Wednesday, April 9, 2003
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Wednesday, April 9, 2003 |
Fayette County has wealth of book clubs for avid readersBy MICHAEL
BOYLAN
Thomas Jefferson once said, "I live for books." Many people in Fayette County seem to share that sentiment. Nowhere is this more evident than by the growing number of book clubs in the county. Book clubs give people a chance to share their love of reading and their thoughts on the book selected for that month. They also give club members a chance to socialize and a few hours away from the everyday stresses of work and home. For some voracious readers, it also gives them some good suggestions of books to read while they search for their next literary fix. Some book clubs in Fayette County started meeting years ago, long before Oprah started her book club and popularized the idea. Though the Peachtree City library offers both an on-line book club and one that meets on-site and Barnes and Noble in Fayetteville has several book clubs meeting at the store, most clubs take place in members' homes once a month. The local book clubs vary from the formal, with each member taking the floor for a period of time and asking specific questions, to the informal, where members cut up with each other and cover topics outside of what happened in that month's book. The Peachtree City Library's on-site book club meets the second Wednesday of every month at 10 a.m. The core group of 10-12 members has been meeting for close to five years. It is open to anyone ages 18 and over and membership is limited to 20 people. The discussion is lead by library staff and the group will discuss language, narrative voice, character development, etc. Suggestions for books are taken from book club members and the entire group votes on the list. So far this year, the group has read "Rhapsody" by Elizabeth Haydon, "To Kill a Mockingbird," by Harper Lee and "Five-Finger Discount" by Helene Stapinski. They will next meet on May 14 and the book will be "Evening News" by Marly Swick. For more information, phone Jill Prouty at 770-631-2520. The library also offers an on-line book club. Readers can sign up for any of the four groups: Original, which includes fiction and non-fiction, Teen, Good News, which features self-help and inspirational works, and Fiction. Once one signs up, the Web site sends daily e-mails which include a five minute selection from each book. The book changes each week but readers are encouraged to check the book out if they enjoyed what they read. The Web site to go to is www.chapteraday.com/library/ptcl. Barnes and Noble hosts several book clubs, many of which formed after visitors suggested them. Kente Rainbow, which reads and discusses books written by African American authors, has met since the store opened. They meet on the second Thursday of each month at 7:30 p.m. Cloak and Dagger, a mystery book club, meets the fourth Thursday of each month at 7:30 p.m. The Theology Cafe meets the third Thursday of each month at 11 a.m. and the Live Your Best Life Workshop meets the fourth Thursday of each month at noon. Barnes and Noble also hosts a Girls Night Out for ages 10-12, where girls meet and do arts and crafts while discussing the book for that month. Community Coordinator for Barnes and Noble Chante Whitley-Head estimates that the book clubs attract over 60 people a month. She expects that number to grow very soon as a Fiction Readers book club and a Harry Potter 5 book club will form this summer. The Fiction Readers will meet the fourth Thursday of the month in June and July and will include several teachers who finally get a chance to do some pleasure reading. The Harry Potter club will meet every Saturday afternoon after the book comes out (12:01 a.m. on June 21) and discuss a few chapters a week. Not every book club meets in a library or bookstore though. A number of local book clubs meet in the comfort of members' homes. The Lucilles, named after a character in Mark Childress' "Crazy In Alabama" have been meeting one Monday evening a month for around nine years. Though some members have come and gone, two original members are still in the club. Each member gets to choose a book and then lead the discussion for that book. Recent selections have been "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay," by Michael Chabon, "The Corrections" by Jonathan Franzen and "Empire Falls" by Richard Russo. Their selection for the next meeting is "Seabiscuit" by Laura Hillenbrand. Reading Between The Lines is another club that meets in members' homes and they may be the oldest club in the county. The group has been meeting since 1985 and features close to 20 members varying in age from 40-80. They meet on the second Tuesday of each month and start each meeting with a report on the author. Each member then gets their say about the book before an open discussion starts. Recent books read by Reading Between The Lines have been "No Ordinary Time" and "Wait Until Next Year" by Doris Kearns Goodwin and "Headlong" by Michael Frayn. The New Neighbors League Club of Peachtree City has two book clubs; Easy Readers and Happy Bookers. To belong to either club, one must be a member of the New Neighbors League Club. Easy Readers meets once a month during the evening at the home of one of the members, while Happy Bookers meets once a month during the day. The first hour is social with refreshments, while the second hour features discussion of the book and a decision on next month's selection. Recent selections of the Easy Readers have been "Susan's Diary for Nicholas" by James Patterson and "Empire Falls." Their selection for May is "Big Stone Gap" by Adriana Trigiani. To get more information on the New Neighbors League Club, phone Club Director Carol Jensen-Linton at 770-486-9116. The Book of the Month Club meets at the Kedron Fieldhouse at 7 p.m. on the second Tuesday of every month. The group has been meeting for close to four years and features a group that varies between six to eight people. The club discusses one book a month but usually plans their selections a few months in advance. Recent books read by the Book of the Month Club have included "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt, "The Lovely Bones" by Alice Sebold and "The Corrections." The book for April was "The Secret Life of Bees" by Sue Monk Kidd. The club also had local author Jerry Moore address the group last fall after they read his debut novel "Weekend Warriors." There are more book clubs in the county and if you can't find one you like, you can always start your own. Local recreation departments and libraries are usually willing to provide space to clubs and this paper would be happy to provide a calendar listing for any book club. Most of the book clubs have female members but encourage men to join or form their own book clubs. Though a number of the clubs are near capacity and not seeking new members, some, like the library club and the Book of the Month club will welcome new members. Omega Book Store in Peachtree City offers 10 percent discounts to book clubs for their monthly selections, make great suggestions for books to read and could possibly lead you to more book clubs in the area.
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