading that much at school but are now interested and don't know where to start?
i'm more of the 'let's get my teeth into something meaty', but i do see that i am mostly a minority lol.

Is your book club aware of its parameters? I have to say most book clubs I know of are about socialising and getting out.

we did read a fine balance. but we also read 'a bride stripped bare' a handful of the usual jodi picoult, some dickens (my they squawked long and loud), 100 years of solitude, and most of the other standard issue 'books you must read if you are in a book club' lol.
largely we drank wine.

quint, ya should've lived near me. you had to be 'invited' to join one of them, and were invited along to a 'trial' session where they voted afterwards when you had gone to see if you were allowed back.
moldies had nothing on this lot.
i started another one. some people (gulp) didn't even finish the book. they turned up for the wine and crisps. we let them off as long as they could take the ensuing banter, and they signed in blood to promise to read the next one.

I agree with Quint.

Wow sounds a great book club - how snobby! It may not be your choice of book, however your more high brow books may not be someone elses idea of a good book. Its attitudes like this that would put me off joining a book club.

Surely the whole idea is to experience a different range of books chick lit, something mroe challenging and something in between