Category Archives: book club

September 06, 2013   Lauren   book club, fun, Lauren, reading  
4

I didn’t finish it.

As the world’s most instinctively contrary human being (so contrary that upon writing that I thought “Well, surely not the world’s most…”), I’m not really the best at Obligation Reading.  But apparently I’m also a masochist, because in addition to actively pursuing a job where I read for a living, thus extending 18 years of school required reading right on through to retirement, I also started a book club amongst my friends specifically to force myself to read things I might not otherwise choose.  Well, that and to exploit my friends for market research.  95% of the time, on seeing the selection, my brain says, “But I don’t wanna!”  Even with books that are actually on my very long to read list.  I have to actively remind myself that I do wanna.  I mean, I might even have already bought it.

Such is the conundrum I’ve faced with the selection for this weekend’s book club meeting: Kate Atkinson’s Life After Life.  I was already curious about it when my friend Nell picked it.  I hadn’t bought it yet, but I’d added it to a To Buy list I keep on my phone (for emergencies).  And not only that, it’s published by Reagan Arthur, who has excellent taste, so that’s an obvious point in its favor.  And yet…I haven’t even peeked at the cover page.  I bought it and immediately lent it out to my friend Rachael to buy myself some time.  I’ve read a million manuscripts and five published books since purchasing it a little more than a month ago.  I’ve carried it to and from City Island in the Bronx, Red Bull Arena in New Jersey, and a wedding weekend in Washington, DC, without so much as a glance at the cover copy.  Even though I want to read it and hear it’s great and am sure I’ll enjoy it and a group of people I convened for the sole purpose of reading books and discussing them together will be meeting up on Sunday with this in hand, I just…haven’t.  My random and arbitrary stubborn streak has kept me away.

So I did the right thing and bowed out of book club for this round.  No sooner had I done so then my friend and fellow book club participant Andrea posted this video on Facebook, so it’s probably for the best I didn’t try to fake it:

 

(In case you’re wondering, I’m the one who aggressively makes people write their questions down.  Which is annoying, but hey, I still have never shot anyone, right?)

 

P.S.  RIP Summer Fridays.  We hardly knew ye.

August 27, 2013   sharon   book club, fun, reading, Sharon  
0

I Love My Book Club

My book club just had its first birthday! We’ve read some really fantastic stuff this year – new releases and backlist – and even attended a few author events. And we’ve mostly agreed about the books we’ve read. We all loved one book, thought another was overhyped, were confused by one and inspired by the next.

But our last meeting, well, this time it wasn’t quite what I was expecting. Some of us loved the book selection, and some of us hated it. As we talked it over, we all agreed that it wasn’t a very good book – it suffered from a lot of trouble with the plotting, and rather lazy character development. But because of our different backgrounds, our own separate childhood memories and adult experiences, we all had very unique reactions to the elements of the story. One of us grew up in a small town similar to the book’s setting. Another pointed out an interpretation of the ending based on her volunteer experience as a domestic violence counselor. And I found the book a great disappointment because I loved the author’s previous novel. Luckily we’re all genteel, sophisticated ladies, so our conversation didn’t come to blows or tears!

Reading is so very personal, even when you’re reading “socially,” like in a book club or a blog read-a-long. That’s what makes it so much fun to talk about the books we read! So I recommend you find a book club to join, or start one. And don’t forget the most important part of any club – the snacks!

May 20, 2013   Jim   book club, children's books, Jim, Lauren, suggestions  
7

Eleanor & Park & Lauren & Jim

For anyone who was unaware, Lauren Abramo and I decided some weeks back to do our first ever online book club. We went with Rainbow Rowell’s delightful novel ELEANOR & PARK which, disappointingly, we both enjoyed. As such, no one was treated to watching two terribly opinionated agents facing off against each other.

 

For anyone who wants to see how the action went down, go to Twitter and check out #eandpdglm.

 

Here’s a confession: I’ve never taken part in a normal bookclub. We have one in the office where we all read different books and pitch them to each other, but that’s obviously different. With this one, though, I got to see what it was like to join with other people to chat about the same reading experience. Obviously I talk about books every day, but there was something so refreshing about doing it in a setting where nothing was at stake.

 

But as a newbie to the world of the traditional bookclub, I was a bit disappointed that no fights broke out and no names were called. I have to ask those of you who do this more regularly: are these events more fun when there’s someone to argue with? Or what about when a book is complicated and you really need to hash out some points?

 

And on a more selfish level, I’m curious—we know how many people were actively involved in our Twitter chats, but we don’t know how many people followed along later or what people thought about the format. So here’s a question: should we do it again? If so, should be keep it on Twitter? Do a different genre? Pick something more controversial? Add in a pie tossing at whoever makes the least popular comment?

 

Let us know! Inquiring minds, and all that…

April 08, 2013   Jim   book club, Jim, Lauren, Uncategorized, writing, YA  
3

The Abramo/McCarthy book reading bonanza

Looks like Lauren and I (and hopefully you!) will be reading ELEANOR & PARK by Rainbow Rowell for our first foray into an online book discussion.

