Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I am a member of a book club that I really enjoy. There is only one problem: the books. They are not the genre I like at all. I enjoy the ladies very much, we socialize a while before the monthly meeting starts, and they are great people. But the books are chosen a year in advance, and most of them are these boring feel good fiction novels I would never choose for myself. I'm a noob, so I won't have any input on choices for a long time. I'm not sure what to do. I don't want to drop out because I enjoy the women's company and don't socialize much as it is, but I don't like paying for and reading books I don't like either. I was thinking about faking it, reading the reviews for them on Amazon, and pretending I read them, but of course that's cheating. Thoughts?
When it is your turn to pick I suggest "The Gargoyle" by Andrew Davidson. If not for book club, read it anyway..... trust me. It isn't a feel good novel.
I think I would be faking it. I would love the social aspect of a book club, but I like intense books. Actually, I enjoy a wide variety of books, but not romance and feel good sorts. I can read pretty fast, but I hate wasting time on books I don't enjoy. Maybe you could just cheat part of the time, or read just parts of the books?
In your shoes, I'd find another book club and do both. lol.
I'm in a book group with some very intelligent women and it surprises me how many popular best sellers they like to read. Those books are okay but sometimes you have to stretch yourself. I'm reading "There Are No Children Here" by Alex Kotlowitz. It's not "War and Peace" but it's a meaty subject. They all recoiled at the prospect of it. Sigh.
So, in February we are doing "Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine" which was a decent book, I liked it, but... no stretch at all.
Book groups are like that, though, so I'd hang in there and see if you can borrow some of them.
This librarian gives you permission to not read the book. No, it isn't cheating. People in my book club often say they didn't finish it either because they were busy or didn't like it. Do you have book club police?
And yes, check the books out from the library. Buying books is for suckers.
Oh my gosh, I can empathize - I HATE "having" to read a book I am not interested in. That's the main reason I dropped out of our local book club - I just thought "I can't stand month after month of reading this tripe." Ain't nobody got time fo dat.
But you have gotten some good advice if you want to stay for the socializing. I'd totally cheat though and read the excerpts or reviews or whatever.
LOL. I actually discovered this book club at my local library, where I volunteer shelving our donated books once a month. Right after I started volunteering, one of the ladies I volunteer with at the library told me she stopped going to the book club after 8 years for the same reason. "I got tired of reading books I hated."
This librarian gives you permission to not read the book. No, it isn't cheating. People in my book club often say they didn't finish it either because they were busy or didn't like it. Do you have book club police?
And yes, check the books out from the library. Buying books is for suckers.
Thank you for this. I have a zillion free books on my iPad from Project Gutenburg and I sometimes have trouble not finishing them when they turn out to be clunkers. Guess I had “finish what you start” drilled into me when I was a kid. I’ll try to not feel so guilty when I quit half way through.
Why would it be odd if everyone in the group enjoys a particular genre?
IME, genre-specific book clubs are pretty common.
I never said it was genre specific and none of the people seem to think they are according to my wife, they just end up selecting the same types of books..........makes my wife wonder if they seem to think dysfunction is their normal, Ha! But I don’t doubt there are genre specific clubs. I’m sometimes on a science fiction forum...close as I’ll come to a book club.
OP, what would happen if you just admitted that you didn't finish the book, but you love socializing with everyone?
I'm thinking that most people really just want to hear themselves talk, anyway, though. So, what if you just always deflected - if you don't want to admit you didn't read the book? Like, "I'm not sure what I think about that, what do you think? Did you like it? " Just keep getting the other person to do the talking about the book.
I have had the same exact problem with book clubs. Plus, I read a book for entertainment, and then I promptly forget all of the details of the last book I read, including the name of the author and the title lol. Not kidding. I read a lot, and it's really rare for me to remember names of authors or titles of books, or any details. My mind has to be turned on into "you must remember this" mode, otherwise, if my mind is in "this is just for entertainment" mode, my mind knows it doesn't have to remember anything - to just enjoy the entertainment value at the moment.
This is how my mind works. So, for me, when I have joined a book club, by the time the club meets, I'm probably on my third book. For me to then have to answer specific questions about who did what 3 books ago - impossible for me.
Plus, I just don't enjoy dissecting what people think was an author's intent, or blah blah blah. Dissecting a book or author takes all of the fun out of reading the book for me.
So, I can completely understand why you wouldn't enjoy the book club format, but would still want the social aspect. Hopefully, you'll figure out a way to participate without losing the fun of the social aspect, but not have to actually be into the books or the dissection of the books.
I am a member of a book club that I really enjoy. There is only one problem: the books. They are not the genre I like at all. I enjoy the ladies very much, we socialize a while before the monthly meeting starts, and they are great people. But the books are chosen a year in advance, and most of them are these boring feel good fiction novels I would never choose for myself. I'm a noob, so I won't have any input on choices for a long time. I'm not sure what to do. I don't want to drop out because I enjoy the women's company and don't socialize much as it is, but I don't like paying for and reading books I don't like either. I was thinking about faking it, reading the reviews for them on Amazon, and pretending I read them, but of course that's cheating. Thoughts?
Do you have the entire book list for the year? If so, get the free trial to Audible and download some of the audio books for free. Also check your local library for the audio books. Listening is easier than reading and you'll still be able to take part in the discussions.
Listen while you cook, clean, drive in the car, waiting in line, etc.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
