Book group concept discussion thread

I’ve read some amazing books via book groups that I would never have picked up out of my own volition. I think most of my book group friends would say the same. It’s part of the reason we’re in a group, I guess, we want our boundaries pushed. Not everyone does, of course, and that’s fine too.

The best discussions are provoked when a book is divisive. When we all love/hate a book, there’s not much to say.

I find it hard to give up on a book. I’m currently 80% through a book and am so ? with it but I also want to know what happens! It could have said the same in half the length, I think.

I must admit, I am a perseverer especially if it is a book that has won awards. I want to know why.

Once, I found a note in a library book which said: Keep going. It does get better!

I agree toscalily, as you said there’s no shame giving up part way through if you don’t like it. I’m willing to give most things a go for the first few chapters, but not to read something I hate for the sake of it. A comfort zone challenge for me and others who join in.

Up until a few years ago I always felt I had to finish a book, that I was somehow failing if I did not read to the end. Now I don't, like you MayBeMaw I realised life is too short and there are so many books on so many subjects that I want to read, enjoy and appreciate.

Our book group finds regularly that when we all enjoy the book, discussion can sometimes fizzle out as we run out of things to say! Not the case with Hamnet though, we were all very glad we had read it and (in some cases) persevered even when it became emotionally draining.
Sometimes my heart sinks at a book choice though, there are “fashionable” books which apparently “everybody is reading”, often first novels which frankly I can do without. I will give most things a try, but if I am not engaged by about page 100, or if it is clunkily written, I have no compunction about giving up. Life is too short and I have too many books on my BTR (books to read) pile.

I am now 63 and after reading all my life various types of books. From Dickens, Thomas Hardy and others from that time. Agatha Christie,PD James, Dick Francis and the like. I have found authors I like and enjoy re reading their books.

I like mainly fantasy by authors Lilith Saintcrow,Kelley Armstrong, Keri Arthur and the like. Also horror favourite author is James Herbert. Detective novels by Ann Cleves ,Ian Rankin and Ian Childs. To name but a few.

If people buy me books I will always read them even if I hate them as they have chosen them for me.

So a book club would not be for me.

I agree, good to be pushed out of your reading comfort zone sometimes. Also, you may get, a quarter or half way through and feel you really cannot be bothered to finish but that is also relevant and your reasons not to continue can be brought into the conversation and discussed.

Sometimes books you don't enjoy can stimulate a good discussion. Someone chose JoJo Moyes After You for a group I was in. As it's a sequel I read Me Before You too.

Now, I know that JJM is immensely popular but I disiked her writing and her cliched and sometimes unbelieveable plotting.

I was expecting to go along to the meet and find I was alone but it turned out that about half the group also disliked the book(s). We spent a very good evening discussing why were were so polarized.

Isn’t that the whole point of a Book Club though Whiff? To read books that others recommend and love widens your horizons and gives you food for thought, even though you don’t actively enjoy them all? At least, that what I’d assumed, I’m expecting to read books I wouldn’t normally choose.

I have toyed with the idea of joining a book club the only problem would be doubt if they would like my type of book. Also would hate having to read a set book.

I was brought Gone girl and Girl on a train. Hated both books but because people had chosen them for me felt I had to read them through. They then went straight to the charity shop.

I miss the GN book of the month. I used to win a book quite regularly and it introduces me to a lot of new authors.

I also belonged to a real life book group before Covid. We borrowed library books to discuss over coffee and I miss that too.
I'll take a look at this one.

I might be in the wrong place - when is it going to start, my wine is getting warm!

I’m in a Bookgroup which is comprised of men and women, which I like. It gives a good balance. We really do discuss the book whereas my sister was in two all women groups and they just seemed to cursorily dismiss the book and crack open the wine lol.

PS but not until later as real life and Ocado beckon!

Hello again
Ok, thank you, I’m not experienced with book clubs but I’ll do my best!
I will now post on the other thread

Ah, as it happens I went and started the thread and posted the above comment and only then saw the comments by FannyCornforth and Silverbridge.

I have linked to three audiobooks. All have subtitles available and I have mentioned that.

Yes, I am happy for FannyCornforth to take the lead. Indeed I feel that that would be best. Please proceed.

The thread has now been started.

www.gransnet.com/forums/books_book_club/1300959-Audio-Book-Group-The-Machine-Stops

EP Hmm. I think we need to be careful about overcomplicating this.

A book group is one idea allowing participants to access an unabridged version in whichever format they prefer: book, audio, Kindle.

An audio-only book club would be nice idea as it's inclusive for people who may have impaired vision and use adaptive technologies. I don't know how accessible the GN forum is for people with impaired vision. Maybe someone could comment on that.

A 90 minute listen would restrict what could chosen to short stories only so that's something to consider.

I wouldn't be interested in a film-only book club as adaptations are often very far removed from and inferior to the original text. I'd only be interested if the book and film were up for discussion together.

