More On The Book Club Discussion

To continue yesterday's posting about a book I selected for my Book Club to read. Since one member had expressed a great dislike for the book and said that one other person had said the same, I began by asking "Who did not like this book?" Part of me wondered if all the members would chime in saying they hated the book. But I was pleasantly surprised when it turned out that only two disliked the book.

One said she'd read it several weeks earlier, so the day before our meeting, she read it again. Easy to do as it's not a very lengthy novel. The person who had read the book twice said that she liked it even more the second time around. Seems when we read a book again, or see a movie a second time, we find much more in it.

From there, the discussion went on in a lively fashion with everyone giving their views on the protagonist who was a rather weak individual. We all had our own ideas of how she should have handled the situation in her life that brought her to the small hotel on Lake Geneva in Switzerland.

Even though all books are not for all people, this one sparked a worthwhile discussion. I find that to be the case with nearly every book this group has read over a good number of years. We all have different personalities, different beliefs and different viewpoints. Never once have we ended up sitting silently, hands folded in laps. We're eager to talk about what we've read and how it might affect us, how it might trigger long-buried memories, and how it relates to today's world.

If you don't belong to a Book Club discussion group, consider finding one to join or start your own. Some are large, some are quite small. There are no real requirements. My Book Club has only two rules. 1. We serve no food. Only coffee, tea or water. 2. Whatever is said at Book Club never leaves the room. This rule makes for some baring of souls and good discussion.