We have lots of ideas that we’re going to try out with this. Keep eyes on this page and on both of our Twitter feeds for updates.

Throughout the process, we’ll have Twitter chats and longer form blog discussions, and we want you to be involved.

If there’s one thing Lauren and I have learned over the several years we’ve worked together, it’s that neither of us has any shortage of opinions, so with any luck this will be a lively discussion.

So what’s next on the docket? Read the first half of the book! Our first Twitter chat with be at 6:00 Eastern on April 30, and the first big blog discussion will be on Friday, May 3.

Hope to see you all there!

 

 

UPDATE: Join us tonight, Tuesday, 4/30, at 6 p.m. to discuss the first half of ELEANOR & PARK!  Just follow the hashtag #eandpdglm on Twitter.

June 26, 2012   Brenna   book club, Brenna, classics, feedback, literacy, news, reading  
4

Redemption through Reading

Brazil made headlines yesterday for introducing a new program to reduce prison sentences, aptly titled “Redemption through Reading”. According to this article from the Huffington Post, inmates in Brazil’s federal prisons can now minimize their sentences by up to 48 days per year by reading one book every four weeks, then writing an essay on it.

While there’s no shortage of literacy programs in prisons all over the world, I thought this was the first case where it actually had a concrete impact on a person’s punishment, but I was wrong. After a little searching online, I found Changing Lives Through Literature, a rehabilitation course introduced in the early 90’s in Massachusetts as an alternative to prison. Created for repeat offenders of serious crimes, this initiative forms reading groups where offenders discuss the classics.  It has proved to significantly reduce recidivism rates and violent behavior among participants.

Avid readers know that literature has the ability to change lives, but these programs bring this concept to fruition. By reading about characters and situations they can relate to, convicts get the chance to look at their own lives, and the way they affect others, through a different lens. They also develop skills to analyze, articulate, and communicate more effectively, equipping them with the ability to make more positive contributions to society.

Does anyone here have experience working in this capacity in the penal system?

June 01, 2012   Lauren   advice, book club, feedback, fun, Lauren, reading  
2

Organized nerdiness

Despite my love of reading and the sheer volume of it that I do every week for work, I feel like I don’t often enough do it just for fun.  I tend to cram it in in phases, desperately scarfing down book after book, before returning to a world in which TV and games on my phone exist and sometimes steal my attention away.  As much a fan of books as I am, I’m also a big nerd for systems and rules, so I decided to find ways to make sure I’m keeping up to a reasonable level of pleasure reading.  It’s hard to turn off your inner editor (maybe that National Book Award winner doesn’t really need my marginalia) if you never read enough for fun to find the work mode off switch.

My first step was to form a book club with my friends.  DGLM book club is great, but it’s geared toward learning rather than enjoying, and we don’t usually all read the same book.  I want to be able to chat about books with my friends, but with varied tastes and busy lives, it’s often the case that even those of us who are well read don’t overlap much.  Our first book is Jeffrey Eugenides’s The Marriage Plot, which I’m actually not that sure is going to be my cup of tea.  We shall see, I guess!  Those who’ve already read it suggest we’re going to have lots to talk about, so at least it should be interesting.  I’m pretty adamant that we not pretend to read a book and then gossip about other things instead—we do plenty of that without forming a book club, after all.

So I turn to you for tips:  are any of you in a book club?  Any pitfalls to avoid?  Ways that your book club really made things interesting?

April 11, 2012   Miriam   bestsellers, book club, buzz, fun, Miriam, opinion  
25

50 Shades of Dumb?*

As those of you who read our rambling posts might remember, I belong to a neighborhood book club (because, yes, I don’t have enough reading in my work life).   Ordinarily, the choices we make for said club are solid—sometimes challenging, sometimes brilliant, sometimes just okay, but solid.

I am struggling with our latest pick, however, and not in the usual, I-have-no-time-to-read-for-fun-when-I-have-3,000-manuscript-pages-staring-at-me-balefully-from-the-piles-on-my-floor way.

This month, we’re reading 50 Shades of Grey (as you deduced from the title above) and initially I was excited to find out what all the buzz was about.  Certainly, this is one of the biggest publishing stories of the year and my colleagues and I like to keep up with what’s selling and why.  I’ve  also been hearing about this book at the supermarket, the library, the waiting room at the pediatrician’s office…so here, I thought, was the perfect opportunity to satisfy my curiosity and have something intelligent to say when someone asks me about this runaway bestseller.

Sadly, this story does not have a happy ending.  Oh, I don’t mean the Grey series.  I have no idea how that ends and I suspect I won’t find out first-hand.  I mean the story of my reading the first book in the trilogy, which ended badly almost as soon as it began.  I think this is a dumb book [she ducks under her desk].  No, I’m not offended by the mind-numbingly repetitive sex (there’s a lot of it).  I am bemused by the success of a book whose female protagonist has the personality of a moody fruit fly, whose hero is a creepy stalker, and which features a relationship that’s supposed to embody passion and mystery but that seems to have sprung from the feverish imaginings of a hormonal 15-year-old.   To me the book is a hot mess—emphasis on mess.

