tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post2206085163103632741..comments2024-01-24T05:13:06.164-08:00Comments on Not Your Usual Suspects: Chat or Chore? The book groupSusanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11286314155783213006noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-5171572168791590752014-10-26T10:10:00.824-07:002014-10-26T10:10:00.824-07:00Oh Clare, I feel your pain!
Have done a couple of ...Oh Clare, I feel your pain!<br />Have done a couple of book groups. The best part is the people, but I think of it as a chance to hear about books I might not have encountered. My neighborhood bookgroup is great about letting everyone take a turn choosing which helps. <br /><br />And, after all these years (almost 20 with the same group!) I embrace the opportunity to choose things that will drive them crazy! Still have to duck if anyone mentions "In the Cut" (heheheh)<br />J Wachowskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01184091482307217132noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-12319253674098019382014-10-25T18:36:07.717-07:002014-10-25T18:36:07.717-07:00"I'm not good at being told what to read...."I'm not good at being told what to read."<br /><br />LOL. That's so me :)Clare Londonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09392142798976142547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-20303729039006413062014-10-24T08:41:02.236-07:002014-10-24T08:41:02.236-07:00I'm not good at being told what to read. And I...I'm not good at being told what to read. And I hate depressing books. I really hate being patronized for not liking depressing books as if I can't understand human suffering without subjecting myself to a depressing novel. I'm not an idiot :) I <3 romance :)Toni Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08348843511453338339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-85698142675390937262014-10-24T07:55:00.629-07:002014-10-24T07:55:00.629-07:00I was in a mystery book club for years. It made me...I was in a mystery book club for years. It made me read outside my comfort zone. Members changed, however, and it seemed people became less tolerant of members varying selections (no desire for romantic suspense for example), and one person's desires started to rule. My best friend left the group and I wasn't far behind. I have considered starting my own group some time to get me back into reading a variety of books again (that will be right after time slows and I can get 48 hours in a day). Great post.Sandy Parkshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04005659579891587121noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-34265284381814507422014-10-24T05:34:56.949-07:002014-10-24T05:34:56.949-07:00Having seen the books which get chosen by book gro...Having seen the books which get chosen by book groups which friends belong to, I have never been tempted to join one. I've decided there are too many books which I positively want to read to spend time trying to read books I have no interest in.<br /><br />The nearest I have come is to do "buddy reads" (not a term I like) in Goodreads groups, where it is easy to opt out if I don't fancy the book. I've enjoyed discussing books that way. The readers have generally self-selected as at least potential fans given that they've joined the group (authors' groups or genre groups), so negative criticism is probably limited. I like it best when we all comment every five chapters or so, and I like the insights others have, especially when the book under discussion is an old favourite of mine.Helenahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01553503435833467369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-87096180202923058992014-10-23T21:31:32.244-07:002014-10-23T21:31:32.244-07:00I'm heartened by your replies, everyone, I don...I'm heartened by your replies, everyone, I don't feel any more like an alien in the world of literary appreciation LOL. All your comments have a similar theme - that it's important to use our reading time for our own enjoyment, to read what *we* want, and to share the love with friends as and when we choose! :) And amen to all that!Clare Londonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09392142798976142547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-54492737254257025712014-10-23T08:26:33.430-07:002014-10-23T08:26:33.430-07:00Haven't joined anything except for a playwrigh...Haven't joined anything except for a playwright's group a number of year's ago--forgot about the Brownies during childhood. Guess I just like to read for myself alone and if I think the book is meant to be read by a particular friend, recommend it and when I own a print copy--pass it on. Then there is always the question of time...Elise Warnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12111849185666548945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-82881155378115145042014-10-22T13:15:06.810-07:002014-10-22T13:15:06.810-07:00I don't do book clubs. I detest being forced t...I don't do book clubs. I detest being forced to read a book I'm not enjoying. Life is too short.Marcelle Dubéhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18164965676254630066noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-62500861737479882602014-10-22T10:41:35.061-07:002014-10-22T10:41:35.061-07:00Hi Clare. I'm in a mystery book club through ...Hi Clare. I'm in a mystery book club through our library but I only go when I like the book. I was in a more general group also through the library but once I started reading m/m romance, I got bored with the books they were reading.Jolienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-35567423557590859452014-10-22T09:41:08.018-07:002014-10-22T09:41:08.018-07:00I did a book club... it was not a raving success. ...I did a book club... it was not a raving success. I hated one of the other club member's favorite books, rolled my eyes at the narrator's sense of entitlement, and got very grouchy about her bi-erasure. <br /><br />and when it was my turn to pick the book, I selected a very good science fiction novel (a thin one! I promise. like 200 pages!) and everyone was not pleased with the selection. <br /><br />It didn't work out.<br /><br />I've tried again, but getting people together all at once is a nightmare!Lynnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13102363251376084521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-83386525254379346152014-10-22T08:41:46.408-07:002014-10-22T08:41:46.408-07:00Elise, what an excellent point about having enough...Elise, what an excellent point about having enough time!I confess I never thought of myself as a "joiner" since I left Brownies after 3 weeks LOL.<br /><br />Anne Marie, how much better you make me feel about my choices not being on the table LOL. Happy endings and light reads - that's a blog title in itself:). <br /><br />I liked Gone Girl a lot, also the movie - surprisingly, because I wasn't sure I would. I'm one of the few people who didn't mind the ending to the book - I'm not sure what othe ending would have been plausible :).Clare Londonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09392142798976142547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-83270641823238710862014-10-22T08:30:16.969-07:002014-10-22T08:30:16.969-07:00"Hello, Clare." LOL Welcome to the recov..."Hello, Clare." LOL Welcome to the recovering book club member group. ;)<br /><br />I've been a member of a couple different clubs (changed when I moved to a new city - I wasn't kicked out or anything. LOL). I have to say I don' really enjoy it but I stay for the friendships. The things they pick (I've long since stopped suggesting things I like) are the bestsellers, women's fiction, etc. Which are probably great books (some of them), but I have so little time to read these days that I prefer happy endings and light reads.<br /><br />The one I liked that the rest of the club didn't (and they picked it) was GONE GIRL. I really liked the book, but not the ending. Looking forward to seeing the movie soon...Anne Marie Beckerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17603878676306179018noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-81646642516387106362014-10-22T07:14:30.455-07:002014-10-22T07:14:30.455-07:00Haven't joined anything except for a playwrigh...Haven't joined anything except for a playwright's group a number of year's ago--forgot about the Brownies during childhood. Guess I just like to read for myself alone and if I think the book is meant to be read by a particular friend, recommend it and when I own a print copy--pass it on. Then there is always the question of time...Elise Warnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12111849185666548945noreply@blogger.com