So Many Books, So Little Time!
61Is it just me or are there others here who think like that? In the last few months I’ve been invited to join two book clubs and each time I declined politely for several reasons. Primarily because I think reading is a solitary activity, something between me and the book I’m reading. It’s not something I want to share on a public platform, or analyse to death with a bunch of other people.
I read a book purely for myself, for the joy or entertainment it provides me, for all the many hours of vicarious thrills it affords. It’s a transitory experience. I read a book, enjoy the process, and promptly forget about it once I’m done. There is too much unread out there to spend time rehashing a plot or wondering about a writer’s motivations or commenting on his style. If I’ve finished a book and had a good time doing so, then it has served its purpose. I certainly don’t have the inclination to join a book club to engage in a post-mortem.
The most recent invitation came from a newly published author who, in all fairness, was trying to get her book out there among people she thought might make interested readers, and why shouldn’t she? The lady was even quite honest about it. And then she added, “It’s a chance to meet new people.” I had just given her the spiel about solitary activities staying that way. Obviously she didn’t get it!
If I wanted to meet people, new or otherwise, I wouldn’t choose a book club to do it. Quite frankly, meeting a lot of people with really strong views about an unfortunate book is not my idea of fun. The thought scares me, and not only because I don’t usually have extreme opinions about anything. That book has probably been a labour of love for the author; at any rate he has spent considerable time, energy and resources writing it. I wouldn’t feel comfortable trashing it in public, even though I may actively bemoan it in private.
I’m not implying that members of book clubs only get together to criticise books, but such gatherings have a way of degenerating into brutal criticism. Somehow, heaping praise on someone or something doesn’t seem to come as easy, nor is it usually as much fun. In any case, reading is such a subjective pastime, I wonder how any two people can have similar views about a book, leave alone a whole group determined to have their views heard. That’s the point, I guess – to have an edifying, even if hugely conflicting, discussion that proves you to be adequately literate.
Do people actually read books, other than prescribed textbooks, with the intention of consciously learning something? I’ve realised that constant re-reading only takes the pleasure out of a book. It robs one of the anticipation of watching a story unfurl, and reach its unknown conclusion. Too much familiarity with a piece of writing is highly overrated. Who actually wants to quote Shakespeare once you’re done with the final exams? Well, ok, there are many that do, but I would rather discover a previously unread author.
The wonderful thing about reading is the amount of stuff you pick up unconsciously, as if through osmosis. Things have a way of staying in the mind even if they may not have had an obvious initial impact. I’m amazed at the trivia I’ve gathered over the years from reading books of vastly differing genres. You don’t actually have to talk about how a book affects you, for it to have a long lasting effect on you.
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Hi FP,
We authors are a shameless lot when it comes to promoting our work although i guess you already knew that, you've known me long enough !
By now you have seen my latest Promo effort and if that doesn't work I guess all that remains for me to do is to go round to their house and read it to them !
I liked your comment about trivia... you collect it from us, we too are collectors but also distributors... a bit like a farmyard muck spreader I suppose ....
I couldn't agree more. Love to read, but have never attended a single Book Club meeting held every month at the library. And I used to hate having to write a book review when occasionally called upon to do so for a senior Army Commander!
I was just telling a friend the other day, there are so many books one wants to read, but there appears to be little time these days. Is it because of too much TV, the internet and the cell phone? ;)
Ritu, I would rather be reading your book than hearing you talk about it somewhere! :)
Merlin, there's nothing wrong about an author promoting his book - how else would we discover new authors anyway? My issue is with having to discuss the book later! :D
Jaspal - I would give a book higher priority over the TV, Internet, cell phone and similar distractions any day! And, were you really a ghost writer for an Army Commander?! :)
Thank you all for reading! And for entering into a discussion about what you read...haha!
Have never been part of a book club. I too believe reading is a solitary activity. My latest gimmick is putting audio books on my i touch and listening to them while travelling. Easier on the eyes too.
