Book Clubs - are they the new rock&roll?

[Hathor]

People keep on pressing me to join one. Considering it, but not sure I want to! Help me make up my mind. What do you enjoy about being in a book club...? What is yours like?

I used to look forward to the snacks most, what combinations there would be.

Grapes, pistachios and yoghurt covered raisins
or mini pretzels with dried apricots and wotsits?

There were lemon puffs once.

The most common comments about a book are

Ooh wasn't it long?
Wasn't it confusing, i had to keep turning back and re-reading it
Did you finish it?
And from the bonkers woman whose socks match her knitwear - Oh i didn't like the cover, i read the last page and din't like it so i didn't read it (she's a librarian FFS)

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Am liking the librarian woman with the socks.

Don't do it: everyone will pick poncy books about death and relayshunships and they will also be a million pages long and fall apart if you read them in the bath.

And: In what way did reading this book push your intellectual boundaries beyond your comfort zone of purple knitwear and yoghurt-covered peanuts?

"Necrophilia and Knitwear" by Enid

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missed no. 1 and only question

DID YOU ENJOY IT?

I'm in two. One is alcohol fuelled and fairly intellectual. The other one is dry (organiser had alcohol problems in past). They are excellent for picking up the local gossip - and they keep you on the social scene for party invites! And I'm a librarian, though not wearing any socks today matching or otherwise!

If you like Jodi Picoult, go to a book club with people who also do. If you don't, go to one with people who don't.

I've been in various book clubs for many years. Obviously, I enjoy them otherwise I wouldn't still be going.

Main benefits to me are that I've read and enjoyed books I may not have normally considered and I've been introduced to new writers. Also, other people's takes on books are fascinating, someone will pick up on something I hadn't noticed or vice versa. The social aspect is good as well. We've moved around a fair bit and it's good to get to know new folks.

The smaller house issue doesn't apply as no one has to hold a meeting and I can't say I've noticed the knitwear aspect, lol!! We choose books once a year, at a pot luck supper, so everyone gets the chance to share books they've enjoyed. Hth.