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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by partlycloudy on June 2, 2004, at 12:17:26
Well, I'm taking the plunge back into a book club I belonged to up until last November. I have to steel myself against the lawyer-doctor-society ladies' small talk that I let spook me away. They are a sympathetic bunch on the whole but I'm scared stiff anyway. We'll be reviewing "The Three Junes" by Julia Glass. Actually I didn't like it much but I wondered if anyone else had any remarks.
Cheers,
pc
Posted by partlycloudy on June 11, 2004, at 6:55:59
In reply to Book Club IRL, posted by partlycloudy on June 2, 2004, at 12:17:26
I survived the reintroduction to the book club. The snooty ladies were just as snooty and they left me alone, but there were lots of welcoming hugs from the majority of the members. It took me over a hour before I felt I could participate in the discussion, but when I did, it was the closest thing to "normal" that I've felt for many months.
PS no one else thought much of the book, either. Too long by 100 pages, and too many interwoven stories.
Maybe I'll be able to read the next book within a month.
Posted by Susan J on June 15, 2004, at 12:27:42
In reply to Re: Book Club IRL Followup, posted by partlycloudy on June 11, 2004, at 6:55:59
Wow,
I've never belonged to a book club -- I just got invited to one. I've been having serious trouble for the past 2 years concentrating on books. I've recently begun to start reading again, so I'm interested in the book club thing.
But *not* snooty people! Sheesh.
Posted by partlycloudy on June 15, 2004, at 16:59:23
In reply to Re: Book Club IRL Followup » partlycloudy, posted by Susan J on June 15, 2004, at 12:27:42
I hope you like your book club. Mine is reknown for being "serious" about books. The snooty girls poo-poo the other groups who just get together to socialize and drink too much wine (sounds fine to me!).
But this one requires homework. The person who picks the book (only prequisite is that it be available in paperback) has to do research on the author and tell the group about her/him. That same person hosts the book club meeting for that month. Usually the menu will have something to do with the book. For example, this month the book was "Three Junes" and we had Greek food - absolutely delicious!
Last year before I dropped out I chose "Life of Pi" and served Indian cuisine.
For me, what gets me past the snooty noses, was the time I posed the question to the group, "what book in your home do you go back and read over and over?" Out of the 12 women, 9 of them reread the same books as I. You just can't find that kind of connection elsewhere. (We are about the same age, I'm sure that helps.)
And I try to find out what books are going to be chosen so I give myself enough time to plow through it. Most people make up their minds months in advance of it being their turn to pick.
Posted by Susan J on June 18, 2004, at 12:34:02
In reply to Re: Book Club IRL Followup » Susan J, posted by partlycloudy on June 15, 2004, at 16:59:23
Hmmmm, "Three Junes" was one book I couldn't finish. Didn't know if I just didn't like it, or if it was the concentration-killing depression, which really bugs me. I mean, I used to read one or two novels/history books a week! Now it can take months, if I make it at all.
Did you like "Three Junes"?
The "what do reread all the time" question is great! There are people who just adore reading....no matter if they are snooty or normal. :-) It's nice to find people like those...
Posted by partlycloudy on June 18, 2004, at 12:44:49
In reply to Re: Book Club IRL Followup » partlycloudy, posted by Susan J on June 18, 2004, at 12:34:02
I didn't like "Three Junes" - it seemed 100 pages and 3 characters too long. No one else in the group cared for it overall, either.
When it's my turn, I'm going to have the group read "The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath. I wonder what the reaction will be.
My reread books: "Stranger In A Strange Land" by Robert Heinlein, "Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand, "The Chronicles of Narnia" by C.S. Lewis, and anything by Peter Straub or Clive Barker. I just packed up a ton of paperbacks for "retirement". In my quest to de-clutter myself, I (alphabetically, of course) packed several boxes of books by authors which I can't bear to give up, but don't want sitting on my shelves. Go figure.
My reading ability returned this week after EMDR therapy. I was thrilled with this side effect! It's like getting the use of your legs back after being bed-ridden for months.
Do you know anyone who might need a "Star Trek Cooking Manual"? I bet you it's out of print.
What about you?
Posted by Susan J on June 18, 2004, at 12:53:15
In reply to Re: Book Club IRL Followup » Susan J, posted by partlycloudy on June 18, 2004, at 12:44:49
> I didn't like "Three Junes" - it seemed 100 pages and 3 characters too long. No one else in the group cared for it overall, either.
<<Good, that makes me feel better.>
> When it's my turn, I'm going to have the group read "The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath. I wonder what the reaction will be.
<<LOL! That's actually one of the books *I* read over and over.<<My reread books: "Jane Eyre", Madaline L'Engle's "A Wrinkle in Time". Anything by Ray Bradbury. I've got tons of his paperbacks, which cost me about 75 cents each, that I don't want to get rid of, even though they look like they've been through a war. I wonder if kids these days can buy paperback books with their allowances. I don't even know how much a kid gets. I used to get $4.00 a week when I was 11 or 12, and I could buy 4 or 5 paperbacks with that.....
I also had a secret love of Star Trek novels...
:-)
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