It’s Saturday night at 8pm and I’m congratulating myself. I made it through the day with Will, sticking to the No Yell Challenge AND I was fully and helplessly hungover.
The culprit? Was I at a killer rave till 6am? No. Was I catching an awesome band at a dark bar? No. I was sitting around my kitchen island with 6 chicks eating 4 bags of chips and demolishing the never ending glass of red wine…until *gasp* 11:30 pm. Wow – I party like a rock star!
This was my monthly book club. I love these girls. Three years ago, I didn’t know any of them. We met at a local baby club. We were howling last night as my friend Beth and I were recounting how we first met. My post-partum psychiatrist insisted that I go to this club. So I walked in and scoped the room for the coolest looking girl. I saw Beth and her twins and plopped myself down. Apparently I said I knew I should sit with her because neither of us clothed our kids right. We looked around and every baby was in long sleeves and sweaters and our three were in shorts and t’s. I was right about Beth – she is the coolest.
Our book club is like many I think. We start talking about the book and within five minutes we go off on a tangent and within seven minutes, three or four sub-convos are going. We laugh a LOT. A few of us drink a ton of wine. We talk about issues with our kids. We ask advice about work. Sometimes we cry. I always leave those nights thankful that I met these new friends; thankful that they aren’t one of those serious book clubs; and thankful that I don’t feel alone in the challenges I face raising Will.
Speaking of challenges though? Our biggest freaking challenge is picking books! So I’m coming to you guys…. Help!
We have certain rules. The book must be under 400 pages. It must be available in soft copy and we generally like to have multiple copies of it at the library.
So. Are you in a book club? What books have you read? We need suggestions!!!!
**and yes we’ve read Water For Elephants**
Sounds just like my lovely book club!
Some of our past favourites are Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Suite Francaise, Zeitoun by Dave Eggers, The Help by Kathryn Stockett, Secret Daughter and Snow Flower and Secret Fan.
Not sure if these are under 400 pages but GREAT reads.
Very timely….I went to my first Torontian bookclub last night as the “new kid on the block” and I sincerely hope it is for “keeps!” For the past 9 years I have lived in the UK and was fortunate to be involved with a keen group of readers. We met every month, and yes I will admit, sometimes I hadn’t even bought the book…however, I loved the way a small group of woman could gather together and chat about their woes; children, husbands and most importantly their feelings. The nicest part about our group was that it is was a collective group, not necessarily catching up outside bookclub but all in their prime with numerous connections.
We drank too much wine; I left for Canadian shores, a baby was born and sadly one was to be the first to go through a divorce. Despite the trials and tribulations I can recommend a couple of books for the summer:
Annabel (Kathleen Winter) – my quest to understand Canadians
Small World (Martin Suter)
The Penguin History of Canada (for those in my shoes)…..
Happy Reading….
Annabelle
I looooooooooooooved that book!
Sara, although it is 432 pages, it’s a quick read. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield was brilliant.
I don’t belong to a book club (should really start one… we have plenty of these evenings, sans books though…) but I think it’s so great to meet up with friends this way. Also? I haven’t read a book properly in just AGES!! Sounds like you’re having a blast, lady… good for you!!
(I have a copy of The Paris Wife on my nightstand too… I understand it’s a wonderful read.)
I live for book club. Really. We do the same as Alice, host picks book & venue. Mostly in homes but sometimes at a restaurant & once at the local bookstore (owner in bookclub).
As for good books, we don’t have rules so these may not fit:
Little Bee
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
“Someting something” Dora Damage
Brain fart, sorry. I’ll check the list & post another comment.
BTW- Water for Elephants was despised by the majority in our group.
Yep, I love my book club, too. It’s a lifeline, that one night a month to get together with wonderful women you love and talk and laugh and eat and drink and yes, we do settle down talk about the book a bit, about an hour after we’ve come in and gotten stuff on our plates and off our chests, but digressions are many and it is, I think, my favourite night of any given month.
We don’t have the same restrictions on our picks, but we each take a month to host and choose the book, so it’s a little easier that way, rather than trying to reach concensus!
We just read The Happiness Project in my book club. It was pretty good.
The Paris Wife
Loving Frank
The Room (might be difficult for those with young children)
The Outliers
We just read the happiness project in my book club. It was a pretty good read.