Showerthought: I walked through the old library in Springfield and saw a shelf that made me rethink book clubs

I was at the main library in Springfield last Tuesday, you know, the one with the big stone lions out front. I was just browsing the fiction section when I saw a whole shelf labeled 'Book Club Favorites, 2005-2010'. It was full of copies of the same books, all worn out in different ways. One copy of a certain bestseller had notes scribbled in three different colors of pen, another was totally clean but the spine was cracked. It hit me that for years, I thought a good book club pick was one everyone would like. But looking at those books, I realized the best ones are the ones people fight about, the ones that get marked up and worn out from being talked over. A smooth, agreeable book leaves nothing to say after you close it. Has anyone else had a pick that split the room but made for an amazing meeting?

3 comments

3 Comments

jakeb2525d ago

Totally get what you mean. Saw that same thing with my old club and a certain book about a circus. Half the group loved the magic, the other half called it a pointless mess. That meeting went for three hours. The books everyone just nods along to are the ones you forget by next week. The messy, argued-over copies on that shelf prove it. They were actually used.

xena91425d ago

Our club read that circus book last year. Ended up splitting into two groups for the final chat, the lovers and the haters. Best meeting we ever had. You're right, @jakeb25, the worn-out books with notes in the margins are the ones that actually matter. We still bring it up when picking new reads.

shane_mason22d ago

My copy's full of angry coffee stains.

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