That being said..I have tortured my students with my own readings from books in the hope that it draws them to read the entire book...:P
I agree .. so much to read and learn but so little time. Reading is certainly private for me, although I do enjoy a good discussion. I read to learn and understand the world around me, so discussion helps me see other people's perspective. I do belong to a book club made up of colleagues, and it has helped me read books I would not have otherwise read.
I find it unfortunate that writers these days (and probably some in the past) are shameless self-promoters; they are marketeers first, writers second, and that creates second rate writers. I would absolutely love for you to trash my work (in private of course). So if you feel inclined, please do so. You can find my stuff easily enough by googling Jeffrey Penn May, or by reading my hubpages profile. I wrote a hub or two about the embarrassment of being a writer, and trying to market being even worse... and my troubles even calling myself a writer.
I love your perspective on book discussions. I cringe when I see "discussion questions" at the end of novels, and see it as nothing more than a sales gimmick.
I wrote in my hub profile that reading is my favourite solo indoor activity but I once wanted to experience bookclub adventures at the library but kept forgetting to show up. Your article was a good read. Thank you...
Hey FP, you said it all!...my exact sentiments! :)....need I say any more! :)
My first question is, WHERE is your list of books, lol! I was hoping to add to my expanding list!
My second question is, have you been in a book club? I was once in one that was pretty opposite your description. I loved it. What I loved about it- besides leaving my kids with Jack for an evening and dinner out- was the eclectic nature of the group. Everyone suggested two books for the group to read. This meant I read books in genres beyond what I would ordinarily chose. I discovered Tony Hillerman, Barbara Kingsolver and Jonathan Kellerman, for example. This also meant I expanded my idea of what was good.
When it was my turn to lead the group- we also led the discussion twice a year- I always did in depth research on the author. I xeroxed pages for the group and, if the story was set during an historic period in India, for example, I gave background information that I hoped would deepen our perspective. Mostly, when I led, we discussed the handouts and how they applied to our reading of the book.
I truly loved these women. I have not been in a group since, but often think back to these meetings with a great deal of fondness. Eventually, we had to disband. Now I read my books in solitary fashion- but my girls make great suggestions, and I love to discover what impacted them.
I have sympathy for your position, but I would love to find a group of women more interested in discovering what works than ripping apart authors with what sounds like pencil envy. HUGS!
cannot comment on what u have writeen since my relationship with your writing is strictly one to one and even you do not come into it. sorryyyy!!!!1
Diana, I've always wondered whether an audio book has the same appeal as one you can smell...breathing in the fragrance of a book is half the fun! :)
Uma, each to his own. I'm sure many people have had very satisfying experiences with book clubs! :)
Jeff, I am in awe of writers - whether self promoters or otherwise! I know writing a book takes a lot of work and I'm sure I could never do it. The sad thing is there are so many books out there, how does a book get noticed in the clutter - unless it's written by a well known author with a formidable publicity machine behind him? I wish books by the so many talented writers on Hub Pages were more easily available in India! :)
C-Bless, thank you for reading! I would probably forget to show up at a book club too! :D
Rashmi, you sound like an interesting person! :D
Storytellersrus, mea culpa! I will get down to sending you a list of Indian authors you might enjoy - soon! :)
I am always in such a hurry to finish a hub, I invariably have second thoughts after it's published! I realise that book clubs may be a thoroughly enjoyable activity for some, and indeed a great way to meet like minded people. I can't presume everyone is as crabby or anti social as I am! :D
I think one of my problems with a book club would be the idea of being forced to read a particular book - I like to discover new authors myself and what I may want to read at a particular time may not be what others want me to! I too enjoy an informal natter about books with friends - it's the more formal discussions I have an aversion to.
Thanks for stopping by! :)
neelesh, thanks for reading anyway! :D
I hate books. Especially fiction. There are many dangers involved. One of them is, you begin to think like the author after just a few exposures.
However, I don't mind thinking like the likes of HG Well, Jules Verne or Victor Hugo ...
