Okay... so this book club thing is a learning experience. We are reading books we have never read, and because we have never read them we do not know what they contain. Unlike Movies, books don't come with a rating.
When starting the book club I said that I wanted to keep schmutztica to a minimum (see previous post). We want to read books with substance, that have a lot to discuss. But, we'd like to keep the sex content and the language content on the mild side. Since we all have differing opinions of what "mild" is... we may read a book that seems really mild to someone and very offensive to others.
So, if you find yourself getting offended or feeling at all uncomfortable... stop reading! Or feel free to skip through those parts.
As a Christian, and a Pastor's wife I feel that it's important that I don't encourage my friends to do something unwholesome or unedifying. I hope that the book club can be FUN, intellectually stimulating, and a place to build friendships and get to know each other. I want people to feel safe and free to be themselves and to be honest.
I still want to discuss this book in our next meeting. There will be a lot to talk about. With that said, I don't want to revolve the discussion around our whether or not it offended us. However, I will be thinking about how we can investigate the books a bit more before we read them.
"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praise worthy- think about such things." Philippians 4:8
Friday, January 23, 2009
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Book of the Month for February!
Here it is... our first book.On your mark, get set, go get your book.....
We will be discussing it at Faith's house on February 13th.
Be on the look out for an evite with the details.
Here is a link to a reading guide. See my next post for what to expect, and keep scrolling for a full update for those of you who could not make it to our first meeting.
Feel free to leave comments.
Reading Guide
By the way... I have noticed that many of the books we have picked are also movies. We may have to start planning a Pemberley Popcorn Edition where we watch the movie for the book.
There will be no tests!
There will be no tests a book club. And if you don't get the book read we won't judge you! We will understand. However, it will make it easier to talk about the book if we actually read it. On the other hand I am sure we can come up with plenty of things to keep us talking.
What to expect next book club.
I think we'll start out by going around the room and having each person rate the book... so be prepared to say if you "loved it" "liked it" or "hated it" -- this will quickly give us a clue as to where we all stand with the book and our group opinion of its merits. From there we can either elaborate on our opinions or go through some of the questions in the reading guide. I have provided the following links for the two guides I found. (I actually didn't look very closely at them, they may be the same questions.)
Reading guide #1
Reading guide #2
What to expect next book club.
I think we'll start out by going around the room and having each person rate the book... so be prepared to say if you "loved it" "liked it" or "hated it" -- this will quickly give us a clue as to where we all stand with the book and our group opinion of its merits. From there we can either elaborate on our opinions or go through some of the questions in the reading guide. I have provided the following links for the two guides I found. (I actually didn't look very closely at them, they may be the same questions.)
Reading guide #1
Reading guide #2
The inaugural meeting
The first meeting was great fun! It was attended by Faith, Marjorie, Ami, Jen C., Skye, and Rose and me (plus two nursing babes). We had fun sharing book ideas, eating snacks (thanks Faith for the delicious coffee cake and banana bread.) We enjoyed a glass or two of Sparkling Cider, Edelweiss (Oregon White Table Wine, made in Oregon Cellars) and Fleur Pinot Noir 2006.
We shared a few good laughs and enjoyed getting to know each other a bit!
I am really looking forward to next month!
We shared a few good laughs and enjoyed getting to know each other a bit!
I am really looking forward to next month!
The Picking of the Books
Wow! We came up with a lot of books! We have two years of readings right here! So with this list in front of us... how did we choose the books? It was very scientific...
We chose the Pact because it is supposedly a love story and we thought it would be nice to read something romantic for the month of February. We thought about reading Redeeming Love and briefly considered Persuasion, but kind of got stuck on The Pact.
Then we chose Odd Thomas completely at random. Ami gave a number and Marjorie counted up and down the list until we stopped on the book. How odd that it landed on Odd Thomas. That's the book for March.
Then Marjorie and I decided that we needed something a little lighter to follow that one so we thought Circle of Friends might fit the bill. So that will be April.
I think we might read the Secret Life of Bees in May... but... from here on out I think we should maybe throw all the books on the list into a jar and then shake it up and see what we get. Of course if we are all dying to read a certain book then we can simply choose to read that book. However, in all other cases I think the jar might be a fun way to pick. So maybe we should leave May open for now.
What do you think about that?
We chose the Pact because it is supposedly a love story and we thought it would be nice to read something romantic for the month of February. We thought about reading Redeeming Love and briefly considered Persuasion, but kind of got stuck on The Pact.
Then we chose Odd Thomas completely at random. Ami gave a number and Marjorie counted up and down the list until we stopped on the book. How odd that it landed on Odd Thomas. That's the book for March.
Then Marjorie and I decided that we needed something a little lighter to follow that one so we thought Circle of Friends might fit the bill. So that will be April.
I think we might read the Secret Life of Bees in May... but... from here on out I think we should maybe throw all the books on the list into a jar and then shake it up and see what we get. Of course if we are all dying to read a certain book then we can simply choose to read that book. However, in all other cases I think the jar might be a fun way to pick. So maybe we should leave May open for now.
What do you think about that?
Friday, January 9, 2009
24 total books!
In addition to the ones I previously posted... here are the other books we have on our list. We decided to keep them all and just work our way through them. So check them out! And if you see them at Goodwill or a used book store... pick them up!
