Book club

[Applecottage1234]

I’ve been invited to a weekly book club. Every Wednesday 6pm in our local coffee shop.
They will read a book every week. I told one of the girls I couldn’t read a book a week - she said ‘of course you can-it’s easy’
Apparently some of the girls are already on the next book before the next meeting 😳

AIBU to think a book a week is challenging?
I love to read and I really fancy being part of their club but I think I’d fall behind.

I work 8-2:30pm everyday including Saturdays until 5pm. I then rush to do the school run. Come home- housework, tea, homework, baths/showers probably more housework.
My mum isn’t very independent so needs help with housework/curing loneliness

Anyone here read a lot? Where do you find time? I can’t read before bed - I’m so exhausted by 9:30pm I’ll fall asleep

Any readers tips would be very much appreciated.

I can. I work 8.30-3.30 mon-fri, have 4 dc two of which are in primary school, 2 in secondary. A dog that requires walking, a house to clean and dinner to cook every day. I sit down to read about 8pm. It’s my way of unwinding.

I read a book a week (give or take). I read each evening before I watch tv, read when I go to bed and whenever I am on public transport.

I wouldn’t want to be in a weekly book club though - mine meets every 6-8 weeks and that is plenty for me - I like to read my own choice of books the rest of the time!

I can too, I read every night before I go to sleep, it relaxes me.

How about an audio book whilst you're doing the housework?

It depends on the book. I read the whole Mallory Towers series in about a week but it's not very taxing. Ulysses I started 30 years ago and have never got beyond the fourth page.

That’s amazing you can do a book a week!
I’m going to have to find time!
Audio book is a good idea 👍🏻 I can listen while I do house work and commute to work - thanks

I would find that a challenge.

I read about a book a week on average, but that's for pleasure reading books I choose. I think it would be pressure trying to read a book every week if somebody else was doing the choosing. It would make reading a chore. Book clubs are fun but I've only heard of monthly ones.

I probably do read a book most weeks, but some books take longer. However, having to read a book every week would be hard work.

I go to a monthly book club. We read a variety of books, some I like, some I don’t. I enjoy reading the set book for one week (or so), and then having free choice to read what i want for the rest of the month. I would find reading a book every week to much pressure.

Ah, I remember holidays pre-kids and I’d just lie in the sun reading - usually managed 5 books in a week.

Nowadays I barely read at all and would find a book a week difficult with kids/house/work.

I can easily read a book a week - I read at night and it relaxes me for sleep. However, my book club only meets once a month so the expectation is we read a book a month. A weekly meeting is too much.

I read 1-2 books a week, mostly a couple hours in bed every night.

Get audible on your phone so you can listen to audiobooks in the car or while doing housework.

I was going to say that pre kids definitely, however reading books that are chosen by others, that you might actually hate, is really, really hard going. Might be expensive too.

I agree with once a month. It can take time to get the book in to the library, which is what I do mostly as want to support them, and don't want to pay out for books I might not like. Once a week is one hell of a commitment and I know that most of my book group wouldn't manage that.

No-one is being unreasonable. They are reasonable to host a book club at a frequency which suits them. You are not being unreasonable to not be willing or able to join in.

Hahaha! Peak Mumsnet! I have 10 children (including toddler twins) a menagerie of animals including horses, dogs, lizards, chickens and Guinea fowl, I work full time and volunteer in the evenings. I read a book a week plus keep up with the latest periodicals and peer reviewed journals. And I can fart the National Anthem. Thank you and Goodnight.

I'd struggle with that, too. I could make enough time if I was determined to read a book a week, but I tend to read slowly and prefer to read in smaller chunks, unless it's a real page-turner. Sounds too much like work, tbh. The fastest way to kill joy is to impose a deadline.

Audio books are a good suggestion, but that can become expensive with four a month!

A weekly book club is quite intense. My book club meets monthly.

I can easily read a book in a day week when I'm in the reading frame of mind but when I go through a literary dry spell even a book a month seems a challenge- particularly book club choices which aren't always reads that I would chose/find easy.

I can do a book a week but I also do other things so it depends on my schedule and mood. I would find a prescribed book a week really difficult. I usually have several on the go and read what takes my fancy.

When you say ‘girls’, do you mean children? What sort of age are these ‘girls’?

I've never heard of a weekly book club. I agree that it could end up being a chore instead of a pleasure. I'd also want to know how far in advance you know the titles, to give time to request it from the Library if it's not on the shelf. Do you get time to properly consider and contemplate on a book if the turnaround is that quick?

Would they allow you to attend one meeting in four i.e. treat it as monthly.

I read about 4 books a week, but I don't have kids! It really is just a case of carving out the time. I don't watch much if any TV for example, I read instead. If you don't want to find the time, don't make yourself do it else it won't be enjoyable.

Nah, that's too much hard work. You're meant to enjoy being in a Book Club. I have accepted my limitations and I listen to BC books on audible while I'm driving, walking, ironing etc

Even if you do read a book a week, a weekly bookclub sounds like too much pressure for me! I attend a monthly bookclub and many of us have read at least another 2 or 3 books in that time, but there is no pressure at all to even read the book that's been chosen to discuss.

I wouldn't like the pressure. It'd feel more like homework!