|
Post by janetandjohn on Jun 12, 2019 6:17:04 GMT
Obviously, I don't expect to like every book chosen, and I cannot expect not to have to buy the occasional one here and there to join in .. but part of me keeps thinking about the time I could be spending reading what I already own .. Grrrrrrr !! But - it's only one book a month???!!!!
|
|
|
Post by geminii on Jun 12, 2019 8:00:42 GMT
Obviously, I don't expect to like every book chosen, and I cannot expect not to have to buy the occasional one here and there to join in .. but part of me keeps thinking about the time I could be spending reading what I already own .. Grrrrrrr !! But - it's only one book a month???!!!! That's what I've been telling myself, too ..
|
|
|
Post by windysisters on Jun 12, 2019 9:49:04 GMT
First of all, as already noted, it is only one book per month so should be doable looking at how many books a month you read as a matter of course. I appreciate if you are on an active holiday, and now spending more time at work, your numbers per month may be taking a dip. I only read 5-6 books per month and that includes my book group choice.
All the above said, I have the following comments: 1. At our group we get given the book a month before. So at our May meeting we were given the book to read for the June meeting so there's plenty of time to programme in the perfect time in the month to read it. 2. The above said, if something happens that prevents me from making time for the group read, I don't knock myself out to finish it unless it's something I am truly loving and want to finish before discussing. As my May meeting was immediately following my holiday I had thought I'd read the book in time. However my last holiday read took longer than expected and then with jetlag I lost concentration and struggled with the group book. I went to the meeting and gave my opinion on what I had read so far. I still enjoyed listening to everyone else's thoughts. 3. Re "Tombland" - we rarely have a book which is from a series because there is often a back story which would be missing. Also, we rarely get given a book over 450 pages. Maybe this is something that should be mentioned at group..... 4. Re the non-fiction. I'm also squarely in the fiction camp but the guy who organises our group likes to try us with NF now and again. I usually keep an open mind and see how I get on. If I don't like it I say so, if I do like it then I learn something! 5. Ultimately only you can decide what you read and what you don't but I think you are missing the point of book group if you go 4 meetings on the trot without reading any of the books.
Hope this helps!
|
|
|
Post by belletinker on Jun 12, 2019 16:31:56 GMT
I'm not a member of a book group so my thoughts may well not be valid - but I'm surprised that a group would suggest a book that is 7th in a series. I would have thought the first in a series would make more sense (unless I've just thought they have already read the first 6 in previous years) My other thought is why pick a book with sooo many pages do the members only read one book a month one wonders?
Just my twopenn'rth
|
|
|
Post by geminii on Jun 23, 2019 8:10:30 GMT
Thank you for your comments Wendy ( windysisters ) .. I agree wholeheartedly, my problem is that I want to read too much .. I suppose I'm still trying to get round the seemingly complicated dynamics of how my Group works .. There are supposed to be 35 members, but a max of 14 can attend a meeting .. A couple turn up to every meeting, some I've met twice, lots never seem to attend .. Many seem to be 'inactive' otherwise we'd have 35 books to choose from every Qtr and not a dozen .. plus I also missed the deadline to Vote this time as I was away and forgot .. Gosh, no .. I do not intend to go to a Meeting without reading the book, I'd just like to have finished it before discussing .. you're lucky to have a strong bond with your Library to get books to borrow every time (perhaps I need to look into this here) - we have to source our own I've purchased a cheap copy of Moon Palace from eBay (arrived yesterday), so I'll get time to give that one a go .. The Sheldrake saga has been resolved - we're changing to the first in the Series now, Dissolution at only 400 pages, so that's on reserve at the Library .. seems strange to me that the person who put the book forward, nor those who voted, picked up on the Series element .. Hmmmmmm I think you're right Margaret ( belletinker), some have said they only read the one Book Club book each month ..
|
|
|
Post by janetandjohn on Jun 23, 2019 8:38:28 GMT
Hope this all works out for you geminii. Like Margaret, I don't belong to a book club. My reasons for this may seem odd..... There are loads of books out there that I don't want to read, and what a waste it would be, attempting to read several books a year I was disinterested in. Yes, I know, cowardly, but at my age, with quite a lot of books on my shelves already, I think I will "stick".
However, the book circle here is something I like because: a) usually each member sends a book they like themselves and have read already, or they send a book they think other members might like to read (well I hope so, anyway!) and if you do not read it, or you disliked it, as long as you send it on you don't have to have a discussion about it.
