November 22, 2010

The Book Club

Since ascending into adulthood, I have been a member of 17 book clubs. Or so it feels.

Unlike most other social events, I find book clubs to be thoroughly enjoyable. On all but two occasions, I have read the assigned book and then neglected to show up for the meeting to discuss it.

"You don't like book clubs," my husband corrected. "You like reading lists."

Last week, I joined my eighteenth book club. The first meeting was in a conference room at the public library. The book club leader began the meeting by asking each of us to make a list of things that we like to read about.

I didn't know what to write first, so I put down "infectious diseases."

"Like the Swine Flu?" the woman asked when she got to my paper.

"And HIV and Cholera and the Black Death," I added.

All of the other lists in the room included mythical creatures.

"Let me guess," my husband said when I got home. "You're not going back."

I don't know what gave him that idea. I think I finally found my home.

14 comments

Anonymous said...

...please say it's not a bookclub for Twi-moms.

Is that wrong that that was my first thought on reading mythical creatures?

Of course if your co-members want to read about chupacabras or the like, that would increase the attraction of this book club ten-fold.

Paula said...

Do you really read about plagues and such? If so then we should start our own book club about germs! Yippee! (My husband thinks I'm nuts.). My favorite book is "Plague, Pox, and Pestilence". Hey, I was a bio/chem major in college with a focus on infectious diseases!

Now I write humor blogs about poop, snot, and the desert.

How in the heck did THAT happen?

Moms At Wits End said...

I'm in a bookclub as well, though mine is just more of an excuse to go out to dinner and have a few drinks with the ladies. We do discuss the book for at least a good five minutes though!!!

Samurai Mom said...

We started a movie club, We call it Cinema Domingo "Where are motto is we will only waste 2 hours of your time."

Abby said...

Have you read Ghost Map? It's a great book about cholera.

Anonymous said...

the book club that i once belonged to was tragic from the start........everyone dropped out because of one member. i dont blame you for docoring your list!

Jennifer said...

Book clubs never work out well for me. They are always full of people who seem to think reading is a chore. The book lists are earnest attempts at self-improvement.

Since I tend to equate books with chocolate (both thing that I adore and really should cut back on) I never fit in well. :D

Cat said...

Our book club has been reading a book with some kind of disease in it every year. Granted, we're only starting our third year, but we made sure next year's books include a book set during the plague.

eliana23 said...

I so feel your pain, so much that I can't even talk about it. I continue to try and fail to find just the right book club.

Scott and Kaitlin said...

The Hot Zone! Love it.

Beth said...

I host a book club at our library, Ladies Night! Its nice to know its not just for retirees, but busy moms too. Thanks for using the library!!!

Emily said...

Have you heard of blogging for books?

You get free books for reviewing the books. You get to choose what you read. There are lots of choices.
I just signed up, still haven't gotten my first book yet, but it looks like a really good program.

www.bloggingforbooks.org

No Longer Newlyweds. said...

It seems we would like the same books....murder, mystery, science, etc...books like Hot Zone.

A Musing Mother said...

Hey! Wanna join a book club?

Let's read Twilight and allow our dendrites to go absolutely crazy deciding whether we're camp Jacob or camp Edward.

Or camp Puck. Something tells me Midsummer might be a better choice.