If I am beginning to sound a little old fashioned, let me tell you that last novel I read was "Or I'll Dress You In Mourning" written by Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre. It's a true story about the life of a bullfighter. A Spaniard who rose from nothing to well above "something."
Quite apart from that, getting back to the topic "So Many Books, So Little Time," I agree with you wholeheartedly although I would not refer to books right here but abundance of information available online on every conceivable topic.
As always, another very interesting article from you. Looking forward to more!
Hello, quicksand, it's good to see you even if you profess to hate books! Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre are great writers - you could do worse than start thinking like them! :D
There are books I have read three or more times, would you believe? Now that I am trying to write a book myself, I actually look for technique and this increases my enjoyment of the book, because I am now CONSCIOUSLY learning. It's quite a new experience.
Anyway, the problem becomes serious only when one combines the subconscious obligations of friendship with reading. If for example a friend insists that you read his book and you know that he expects you tell him that he is the next John Grisham, but you can only discover Duffy Duck! ;-)))))
I reckon Daffy Duck would do a good job of it anyway! :D
Thanks for reading, DG - I know you are mired in the pages of your own book, so I appreciate this. :)
I agree with you wholeheartedly feline. Reading is a personal experience that has become my "quiet time". I detest book clubs. They remind me of boring English classes in high school. As for an author's promotion (or anyone's product promotion) it's all part of doing business. It becomes offensive when it begins to invade our private spaces. We don't always have a choice... (I'm somewhat offended and distracted by the Starbuck's add below this comment box), but when it comes to passing up the book clubs, I choose "no thank you".
feline prophet, I understand completely! I seem to spend half the day writing a controversial hub and half the night questioning my authority, haha.
I suppose formal book clubs are the other end of what I experienced. I have never been in such a club.
On Wednesday, I attended a bimonthly Committee meeting that generally attracts six or seven members. This week we had four and we energized each other into a great brainstorming session! There were no nay-sayers in the group. I would love to discuss a book with them- the medium would become the massage!
Hugs- I understand more and more why you and Jaspal get on so well...
You can presume I'm as crabby and anti-social as you when it comes to book clubs...maybe it's a Libra thing. There's so much drama in a good book, why do I need to experience more drama in the process of a group of people ripping it to shreds? I'm quite happy with my bowl of sour grapes on this issue. ;p Well said, FP!
The prooliferation of Book Clubs was a publisher's invention,
Reading a good book by yourself should be a solitary intention.
Thanks for this intelligent examination of book clubs, Feline, m'dear,
Hi, Green Lotus - why isn't Starbucks calling out to me? Are the ads different in different parts of the world? Seriously, I'm glad to find someone else who thinks like me - even though I never did find English classes boring in school! :)
Storytellersrus, I sometimes wonder what gives me the right to pontificate on Hub Pages, or anywhere else! But since I don't do it very often I guess it's ok!!! A group without naysayers sounds like a dream, whether it's for a book club or otherwise. I can understand your temptation to share thoughts about a good book with them! Hugs to you too! And I was thinking the same about you and Jaspal!:)
ST, my dear fellow Libran! Did someone forget to remind us that Librans are never crabby? Bowl of sour grapes indeed! LOL!
drbj, you've said it...for better or verse! :)
Great to see all my favourite hubbers here! Thank you for stopping by!:)
Fe, I have the same worries regarding pontificating on HubPages. I've placed several of my hubs on hold for that reason- unpublished, is the proper term. After a time, they disappear. Did you know that? I lost a few that I should have saved- like daily Haiku... originals only written in that space. Oh well.
Anyway, I suppose we have as much right to express ourselves as any other human being! The powerful retain power unless the little guys speak out- witness what is happening in the Middle East and I would say we should speak out more often, not less. Hmm.
Hope your day is all sunshine, blue skies and evening thunder showers.
Now I love writing about books, discussing books, and rereading (certain) books--but I have never joined a book club. I wanna read whatever I want when I want and write and discuss when I want--not when the club says so!