I was going to join a bookclub here in Bridport which was being set up by a private bookshop owner. But frankly, by the time the criteria was decided upon, she had sold the business. So it's baa humbug from me, and wishing you an enjoyable time!
|
|
|
Post by elliej84 on Jun 23, 2019 12:41:40 GMT
Seems a bit strange to choose Book no 7 in a series for a book club geminii - I have heard really good things about Small Island if that helps though
|
|
|
Post by windysisters on Jun 23, 2019 13:09:01 GMT
.. you're lucky to have a strong bond with your Library to get books to borrow every time (perhaps I need to look into this here) - we have to source our own Essex libraries say they support reading groups so it should be worth asking how it works. Our libraries group have sets of books to loan to groups. A friend in Cambridgeshire told me they paid £5 per year to their library to cover the cost of sourcing books from a list the reading group gave to the library. libraries.essex.gov.uk/e-books-e-audio-e-magazines-and-book-groups/book-groups/
|
|
|
Post by geminii on Jun 23, 2019 13:42:58 GMT
Seems a bit strange to choose Book no 7 in a series for a book club geminii - I have heard really good things about Small Island if that helps though The more I've looked into it, the more interested I am in reading it .. May have to re-reserve
|
|
|
Post by geminii on Jun 23, 2019 13:46:13 GMT
.. you're lucky to have a strong bond with your Library to get books to borrow every time (perhaps I need to look into this here) - we have to source our own Essex libraries say they support reading groups so it should be worth asking how it works. Our libraries group have sets of books to loan to groups. A friend in Cambridgeshire told me they paid £5 per year to their library to cover the cost of sourcing books from a list the reading group gave to the library. libraries.essex.gov.uk/e-books-e-audio-e-magazines-and-book-groups/book-groups/Thanks for the link .. I'll mention it to the Group organiser next meeting ..
|
|
|
Post by eightlegs on Jun 23, 2019 16:40:20 GMT
Glad they've swapped you onto the first of the Shardlake series, it's a series that many of us here have enjoyed. And they should be easy and cheap to source as they've been around a while.
I'm not sure how far through the series I've got, might have to have a look, I like to space out books in a series but it's been ages since I read one of these, though it may be because I'm up to date of course!
|
|
|
Post by pennyt on Jun 24, 2019 6:49:49 GMT
Late to the party on this, Suzanne, but here's my two-pennorth for what it's worth!
Small Island is absolutely brilliant - a great choice for a reading group as plenty to discuss, but one you should read anyway imho!
Re longer books, my group has a rule that books chosen shouldn't be excessively long - by which we mean about 400 pages max! Many of the members of my group read little more than the reading group book each month but still don't have time/energy/stamina for anything very long. And we have never picked one from a series, even the first one - though that makes an awful lot more sense than the 7th!!
And finally on non-fiction books, sometimes these have prompted more/better discussion at our group than fiction, perhaps because even people who don't read much can find something to say on non-fiction topics. Just as it's good to mix up fiction genres, I think it's healthy to throw in some non-fiction too from time to time. On the other hand, my group is starting to put together its list for the next year (we take a break over the summer, so our reading year runs Sept-Aug), and of the 6 books chosen so far, 3 are non-fiction... And one of them is about "the new tribes shaping British politics" which I'm not looking forward to at all, but I'll give it a go.
|
|
|
Post by geminii on Jun 24, 2019 14:56:18 GMT
Thank you Penny for adding your thoughts .. I put this out there to get some insight into what you do in your Groups and for some general Feedback, so all 'chipping-in' is more than welcome .. I don't really feel able to question how my Club is run, as everyone else seems more than happy, not that I am unhappy, but sometimes you can see how things could be improved .. I will keep quiet for now .. Lol I had hoped to get Small Island in time for my Hol, but I decided to cancel my reservation just before going .. I've reserved it again now
|
|
|
Post by elliej84 on Jun 27, 2019 20:26:50 GMT
Late to the party on this, Suzanne, but here's my two-pennorth for what it's worth! Small Island is absolutely brilliant - a great choice for a reading group as plenty to discuss, but one you should read anyway imho! Re longer books, my group has a rule that books chosen shouldn't be excessively long - by which we mean about 400 pages max! Many of the members of my group read little more than the reading group book each month but still don't have time/energy/stamina for anything very long. And we have never picked one from a series, even the first one - though that makes an awful lot more sense than the 7th!! And finally on non-fiction books, sometimes these have prompted more/better discussion at our group than fiction, perhaps because even people who don't read much can find something to say on non-fiction topics. Just as it's good to mix up fiction genres, I think it's healthy to throw in some non-fiction too from time to time. On the other hand, my group is starting to put together its list for the next year (we take a break over the summer, so our reading year runs Sept-Aug), and of the 6 books chosen so far, 3 are non-fiction... And one of them is about "the new tribes shaping British politics" which I'm not looking forward to at all, but I'll give it a go. What are the other books Penny? Interested as I need to start thinking about our next reads
|
|
|
Post by pennyt on Jun 28, 2019 7:44:18 GMT
|
|