So, how has it become such a phenomenon?  Is it the kinky sex?  The innocent-virgin-seduced-by-the-tormented-cute-guy premise?  The money porn elements (the hero is filthy rich)?  Is this really a collective female fantasy or just really clever marketing?

I’m not a snob about commercial fiction (really!).  I didn’t think Twilight was particularly well written or plotted but I enjoyed it and I got it.  This, I don’t really get.

The last time I felt so out of sync about a book was when The Bridges of Madison County was tearing up the bestseller lists.  I found myself giggling through most of that heartfelt narrative until it hit me that it wasn’t meant to be funny.  So, can you guys explain this latest phenomenon to me?  Why is it working?  Are there shades of grey I’m missing here?

 

*Apologies in advance to all of those who love, love, love this book.

March 20, 2012   Brenna   author events, book club, book fairs, Brenna, conferences, editor/agent lunches, relationships  
2

Literary Socializing

As a newcomer, I’ve recently become more aware of the paradox of how social the publishing industry is and how solitary the act of reading itself is. I’m told that some of the industry’s seasoned professionals express disappointment that the days of gala book parties or hanging out at George Plimpton’s home are long gone. While I can’t imagine how exhilarating that must have been, I’m delighted that the industry is still so social and full of life.

There are few greater feelings in the world than when you connect with someone over a mutual book.

I’m convinced that bibliophiles living in the city are among the luckiest in the world. Not only is the heart of publishing in NYC, but the amount of events you can attend with fellow nerds grows by the second: launches, book clubs, readings, signings, discussions, mixers, benefits. This weekend, the KGB Bar Fiction Reading Series continues not far from our office.

Aside from the beloved book festivals and book weeks, which are a personal favorite, what are your favorite events to attend—either as a writer or as a reader?

February 07, 2012   Morris   advice, book club, comics, fun, reading, Twitter  
5

1book140

Almost 2 years ago, my friend Tom ranted and raved to me about American Gods by Neil Gaiman. I was hesitant; even though I read a lot of sci-fi and fantasy, American Gods seemed like it would be long, tedious, and ultimately, boring. Then it became the first selection of the monthly twitter book club and I decided it would be nice to join in. So I got myself a copy and started reading. Neil quickly became a favorite author of mine. I immediately ran out to read all of his other works, and I can’t imagine life having not read them.

The brilliant Jeff Howe (@1book140) realized that the biggest conversation in the world was an amazing opportunity to create the first truly global book club. It’s called 1book140, and although it took some figuring out, they’ve got it down to a science now. It is an amazing conversation to be a part of.  This month, 1book140 is reading graphic novels. We’ve begun with Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud, which we are reading this week. Next week we’ll be reading Art Spiegelman’s The Complete Maus: A Survivor’s Tale. The week after is dedicated to the great V for Vendetta by Alan Moore, and we’ll be closing out the month with none other than Neil Gaiman and The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes and Nocturnes.

It’s super easy to follow along on twitter. First, follow Jeff Howe for official updates. Then, use the hashtags to join in:

#1book140 for general discussion

#1book140_1 for Understanding Comics

#1book140_2 for Maus

#1book140_3 for V for Vendetta

#1book140_4 for Sandman

(This also makes it really easy to ignore the schedule.)

I’m in the middle of Understanding Comics right now, and even for a long-time constant comic reader like me, it is very insightful. I haven’t yet read Maus, but I have only heard good things and I am really excited to start it. V for Vendetta and Preludes and Nocturnes are both amazing works, and are arguably two of the greatest graphic novels ever written. So come and join us. You might discover something amazing.

January 05, 2012   Michael   book club, Michael  
7

The art of the book club

As we’ve mentioned on the blog before, we have a DGLM book club. Unlike most book clubs, we usually read different books, then report back to each other on what we’ve read. Some of us are better at book club than others.  Jane, for instance, usually finishes her books so far in advance of our meeting that she needs to read her report to remember what the book was about.  Others spend their lunch breaks day of, furiously typing away.

While I hate book club (it always seems to creep up on me), I also love book club. First off, it forces me to do some extracurricular reading. Not that I don’t read outside books, mind you. Right now I’m reading Those Across the River by Christopher Buehlman and Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt, and can’t wait to start The Stranger’s Child by my favorite, Alan Hollinghurst. But with book club, I’m forced to read things I’d never have picked up on my own. For instance, it was book club that introduced me to Hollinghurst, when I would up with The Line of Beauty, a behemoth of a book that I probably would have used as a doorstop, what with my love of short books.

This month, we’ve actually all read the same book, The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach, which has been a great surprise for me. Yeah, I know, it’s gotten tons of acclaim, and I read all the rave reviews. But I hate baseball. Maybe even loathe it. It’s a sport I’ve never understood. But as the reviews have pointed out, it’s not a book about baseball, even when it is, and I’m happy that I was forced to read it, because it was one hell of a read.

How about you all: any favorites that started out as required reading, either through a book club or school?

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