Do You Belong to a Book Club?
@DeborahDiane (40316)
Laguna Woods, California
November 7, 2017 10:15pm CST
I never belonged to a book club until I was in my early 60s.
I had been part of an investment club for a decade when we decided to disband, sell our stocks and withdraw our money. Some of the women had gotten tired of the work involved. However, we did not want to stop seeing each other. So, we changed our group into a book club. We meet five times a year.
A few months ago, I joined a second book club through my church. We don't read religious books ... that would be part of our Bible Study group. However, we read books which contain topics or themes which are relevant to real life and we have some interesting conversations. This club also meets four or five times a year, so I have plenty of time to read the books for both clubs.
I particularly enjoy listening to my books on Audible when I am driving around in my car.
Here Are Some of the Books We Have Read Lately
A Man Called Ove (Both my book clubs read and loved this book)
A Gentleman in Moscow (Church book club)
When Breath Becomes Air (Church book club)
Being Mortal (Church book club)
Shoe Dog (Friends book club)
Orphan Train (Friends book club)
Do you belong to a book club? Do you enjoy it? Have you read any of the books above? What did you think?
12 people like this
18 responses
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
8 Nov 17
I have never belonged to a book club since I have very specific tastes in what I read and I just don't enjoy many other types of books. I am very into history and that is what I enjoy with an occasional historical romance thrown in.
5 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40316)
• Laguna Woods, California
8 Nov 17
@BelleStarr - I understand. There have been times I have wondered, "Am I really going to enjoy this book that other people chosen for me?" Most of the time I have enjoyed them, but there have been a few I found uninteresting.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
8 Nov 17
@DeborahDiane I have so little time for reading, I want to read exactly what I want but I do think it would be fun to discuss the book.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40316)
• Laguna Woods, California
9 Nov 17
@BelleStarr - Yes, that is what I enjoy. I find it interesting that sometimes other people will notice things that I did not pay much attention to. It can change my perception.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (117130)
• Anniston, Alabama
8 Nov 17
No but at one time I owned enough books to have a library, I gave away or sold most all of them, I went minimal and now I just go to the library, check`em out and take them back.
4 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40316)
• Laguna Woods, California
8 Nov 17
@andriaperry - I have done the same thing. I used to own soooo many books and move them from place to place. Then, I realized that I only had a few books I went back to read again, so I got rid of most of the books I owned.
@DeborahDiane (40316)
• Laguna Woods, California
8 Nov 17
@prashu228 - Perhaps someday you will join one. As I mentioned, I was in my 60s before I ever belonged to a book club!
@silvermist (19702)
• India
30 Dec 17
Though I love reading,I have never been a member of any book club.
1 person likes this
@silvermist (19702)
• India
1 Jan 18
@DeborahDiane You are right.Here I have not come across book clubs.
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@DeborahDiane (40316)
• Laguna Woods, California
31 Dec 17
@silvermist - They are a lot of fun and a great way to make new friends.
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@DeborahDiane (40316)
• Laguna Woods, California
2 Jan 18
@silvermist - You just need three or four friends who also like to read. You don't have to meet frequently. One of my bookclubs only meets 4 times a year. The other one meets 5 times a year.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (471969)
• Switzerland
8 Nov 17
@DeborahDiane I had not much pleasure with the book clubs, I did not like most of the books they proposed.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (471969)
• Switzerland
9 Nov 17
@DeborahDiane The book clubs that I joined sent 5 books a months, if you did not want them you had to send them back, but you had to keep at least 2 out of 5. Not interesting.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40316)
• Laguna Woods, California
8 Nov 17
@LadyDuck - I also have specific authors I enjoy and I try to read them between my book club books. Sometimes, it is an effort to squeeze them in!
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40316)
• Laguna Woods, California
8 Nov 17
@Hannihar - It sounds like you and your friend have formed a two-person book club! It works out well for the two of you!
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40316)
• Laguna Woods, California
8 Nov 17
@Hannihar - Oh ... maybe you will want to do that once in a while!
@Hannihar (130213)
• Israel
8 Nov 17
@DeborahDiane
I guess you can say we are a two-person book club but we do not discuss the books.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (80635)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
8 Nov 17
Never read any of these books. I would enjoy being part of a book club but I have no chance of doing that here. I haven't gone to my library in a long time so I will soon go there because I really enjoyed seeing what new books they had. They get books in both English and Latvian and translations. What is interesting is that there are online book clubs so I might look into something like that.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (80635)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
8 Nov 17
@DeborahDiane you can take a look just by Googling online book clubs.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40316)
• Laguna Woods, California
9 Nov 17
@RasmaSandra - I hope other people will try that. Several said in the comments that they would like to join a book club, but there wasn't one in their area. I think online ones are a great idea!
