This is a Legitimate Book Club

Rumor has it there is a book club in Hamilton that has been meeting for 10 years and has yet to read a book.  I’m not going to name any names, but you know who you are. 

This is not that kind of book club. 

I rushed home from work on Thursday to put together a little spread of fruit, veggies, cheese, and nuts.  Donnie took one look at it and said, “So …. we’re having snacks for dinner?”

Excuse me.  I didn’t know I was expected to host a proper book club and make Donnie a hot meal.  Let me take notes for next time.  

Or just flip him the bird. 

Anyway.  I had pre-printed a list of nine Book Thief discussion questions, most of which I found online:

The problem with the questions I found online is that none of them asked whether there was anything romantic about Liesel’s relationship with Max.  The lack of questions on this topic made me start to wonder whether there something wrong with me for assuming there was a bit of romantic tension between these two.  I’ve read enough Danielle Steele to know how one thing can lead to another.

(For the record, I’ve only read three Danielle Steele books in my life, but that’s enough to know how one thing can lead to another). 

We had eight people at the first edition of Books and Booze, and luckily most of us were happy to discuss the subtle points of Liesel’s love life.   But here’s what I love about book club:  had I not had these eight people over to discuss The Book Thief I would have finished it and set it on the shelf just wondering whether Liesel came of age and got it on with Max.  Instead, I had a grown-up conversation about the nature of guilt in a society with an unsavory moral foundation. 

We also covered Rudy as a Christ figure and the illusions to Dante’s Inferno, both of which came courtesy of a class Donnie once took called “The Bible as Literature.”  Although I am always a bit skeptical about his biblical references because he only earned a “B” in that class. 

Before everybody left, I gave each person a description of six options for the next book club and asked them to rate their interest in reading each one on a scale of 1-5.  Zadie Smith’s NW was the clear winner and will be up next.  Unfortunately, my top choice (The Omnivore’s Dilemma) came in dead last.  Apparently people want to have their meat and eat it too, but hey no judgment here.    

My takeaway from all this is that attending a book club is probably one of the classiest things you can do.  Until all hell breaks loose and people start rolling around on the living room floor.  If this doesn't make you want to come to the next Books and Booze I don't know what will: