Fiction_L Archives No book selected Dates: 1/13/05,9:53 AM  through  1/16/05,4:16 PM  (3 postings) Search for: Select one or more indexes to search: 2011-current     2009-2010     2004-2008    1995-2003    (Matches from each index will be displayed separately in the results page.) Return to January 2005 thread menu   |   Fiction_L Archives Menu

FROM: "Marx, Charleen, JCL" <[removed]@jocolibrary.org>
REC'D: 1/13/05, 9:53 AM

For book group leaders/members:

How does a discussion tend to go when there is no particular title assigned?

For example, if members are told to read any culinary mystery (Jeannine, I'm looking especially in your direction on this one ;) ), what kind of things are discussed? I can come up with some fantastic ideas about the direction this could take, good or bad.

It seems that this is fairly common among book groups so I am just wondering about the discussions that follow and how they hold up. It would certainly make selection a little easier at times since single title availability would not be an issue.

If you have done this kind of discussion, I would be interested in the themes selected as well.


Thanks! ~Charleen



Charleen Marx
Information Services
Lackman Library
Johnson County Libraries
15345 W. 87 St. Pkwy.
Lenexa, KS 66219
913-495-7540
[removed]@jocolibrary.org

FROM: "Jeannine D. Cook" <[removed]@co.douglas.or.us>
REC'D: 1/13/05, 1:43 PM

The genre discussions usually work out as a brief introduction to a wide
variety of authors. Each person reads a different book and presents it
to the group, with comments about why they liked or disliked it, and
comparisons with similar authors or titles we have discussed at past
meetings. Occasionally more than one member will have read the same
author and can compare notes. This is an especially good way to discover
the major clunkers (Stay away from ..., it was really dreadful!). When
we discuss culinary fiction, we also bring "samples," and are so busy
eating we don't worry too much about the discussion.

Discussing a mystery series can be a little more tricky. When we tried
to discuss the Joanna Brady series by J.A. Jance, we had to be very
careful not to reveal spoilers because the books are so sequential.
There were howls of "Don't give it away!" from time to time. We did not
have this problem discussing the Sister Fidelma series by Peter
Tremayne, and enjoyed discussing the common characters, history and
detecting methods possible in that time period (6th century).

One advantage to this kind of discussion is that it draws in all the
members. When discussing a single title, the discussion can become
dominated by a few people. By having each person read a different book,
each one has the opportunity to step forward and speak up.

Jeannine Cook
Adult Services Librarian
Douglas County Library System
1409 NE Diamond Lake Blvd.
Roseburg, OR 97470
(541)440-6013
(541)440-6011 fax
[removed]@co.douglas.or.us

-----Original Message-----
From: [removed]@maillist.webrary.org
[[removed]@maillist.webrary.org] On Behalf Of Marx, Charleen, JCL
Sent: Wednesday, January 12, 2005 4:11 PM
To: Fiction_L
Subject: No book selected

For book group leaders/members:

How does a discussion tend to go when there is no particular title
assigned?

For example, if members are told to read any culinary mystery (Jeannine,
I'm looking especially in your direction on this one ;) ), what kind of
things are discussed? I can come up with some fantastic ideas about the
direction this could take, good or bad.

It seems that this is fairly common among book groups so I am just
wondering about the discussions that follow and how they hold up. It
would certainly make selection a little easier at times since single
title availability would not be an issue.

If you have done this kind of discussion, I would be interested in the
themes selected as well.


Thanks! ~Charleen



Charleen Marx
Information Services

FROM: "Nancy Sherman" <[removed]@hepl.lib.in.us>
REC'D: 1/16/05, 4:16 PM

We have a mystery discussion group that alternates the "type" of reading
each month -- four times a year the entire group reads one title; four
times a year they read any book by a selected author and the other four
months are genre months (such as culinary mystery, art theft, holiday,
etc.). It has been so successful that we are going to try it with our
general book group, one month will be any book by Louise Erdrich and
another will be any short story collection by Isaac Bashevis Singer.
The discussion centers more on writing style, theme and the strengths of
the author (or genre). It's also a great way for everyone to try
something new - people take lots of notes!

Nan Sherman
Reference Department
Hamilton East Public Library
Fishers, IN
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