Be forewarned: This is a rant and as such has the potential to offend.
Last night I went to the first meeting of my new ward's book club. I felt apprehensive because I am a person who cares deeply about what I read. I have very strong opinions about what is worth reading and what is sentimental fluff that isn't worth the paper it's printed on.
I've noticed when I get around other women interested in being part of a book club, a lot of them seem inclined to read what I would categorize as "fluff" - this is any book that is described in the following way: "Oh! I loved that book! It was soooo sweet/romantic!....and afterwards we can watch the movie!!" Some of these books aren't bad. They were required reading for your eighth grade English class, like Jane Eyre. Good book but we all read it, we all liked it, lets move on. Aren't we ready for something a little meatier? We're adults now.
In my opinion its absolutely worthless for a book group to pick "an easy, fun" read. Why have a book group about a book that gives you nothing to talk about? That doesn't challenge you? But I guess, I get excited about a book group because of the book aspect, not so much the socializing. And in a way being part of such a book group really makes me step out of my comfort zone and pick up books I would NEVER EVER choose to read myself. It broadens my horizons, which is a good thing. SO why does the broadening feel so similar to dumbing down?
Things are said in book groups that make me feel really uncomfortable, things like: "I just can't read Shakespeare. It doesn't make any sense!"
"I read really slow so lets not do that." - Would you go to a running group and feel okay about telling the whole group that the pace shouldn't go above a walk??
"I just don't understand those books. They just get so dark." - This is usually said about books that I didn't find dark at all. If you want dark...
"That would be such a good book. I've read it like a thousand times" (So have we!!)
I heard all those statements and more last night. And they make me want to say really snarky things which makes me feel like I'm a bad person. Which makes me think I should not go to the book group, but stay at home and narrow-mindedly continue to read the books which lack plucky Victorian heroines.
10 comments:
You make a lot of good points!
Eek, I'm not much into plucky Victorian heroines either. This is why I can't get excited about Relief Society book clubs, they all tend to focus on young adult literature - which is fine sometimes, but not the best for good discussions. I feel ya.
You just need to start a book club like we were doing in Charlottesville!
I appreciated reading things that you suggested that I probably wouldn't have read otherwise. :)
I would like to read the biography of John Adams and then watch the HBO movie about him. :-)
I don't like fluff either...but as you already know, I'm a non-reader. Nor am I a big fan of rereading the same books, generally speaking. There's too many books that I haven't read to really motivate me to go back and reread books that I have already gone through.
Sometimes it's poor book choice and sometimes it's not a stimulating discussion about a book. I always enjoyed hearing the comments you had about books. Maybe you can steer the book discussion in another direction and help people learn to look below the surface of the stories. Help them read between the lines, if you will. hehehe. :)
I laughed outloud reading this post. Sounds just like my bookclub..although sometimes I do want to watch the movie afterward. Anyway, my biggest beef in my "club" is that even if we read a good book, the discussion is lame-o (for lack of a better term at this moment.) We read The Count of Monte Cristo last month and the whole night was just getting the facts straight and hardly any discussion about the literature itself. I was seriously bummed. The highlight of our book group was when they read the entire Twilight series in one month. Luckily, I hadn't started attending yet. When I told them I wasn't interested in the subject matter of Twilight (that was the polite way for me to decline), they kept pressuring me to read it. Now they just call me the literature snob... and I am okay with this title. Maybe you could start an online reading group. I would be sure to participate....if invited. Someday I am just going to start my own underground book group. Thanks for writing this....I like knowing I am not alone on some of these points. Sorry this is so long, but let's just be glad I chose not to discuss the "socializing" that takes place in book club.
Now you know how I feel anytime I talk movies with someone at church.
I have enjoyed book groups which had members in the group, but haven't had a lot of luck with book groups sponsored by the church/rs. I think people get too nervous and want all books to be whitewashed...I remember someone saying..."they used to have a book group around here (in our little town) but I got the book once to read it and it had profanity in it! Can you imagine reading something like that?" and I thought, I just can't do church book groups anymore.
We don't have a "church" book group for the very reason that the bishop is then supposed to approve every book read. There are always those that will choose to be offended by any off color items, so my opinion is that it is probably best that way. That said, I am in a book group with many friends from the ward (not sponsored by the church, though). I admit to finding it a great escape and enjoy the chance to engage in conversation with other adults. We have read a variety of books, in a number of genres. I have been pleased with the discussion for the most part, but I think the main excuse is definitely to get together and socialize (while engaging in a common interest: reading/discussing) - and I have no problem with that.
Thanks for all the comments. It helps me feel like I'm not crazy and this book group thing has potential to work out.
I've tried many book groups through church. The best one was when we read some Mitford book (I actually suffered through it because it was my first time attending, and I was holding out hope for something better to come), but the women chose to not even talk about the book, but about how Coke is necessary if you have migraines. The homemade ice cream for refreshments was good though!
I'm giving it another go, though. A paper was passed around last week, and I signed up. We'll see how it goes.
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