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?