Storytellersrus, I always write a hub in Word first and then copy-paste it here, so there's less chance of losing it! Of course I never stop to think long enough before publishing a hub, so I don't have any unpublished ones in danger of disappearing! :D
And yes, everyone has the right to express themselves - whether anyone wants to hear what we say is another matter altogether!
Lee B, my sentiments exactly! Being prescribed a book to read sounds too much like school! Thanks for stopping by! :)
I went to a book discussion out of curiosity. I thought we'd discuss the book. Wrong! One little incident in the novel became the focus for the night. The fictional mother had spanked her child. Around the table, everyone voiced their horror and condemnation of the swat on the bottom. End of discussion. Waste of my time.
sheila, obviously some people find it difficult to separate fact from fiction! :)
Thanks for reading!
I completely agree with you - I also feel that reading & writing are solitary activities in a lot ways. Sure, I share my books with friends and my mom, but we don't sit down an analyze and tear them apart. We might talk about them, the characters we liked/didn't like, favorite parts and so on. But when I read a book, I want to read it at my own pace, in my own time, and without having to digest the meaning and message in every other word.
Michelle, you hit the nail on the head! There is really no need to 'digest the meaning and message in every other word' - reading should be a tension-free, pleasing activity overall! Thanks for stopping by! :)
I do belong to a book club that reads Vintage Mysteries. I wouldn't try to belong to a book club that reads best sellers or non fiction books because I would end up reading a lot of books that I simply don't want to read. If I'm in an Enghlish class, then yes I need to read what I'm assigned. But there are some famous best sellers I won't mention by name that I have not read and have no intention of reading unless I go back to school to bump up my Minor in English to a Major and have to read these books. But mysteries I adore. Even mysteries I don't love or find dissapointing I am able to enjoy reading without anyalysing them. and the questions we discuss-over the internet, the club is international-deal with plot and chracterization along the way. Questions like did you guess it was Sir...who killed? When did you realize that so and so wasn't actually dead? We did have a lively discussion on The Woman in white and its social mores of the day. But it is not like there are any philosophical debates. We just read The long Goodbye by chandler-wow, what a literary author-and next month we are reading John D. MacDonald's The Girl in the Plain Brown Wrapper.
Hi Flora, do you think it might be more fun talking about a murder mystery just before you read the final denouement? You might end up with many interesting versions of whodunnit! Thanks for stopping by! :)
We actually do have questions to consider beforereading and after reading the book. The ones before won't ruin the ending of the book and are a way of getting you interested -i.e. which movie adaptation of a Raymond chandler book is your favourite and why?
we also hae a weekly question about what you thought of this week's reading. So ther eis a time when we debate who and how before finding out. People who have read the book before have to let others figure out the solution themselves. :)
Sounds like you're having fun with your book club! :)
I've been a book worm since I was 5. Even at that age I preferred my books to the TV. Of course it just got worse as I grew older. Currently I'm speed reading the murder mysteries of JD Robb
Speed reading a mystery? Hope you aren't missing something crucial! Thanks for stopping by, Cashmere! :)
Wonderful piece Feline and so very true in all what you say.
Thank you marwan! :)
How many books can one read in life time? It is believed an average person can only read three thousand titles, however, Churchill is said to have read five thousand books.
I didn't know that! Thanks for sharing that information, Vinaya! :)
You have some great points, Feline Prophet. I agree that reading is a private affair. We all get something different from it. We all see the world through a different set of eyes. :)
Thank you for stopping by, Terry! :)
Yep! I´m with you on this one. I´ve never joined a book club so I cannot speak from experience but I´ve never liked the idea.
I´ve been finding quiet corners of the house away from the rest of the family to read, for as long as I can remember.
DF, so glad you think the way I do. I can't imagine spending time discussing a book when I could be reading yet another one! :)
Phoenixritu's web 10 months ago
Don't say that! I look forward to you reading my book when it comes out in August. Point about book clubs noted and filed away. Sigh that is one promotional technique that has been hyped a lot