Book Club

Hi,

So I haven't been in touch these days, but I have an idea that might be fun. Since we're not having much luck with a writing club, how about a reading club? There are so many books that I would love to read and believe I would if others were also encouraging me to do so. Do you feel the same way?

Some books that have always seemed interesting, yet daunting, are the classics -- Plato's Republic, Moby Dick (yep, graduated with a Literature degree w/ out reading Moby Dick), anything by Goethe (how do you pronounce that?), Aristotle, Hemingway, Jane Austen (have yet to read a book but have seen the movies). I'm also open to modern literature as well, biographies, autobiographies, historical fiction, mystery, etc.

Let me know if any of you in the creative writing group would be interested in changing venues. WHo knows, maybe the inspirational reading will inspire some writing.

Tammy

Tammy & Group;

Adding a book reading venue to the group sounds like a terrific idea. Whether or not there's enough interest from the original group, advertising this new twist to all of SW may be an option.

Regarding book topics, I'd personally like to avoid anything extremely mind-grinding but definitely not sink to the dregs of romance novels.

My personal preferences are mainstream fiction, solid histories, and contemporary social issues.

Larry

This could be a once a month type meeting since I'm sure we all have busy schedules. I'm thinking of having it in a coffee house like Orchard Valley or the place in the Pruneyard.

Depending on the interest level, if there's a big enough group, we can alternate who chooses the book for each month.

I'd be interested in a book club! I'm with Larry - intellectual is good, mind-grinding is painful. I'd be up for Jane Austen, modern lit, books on contemporary social issues, or well-written biographies or autobiographies of 20th or 21st century figures (although falling asleep while reading the last is a rather big danger for me, so it'd have to be somewhat engaging).

Tammy;

May I suggest selecting a day in the next 3-4 weeks and sending out a general notice to all of SW as a book club may generate interest from folks who like to read/discuss but wouldn't be interested in writing.

However, I'd suggest that this site be used as a central point for communication for any such group. That might help "herd" writing fence sitters into writing as well as reading.

Folks could bring their ideas for a book at a first gathering or have some time to post their suggestions here.

FYI - the dinner group is scheduled for 20 July.

Larry

Is the dinner group a weekly, biweekly, or monthly event? I'm thinking the book club could be a once a month event to give people enough time to read whatever it is that we choose. Are Thursdays a good day for you two -- Larry and Mary?

When I post a time and place, I will send an invite globablly. For now I'm cross posting to General Chatter. Don't want to spam people. Plus, Sheldon posts the weeks' events on a Tuesday I believe so the book club event will be there as well.

The dinner club attempts to be a monthly event, but it doesn't always quite make it. Nonetheless, while it's almost always on Thrusdays, there's no set week of the month for it to take place, so feel free to set the book club any day you want and we'll schedule around it.

Most Thursdays are good for me. Tammy, you're right about the newsletter - it goes out on Tuesdays, so everyone will receive notification then. Once you post the first event, I'll use my special admin superpowers to make it a "featured event" - it'll get highlighted that way.

Thanks! I don't want to interfere with the third Thursday art walk either. Have you checked that? Sounds kind of fun. I was there last Friday night and it was certainly happening. Saw a bit of the movie as well. Didn't see you there.

Anyway, I'll try to make the Thursday dinner and see if I can drum up some interest there. I'll RSVP shortly.

Oh man! You must have just missed us on Friday! I pooped out at 8pm, so we closed up the Social Wave spot (soap bubble-blowing station established right outside Giuliana's Gourmet Goodies). Wasn't it a great event? I was sorry I couldn't stay longer - it was really heating up then.

Looking forward to seeing you at the dinner!

So let's do this thing! How about Thursday, August 24th at 7 at Orchard Valley Coffee? I can't remember if you said you would be busy the end of August or not. The book to read will be Kite Runner by Khaled Housseini. Is it reasonable to expect that folks will be done reading it by then?

Let me know if this sounds good. If it does, I'll create a group in Social Wave and invite you, Larry, and Miki to join.

I can definitely be done reading reading the Kite Runner by then, Tammy. And Thursday, August 24 works great for me! I've marked it in my calendar.

Miki and I have ordered the book from Amazon and have penciled in the 24th.

Larry