I was just thinking about the fact that I’ve never been a member of a reading group. I was invited to join a reading group some time ago but declined because I had too much on at the time. (I think I still have too much on.) Now that I think of it, though, it was convenient for me to be able to say I had too much on, because a part of me wasn’t (isn’t) sure I’d enjoy the experience. Reading for pleasure has always been a solitary and private activity for me, something I do for myself.
Also, I have never been one to pour over every last word, every twist of plot, every nuance of character, to discuss a book with others. I don’t know if I am explaining myself very well here. I don’t have a problem with telling others what I thought about a book, and have even been known to write the odd review of something from time to time, but I don’t really know if I would like to read something knowing that I’m going to have to sit with a group of people, some of whom I don’t know, and debate the merits of a book that I might have enjoyed. I don’t know exactly what it is I object to, though.
Does it seem too nitpicky to me? “The author lost my sympathy, when on page 326, she used the butterfly to symbolise the zeitgeist, and the main character’s fascination with the butterfly as a symbol of his inherent selfishness, and by extension blah blah blah…” I’m possibly worried that I will seem unsophisticated when my response is more along the lines of: “I liked the main character because she was cool!“
Does it turn the reading into an assignment? “Must finish these chapters so I can discuss…“
Is it because when I’m with a group of more than about three people and I don’t know them well, I seem to turn taciturn?
Is it just me? If you are a member of a reading group/book club, what do you get out of it? If you aren’t, why not?
And yet, despite my misgivings over reading groups, I’ve been fascinated by the idea of an online reading group. I’ve been watching the development of the Patrick White reading group with interest. Looking at the comments in response to chapters one to three of The Vivesector, I think to myself, Hmmm.. I could do this… (I have never read The Vivesector. Actually I don’t think I have ever read any Patrick White. Hmmm.)
There is at least one other online reading group that I know of: the regular one Kimbofo at Reading Matters runs. The group reads interesting titles, and seems to have lively discussions.
Maybe I’ll join an online reading group sometime…
Postscript: Some time ago a reader of this blog, Monica, asked if I knew of any reading groups/book clubs in Perth, north of the river. I promised at the time to get the details but I don’t think I followed through, sorry Monica. I’ll see what I can find out about face-to-face groups…
(Picture from Sarsparilla is for M. Note the overweight pug dogs, M. 😉 )
6 Comments
I know exactly how you feel. I’d love to join a reading group that wanted to discuss things just the way I like to discuss them, and would be flexible about when we met, and would only choose books that are fabulous, and… well, you get the idea.
I have no trouble with “book club speak,” having been an English major myself, but the very act of resurrecting this method of talking about books means that reading becomes “work.”
I’ve also witnessed enough book club meetings (when I was working in a small independent bookstore) to know that most of them annoy me. They choose books that annoy me. Their discussions annoy me. And the person who invariably steps into the role of guru/teacher/leader annoys me.
Combine all this with the way I clam up in public situations when I don’t know people, and I don’t think I’d do well in a book club. I’ve always liked the idea of them, but never the reality (rather like letter-writing and jogging).
I’ve been in a book group for almost a year and it’s fabulous. Yes there are a few, um, personal issues but they are pretty mild. Generally we (8 of us) all have to agree on the books we read and we each get a chance to suggest books. It’s meant I’ve read a lot of books I wouldn’t have otherwise.
Yea, I lost my interest in book groups shortly after I left the English Studies program I was in. Don’t get me wrong, I like literature a lot, but the idea of dissecting books is not fun. If I wanted to do that, I would have finished the doctoral degree I dropped. Last thing I want is to sit with a bunch of strangers, some of which may think they know how to talk about books, but really don’t. If it sounds egotistic, too bad. That’s how I see it. Like you, I prefer my reading as a more solitary activity. I write about my reading on the blogs, maybe tell someone about a book, do a booktalk. But unless something short of the Apocalypse happens and the perfect group came around (kind of like Iris mentions), count me out. And I am not even going into the stuff the groups tend to choose. Book groups are probably a big reason why I chose to become an academic librarian. I could not see myself reading some chick lit or fluffy lit wannabe novel for a local book group and pretend I liked it.
Best, and keep on blogging.
Thanks for the comments, Iris, Susoz and Angel. I guess there are two distinct camps when it comes to book clubs, huh 🙂
Just noticed that Dee’s posted a response to this post on her blog, in defense of book clubs. She makes a lot of good points about the social aspect, which I hadn’t really considered.
I may actually be running a book group here this fall, unless someone else steps up. Should be interesting as I, also, don’t really like to talk about books. I love reading them. I like recommending them. I have many, many opinions, and I’m not at all shy about sharing them, so I’m not sure why book discussion groups have never been my thing, but I’m with those of you who don’t really like them.
Tell us how your book group goes, Laura! 🙂