FannyCornforth I'm off out for a while but let me have think and I'll pop back later to see what others have to say.

Okay, would you rather me do it, or shall we share it?
If we follow Silverbridge’s guidelines first, and then just see how it goes?
I can’t do links or anything fancy like that, so you will need to do that.
I also agree that we don’t really need a chair as such, just someone who posts regularly (which I certainly do!)
Tell me your thought please EP, it was your idea, so I don’t want to tread on your toes or make you feel that I’ve ‘taken over’

FannyCornforth

Thank you EP
Are you going to start another thread specifically to discuss The Machine Stops; with the words Audio Book Group in the thread title, and perhaps the name of the book?

Silverbridge would you like to start the traditional type of book club, please?
With a book of your choice.
You’re really experienced at this.
I’m happy to take over the reins, if you would like, for the second book.

I used to be a voracious reader, but have really tailed off over the past few years.
It would be great for me to have a gentle kick on the bum to encourage me to read, and to do so in a more rigorous way

Yes, alright FannyCornforth I will start the audio book group. There appears to be two versions. The BBC one and the unabridged one that is longer.

I suppose I should link to both.

But as I have not listened to either yet, apart from the first few minutes, I don't feel that I should be leading the discussion. Do we actually need someone leading the discussion, or does a book group fall to bits unless someone chairs the discussion? Maybe different online in this type of online format than face to face.

I joined a book club for people undergoing or post treatment for cancer. Unfortunately all the books they chose were very long and required more concentration and energy than I was able to give. I was disappointed as I thought it would help my recovery. I agree that number of pages is an important consideration.

Thank you EP
Are you going to start another thread specifically to discuss The Machine Stops; with the words Audio Book Group in the thread title, and perhaps the name of the book?

Silverbridge would you like to start the traditional type of book club, please?
With a book of your choice.
You’re really experienced at this.
I’m happy to take over the reins, if you would like, for the second book.

I used to be a voracious reader, but have really tailed off over the past few years.
It would be great for me to have a gentle kick on the bum to encourage me to read, and to do so in a more rigorous way

Thank you all for your comments.

I used the phrase "book group" so as to avoid ambiguity with the term "book club" as "book club" sometimes means that a commercial company runs a service where a customer pays an upfront subscription and then receives through the post "the club's edition" of some book of the company's choice - and that's it, no discussion or anything like that.

Personally my preference would be for an audiobook that runs for somewhere around and hour to an hour and a half, as otherwise as other things arise I might not get round to listening to a longer version.

I have not listened to The Machine Stops yet - I saw the video about Richard III so I watched that.

I am not in any way opposed to a book group that uses longer hardcopy books, but I just know that unless I got really engrossed that reading it would probably slip down the queue as I have other things that I like to do too.

So maybe we could have two parallel book groups. One based on audiobooks that are available free on YouTube, one based on hardcopy books that people would need to get.

A third possibility is of a group to discuss books that are available in filmed versions free on YouTube, or possibly those on BBC iplayer unless that would restrict people who are not in the United Kingdom as I like to be inclusive and not go with a policy that would be for "most" and marginalise a few people or even just one person.

For example, a movie I watched recently.

www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0074n82/citizen-kane

Please note the pastiche of The March of Time that is near the start and the amazing song and dance routine.

I’ve been a member of a variety of book groups over the last twenty years and they do vary. The better ones (imo) have been where someone takes a light contol of the meeting to steer the discussion not least so that everyone has a chance to speak (something that won’t be a problem in an online discussion) but also to suggest points to discuss e.g. in The Machine Stops

Why is Vashti scared? What does this remind you of in our world?

One of the best discussions was of Mikhail Bulgakov’s The Master and Margarita suggested by someone who had lived behind the Iron Curtain.

From Wiki:

The story concerns a visit by the devil to the officially atheistic Soviet Union. The Master and Margarita combines supernatural elements with satirical dark comedy and Christian philosophy, defying categorization within a single genre. Many critics consider it to be one of the best novels of the 20th century, as well as the foremost of Soviet satires.

It isn’t as heavy going at it might sound!

I am just coming to the end of Ali Smith’s Seasons Quartet Autumn-Summer - they need to be read in that order. I’ve been so engrossed I’ve read four books in five days. Extraordinary writing. Her How to be Both was another book which prompted an interesting discussion. It's two stories in one book. Some versions are printed A then B, others B then A. The order in which you read the stories changes how you interpret what happens. Very clever.

Urmstongran
One of our outstanding runaway favourites over the years was ‘The Year of Wonders’ a novel based on the plague in the village of Eyam. ‘Crawdads’ scored well, ‘The Salt Path’, ‘The Diving Bell and the Butterfly’ was a poignant true story as well as Paul Kalanithi’s ‘When Breath Becomes Air’.

Yes we had The Year Of Wonders a couple of months back. I liked it but the ending was weird and all the male characters were bad. I did then look up information about the author and did explain a few things.

The Salt Path was good as well and I keep meaning to read the followup book.