My First Book Club

           My library has a book club on the third Monday of each month.  Since my department organizes the book club, it is moderated by a retired employee who comes back to lead the book club, and I had never been to a meeting; I decided this was the perfect opportunity for me to attend.  I was feeling bad about not doing this sooner, but since my drive to work is about 45 minutes, I leave the house just after 8:00 and don’t get home until 7:00, I guard my time away from work – plus I have to do my classwork sometime!  I discovered the book title just two days before the meeting – entirely the fault of the Alien Space Bats – so was unable to read it ahead.   The members were gracious and let me come anyway.

We met in one of the library’s meeting rooms with cookies and coffee to discuss the book chosen for this month’s meeting, The Lion by Nelson DeMille.  Mary Ann, the moderator passed out a list of discussion questions from LitLovers. (LitLovers, 2015)  This list included questions about the motivations and likability of the characters, their training and skills, strengths and weaknesses, and the believability of certain situations. Mary Ann began the discussion by reading a little bit of background information on the author.  Nelson DeMille was born in 1943 in New York and lives in Long Island.  Mr. DeMille began writing in the mid 1970’s using several pen names – Jack Cannon, Kurt Laudner, and Ellen Kay; knowing he would want to write better novels under his own name someday.  DeMille, a former First Lieutenant in the army saw action in Viet Nam, is a member of American Mensa, has 3 honorary doctorates, and writes in a “compulsively readable style.” (LitLovers, 2015) 

Some of his works include:  By the Rivers of Babylon, Word of Honor, Charm School, Gold Coast, Up Country, and The General’s Daughter.  Word of Honor and The General’s Daughter are now major motion pictures and several others are in the works.  The Lion is the fifth of seven books featuring protagonist, John Corey.  As the discussion began, Mary Ann mentioned that the question sheet was just for suggestions and wasn’t written in stone.  The participants began to discuss the book.  The topics of conversation began with discussion about the main characters – Corey, and Khalil, the antagonist.  Members of the group mentioned that they loved the sense of humor present in the book, that it offset the terrorist violence, and that they liked DeMille’s conversational style of writing. 

They discussed various happenings in the story that surprised them, plot twists they didn’t see coming and some that they did.  I did not see anyone refer to the sheet of questions – they didn’t seem to need them.  As the discussion moved through the book, someone mentioned a parallel to current events, which led to discussion of world politics.  Many felt the book could be taken right out of the headlines.  We moved on to other topics, including the book Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand which has recently been made into a movie.   As I had read and loved Unbroken, I was able to contribute to the discussion and felt like part of the group. 

Towards the end of the scheduled time, Mary Ann passed out the book for the next month’s book club.  The club will be reading Home Again: Essays and Memoirs from Indiana.  I don’t think I will make it next month, but in April, they will read The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.  This is the One Book One Michiana selection this year, and I have read it, so I think I will try to make it then and see how different the experience is with a book I’ve actually read!

Since EPL is participating in One Book One Michiana, and kicking our month celebration with a circus at the library, I mentioned that to the club.  At our circus we’re having balloons, popcorn, and games.  We discussed this and all the other fun things we’ll be doing that tie-in with the book, including showing movies, a steampunk make and take craft, make your own mask, a silhouette craft, and lots of children’s activities as well.  These wonderful, creative ladies had all kinds of wonderful thoughts and gave me some great ideas!  One of the ladies even found me at the desk and gave me the name of an acrobat troup that might be willing to come to our circus.

This was my first experience with a book club, and I really enjoyed it.  The book club members were all very welcoming and invited me to come back.  I’m looking forward to meeting with them again.  I’ll have to get The Night Circus and brush up on details before April!  I also discovered LitLovers, which I think will be an excellent resource for Readers’ Advisory as well as future book club experiences.  I might even enjoy leading a book club someday, but I’ll want to participate in many more before that happens. 

               

References

DeMille, N. (2015). Retrieved from Nelson Demille: www.nelsondemille.net

DeMille, N. (2010). The Lion. Grand Central Publishing.

LitLovers. (2015, March). Retrieved from LitLovers: http://www.litlovers.com/