Member Input Needed
If you wish to post to this blog, I believe you will need to register on blogger.com; it is simple and easy- if you just go to www.blogger.com you'll be able to figure it out. Once everyone is set up, I believe I will limit access to our group as opposed to any registered blog.com user.
SO....are you interested in participating in this book club? The 'requirements' are few and simple: repeat after me....
1. I am willing to make an honest effort to try to read a book a month (or every other month - see below)
2. I am willing to read some books outside my 'normal' genre - i.e. I trust my fellow members to suggest good books to read.
3. I am willing to contribute to the discussion of the books, either at live meetings or via this website
4. I will respect the opinions of my fellow members in the discussions. We are all here to learn more about books and ourselves, not to impose our viewpoint on our co-members.
If you agree with the above, read on! (I will add that membership is of course on a voluntary basis - if a member decides later that the commitment or reading burden is too much, he/she can withdraw at any time with no hard feelings - i.e. we won't all be getting matching tattoos after the first meeting or anything...)
I'm looking for input on how to select what we read each month; do we take turns recommending a book? Do we each pick a couple books to add to the "candidate" pile, with members voting each time? Do we try to pick from a 'greatest books of all time' list (there are plenty on the internet). Let me know what you think. Once we come up with a plan, I think it would be a good idea to schedule the books at least a couple months in advance, giving members who participate every other month (and don't have as much time to read ) a chance to get a head start on upcoming books.
I'd like to know from potential members what kind of books are your favorite to read now? Modern fiction? Classics? Horror? Non-Fiction? etc. Maybe listing the last two or three books you read and enjoyed would be a good idea here.
I'd also like to know what times would be convenient to meet. It is probably best to have a standard meeting date each month, e.g. "The second tuesday" of each month, etc. So, in particular let me know if there are days of the week that are always bad for you.
I'd also like to know your thoughts on where to meet. Sonja has graciously offered to host our first meeting at her place, but do we always want to meet at a members house, or do we want to meet at a bar/restaurant/ coffee shop/library, etc.
I look forward to your comments...
posted by JayC @ 5:36 PM
6 Comments:
Just to get us started, I will share my response to the input comment:
1. I agree to the terms :-)
2. I'd like to get to the point where we trust each other's judgement enough to have each member take turns in picking a book. We may not get to this point until we know each other's likes and dislike's a little better, which may take a few meetings, so for starters perhaps we should each suggest a couple books and have a vote.
3. I myself am pretty much a reading omnivore. I don't read mysteries or 'romance books' (ugh) although if a fellow member swears by one I'd be willing to try. I love the classics but also nonfiction (history/ biographies);I've been on a Stephen King kick the first part of this year, after a friend got me hooked on the Dark Tower series..
A couple books I read this year that I'd recommend: 'Til We Have Faces (C.S. Lewis); The Secret Garden (Burnett); (& like millions of others I read & enjoyed the Da Vinci Code)
4. The only current monthly commitments I have are the first thursday & the last Wednesday of the month.
5. I'm flexible as to meeting place; my old book club from years ago usually met at members houses, rotating the hosting duties, but we also met at least once at a restaurant/bar.
OK...so what are your responses...?
Jay
jayc, great job on our blog!
I agree to the terms of the IRC.
I get ideas for many of the books I read from suggestions from others. Some have been great suggestions, and some have resulted in me trying to read some not so interesting books. But I'm game to try just about any book.
I read mainly fiction. I read for entertainment (although sometimes I'll be learning something too), so I love mysteries, fiction based on history, any book that allows me to get lost in it. I shy away from anything that is too scary or intense (I get nightmares easily). I've recently tried to add some non-fiction history books to my list.
Recent reads include the Harry Potter series, Marley & Me by John Grogan, The Killer Angels by Michael Shara (about the Civil War), and Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki (this is supposed to teach me something).
My only current monthly commitments are the 2nd Thursday of the month, and the 4th Tuesday of the month.
I'm flexible as to meeting place too. My only concern about a restaurant/bar is the ability to sit and talk without upsetting the waitstaff. I might even consider hosting frequently (since I'm centrally located downtown) with some assistance in the responsibility of providing snacks, etc.
Looking forward to reading other responses.
Sonja
Ok, I agree to the terms. I haven't read much this year and am open to new authors or genres. I would like to be last in the rotation of choosing books. I have a full calendar of committments during the week with my kids so getting together might be difficult for me, but I can always log on to this blog and chat about the book late at night.
thanks jay for starting this...I am looking forward to it!
kathy
Thanks so much to everyone for your comments here. I have really enjoyed reading everyone's take and am starting to get excited about this project! (well, maybe I just got excited about Kim's butterscotch oatmeal cookie idea...)
I think we have enough people now to get this thing started soon. We can continue to bring others into the cult... er... I mean fold as we proceed.
I have posted a new comment about book selection that I'd like everyone to weigh in on.
As regards to meeting time, of those who mentioned days & times, no one ruled out tuesday's so how about the last tuesday of the month being our meeting day for our in person get togethers? (attendance optional) If we can come to an agreement on books & the time maybe our first in-person meeting could be the last tuesday of next month? Thoughts? Comments?
-Jay
I am for meeting the last Thursday of October...that would be the 26th. I volunteered to have the first meeting at my house, and 10/26 works well for that. What time would work best for everyone? Maybe 6:00 or 6:30 to give people travel time. Let's iron the details and get going.
Sonja
I think it's time to pick a book. So here goes. As the host of the first meeting (10/26 - time tbd), I pick On the Road by Jack Kerouac as our first book.
Happy Reading!!!!!
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