It may also be the fact that I am currently in the midst of this insanity. I think some of my friends are surprised that I have stuck with this project for so long (and let me tell you, I am NOT giving up). I mean, who reads just classics? (the correct answer would be me).
Anyway, I have had this obsession with finding a book club in the area. I looked on Craigslist and found nothing interesting. I searched my library's site but that was no so helpful. My only option was to put my feelers out and see if anyone I know was interested in reading some books and talking to me about them.
Here is my problem, however. Since I have never been a member of a book club, and neither has anyone else I invited to join, I don't know what I am doing. I get the general idea that we somehow agree on what to read and someone hosts. But what are the particulars?
I am hosting the first meeting and already have an idea for the book to read (I want to pick The Glass Castle since I need to reread it to teach it, and I thought it would be a good place to start). I am just going to schedule the day and we'll have at it then, but I was hoping that those of you who have had experience in such things could offer advice and answer my annoying questions:
- How do you choose books? How far in advance do you choose them?
- How many members is too many?
- Can I make a rule to ban boys from joining? :)
- What do you do if certain members of your group refuse to read certain things? (there is a girl who wants to join but told me she won't read anything "hard")
- Does the same person host each time? Or do you go elsewhere to chit chat?
- Do you come up with discussion questions ahead of time?
- Does someone "lead" the talking?
- Am I going to annoy everyone because I am going to want to teach them?
- Anything else I should know?
Thank you!
*EDITED*
Based on some of the comments, I felt like I needed to explain a couple questions above. I don't want anyone to be offended by my joking manner, since jokes don't always carry weight over the internet.
I meant no insult in my third question by asking about not allowing boys. What I truly meant was whether your book clubs are solely female and if that works? I asked because the members I invited were all girls and one guy asked about it. I was unsure of a response and wanted some insight. I like the idea of an all-female club, which is why I asked it in that way.
Again, I didn't mean to offend anyone (thus the ridiculous smiley face). I hope you all understand it was said in jest and was not a serious question. I would never ban anyone from joining in and reading with me!