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40316)
• Laguna Woods, California
8 Nov 17
@RasmaSandra - Online book clubs! I didn't know about that, but it is a wonderful idea. The whole group could read the same book and then discuss it online. What a fun idea!
1 person likes this
@swalia (1386)
• India
5 Jan 18
@DeborahDiane yeah...and one gets introduced to new books and writers too!
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40316)
• Laguna Woods, California
5 Jan 18
That sounds like fun! I always get new insights into a book when I hear what other people think about it.
@JamesHxstatic (29413)
• Eugene, Oregon
11 Nov 17
I have not belonged to a book club, nor has Anne, though we both read a lot.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29413)
• Eugene, Oregon
12 Nov 17
@DeborahDiane Yes, we do discuss books a lot.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40316)
• Laguna Woods, California
13 Nov 17
@JamesHxstatic 
My husband and I read and discuss many of the same books, too.
My husband and I read and discuss many of the same books, too.1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40316)
• Laguna Woods, California
12 Nov 17
@JamesHxstatic - It sounds like the two of you have your own little book club!
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40316)
• Laguna Woods, California
9 Nov 17
@JudyEv - I've only belonged to book clubs for the past few years, but I have found them to be a nice way to maintain friendships and learn new things. You might enjoy "A Man Called Ove" or "Orphan Train."
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (341742)
• Rockingham, Australia
9 Nov 17
@DeborahDiane Thanks. I'll keep an eye open for them.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40316)
• Laguna Woods, California
9 Nov 17
@paigea - I can understand why you would not want to drive far to get to a book club. One of the commenters here said she belongs to an online book club. I thought that could be interesting!
@DeborahDiane (40316)
• Laguna Woods, California
9 Nov 17
@paigea - I am reading "Shoe Dog" right now. It is an autobiography of Phil Knight, the founder of Nike. I am enjoying it far more than I expected! I thought it was a strange choice for my women's book club, but the book is very interesting.
1 person likes this
@paigea (36316)
• Canada
9 Nov 17
@DeborahDiane It could be. What are you reading now?
1 person likes this
@responsiveme (22926)
• India
8 Nov 17
Love the concept of a book club but not seen one around...So at present am a loner
I love book posts on mylot...and like discussing books.
Not read those books
Have a great time
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40316)
• Laguna Woods, California
9 Nov 17
@responsiveme - Oh, a mylotters book club sounds like fun!
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40316)
• Laguna Woods, California
8 Nov 17
@responsiveme - One of the other commenters here told me there are online book clubs. I had not heard of that before. Perhaps you can join one someday.
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@DeborahDiane (40316)
• Laguna Woods, California
9 Nov 17
@tom_view - I hope you get a chance to read some interesting books.
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@Scrapper88 (5983)
• United States
8 Nov 17
I would like to join a book club. I have not read any of these books I think Orphan Train became a movie.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40316)
• Laguna Woods, California
9 Nov 17
@Scrapper88 - The book I read was about a modern girl about to age out of the foster care system, and her friend, an elderly woman who remembered being an orphan who was sent to the Midwest on one of the orphan trains, where she was left in the care of different families. Does that sound like the plot of the book you read?
@DeborahDiane (40316)
• Laguna Woods, California
8 Nov 17
@Scrapper88 - I will have to look for the movie about Orphan Train. It was an interesting book!
@Scrapper88 (5983)
• United States
8 Nov 17
@DeborahDiane I watched the movie Orphan Train a few years back. I hope the movie came from the book you read.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40316)
• Laguna Woods, California
8 Nov 17
@maezee - I particularly enjoyed "Orphan Train." It compares the lives of its two main characters ... a young woman who is about to age out of our modern day foster program and an elderly woman who recalls her childhood on one of the orphan trains which would take children from the East Coast to the Upper Midwest to work on farms or do similar labor. It is a fascinating, well-written and interesting book.
1 person likes this
@Tampa_girl7 (50580)
• United States
10 Nov 17
I receive talking books and large print books through the services for the blind and visually impaired. I had this service when I was a teen, but discontinued it and have only recently got back in the program. It's a wonderful service and free
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40316)
• Laguna Woods, California
11 Nov 17
@Tampa_girl7 - I'm glad you are able to get audio book and large print books free. That is a wonderful service!!
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40316)
• Laguna Woods, California
8 Nov 17
@TheInvisibleMan - I just learned about online book clubs. That may be an interesting way to get involved in a book club again, if you are interested.
1 person likes this
@TheInvisibleMan (17597)
•
8 Nov 17
@DeborahDiane Oh, yeah... Let me know. Thanks.
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