The Shack
The Hunger Games
The Prayer for Owen Meany
Twilight
The Host
Skipping Christmas
Girl with the Pearl Earring
The Life of Pi
Mistaken Identity
Odd Thomas
Home
The Bell Jar
Sarah's Keys
Marley
Redeeming Love
The Pilots Wife
Book
Jane Eyre
The Shack
The Hunger Games
The Prayer for Owen Meany
Twilight
The Host
Skipping Christmas
Girl with the Pearl Earring
The Life of Pi
Mistaken Identity
Odd Thomas
Home
The Bell Jar
Sarah's Keys
Marley
Redeeming Love
The Pilots Wife
Book
Jane Eyre
Monday, January 5, 2009
Friday, January 2, 2009
Book Club Scoop
What: A book club that meets about once a month to discuss a book. Maybe some tasty snacks and beverages would be nice.
Who: This will be a girls night out! (Nursing babies are welcome) I am hoping we can get 6 to 8 women to join the club. I am hoping to see women from all walks of life with different perspectives in the group to promote good discussion.
Where: I was thinking we could take turns hosting. I was also thinking that we could take turns supplying refreshments.
Why: Who couldn't use some time out with the girls. Plus I am always looking for a good book to read and I love discussing things.
Who: This will be a girls night out! (Nursing babies are welcome) I am hoping we can get 6 to 8 women to join the club. I am hoping to see women from all walks of life with different perspectives in the group to promote good discussion.
Where: I was thinking we could take turns hosting. I was also thinking that we could take turns supplying refreshments.
Why: Who couldn't use some time out with the girls. Plus I am always looking for a good book to read and I love discussing things.
Suggestions so far
Check out these books that people have suggested so far. All of these titles are links so have fun clicking and previewing. Feel free to leave comments about what you think about each of them.
Martian Child
The Secret Life of Bees
The Pact
Blessed Child
Persuasion
Circle of Friends
Martian Child
The Secret Life of Bees
The Pact
Blessed Child
Persuasion
Circle of Friends
Why Pemberley Place
Pemberley is the name of Mr. Darcy's estate in Pride and Prejudice. As you may know I am a bit of a Jane Austen fan. It made perfect sense to me to name the book club after something to do with one of my all time favorite stories.
Does this mean that we will be reading all Jane Austen? I hope not! I am hoping we can really pick a variety of books that expand us out of our usual reading ruts! However, I my pick for the group is Persuasion. I actually haven't read it! When my sister heard that I was starting a book club she had just finished reading it and thought it would be a perfect book for us to read.
Does this mean that we will be reading all Jane Austen? I hope not! I am hoping we can really pick a variety of books that expand us out of our usual reading ruts! However, I my pick for the group is Persuasion. I actually haven't read it! When my sister heard that I was starting a book club she had just finished reading it and thought it would be a perfect book for us to read.
Smutztica according to Jen
Well, Here is my definition of "Smutztica"
Definition #1
A lot of swearing for no apparent reason. (You know this to be true if you open up the book and in the first chapter all the words begin with "F" and it's really distracting-- I seriously picked up a book like that the other day... I was annoyed.)
Definition #2
I'd like to stay away from the horror genera for the club. I am told that these books will put hair on your chest... I have enough trouble keeping leg hair at bay... what would I do with chest hair? (OK so it really comes down to an over active imagination). Let's try not to pick anything that would scare our socks off... but I am totally up for something that would keep me on the edge of my seat!
Definition #3
And for you Friends lovers- the kind of novel Rachel kept under her pillow that Joey discovered in one episode-- I consider those novels that have hunks and heroines on the cover in grocery store lines... Smutztica.
Lets be honest most books even the classics have at least one of these elements lurking somewhere in the book. The question to ask is... is it all about steamy love scenes? Or does it employ the f-word in most sentences? These books we would like to avoid. But a love scene here and there or a well placed swear word we can deal with!
We want to pick out books that have substance and that we can discuss!
Definition #1
A lot of swearing for no apparent reason. (You know this to be true if you open up the book and in the first chapter all the words begin with "F" and it's really distracting-- I seriously picked up a book like that the other day... I was annoyed.)
Definition #2
I'd like to stay away from the horror genera for the club. I am told that these books will put hair on your chest... I have enough trouble keeping leg hair at bay... what would I do with chest hair? (OK so it really comes down to an over active imagination). Let's try not to pick anything that would scare our socks off... but I am totally up for something that would keep me on the edge of my seat!
Definition #3
And for you Friends lovers- the kind of novel Rachel kept under her pillow that Joey discovered in one episode-- I consider those novels that have hunks and heroines on the cover in grocery store lines... Smutztica.
Lets be honest most books even the classics have at least one of these elements lurking somewhere in the book. The question to ask is... is it all about steamy love scenes? Or does it employ the f-word in most sentences? These books we would like to avoid. But a love scene here and there or a well placed swear word we can deal with!
We want to pick out books that have substance and that we can discuss!
This is the beginning
Well, I've been wanting to start a book club for a long while now! I was an English Major at Western Washington University- since graduating I've missed discussing what I am reading in a group. I love hearing all the different things people discover from the same book. This is also a great way to really get to know other people. So I am starting a little group in my neighborhood. This blog is a place to discuss what we are reading and any other literary tid-bits that I feel inspired to share.
If you live far away from my neighborhood but would still like to follow along online... you are totally invited to do so.
Let me know what books you are reading and if you have any suggestions for our group!
If you live far away from my neighborhood but would still like to follow along online... you are totally invited to do so.
Let me know what books you are reading and if you have any suggestions for our group!
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