Fiction_L Archives bookclub discussion format Dates: 4/3/04,6:53 PM  through  4/14/04,1:15 PM  (19 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 April 2004 thread menu   |   Fiction_L Archives Menu

FROM: "Hood, Karye" <[removed]@ci.rancho-cucamonga.ca.us>
REC'D: 4/3/04, 6:53 PM

I'm looking for new & innovative ways of leading bookclub discussion meetings.
We have tried using discussion questions read by the discussion leader(s).
This is okay but some attendees end up feeling as though they are being tested or quizzed on the book. Plus, there are times we would get blank looks from everyone and have to explain/answer the question ourselves.
We have also tried going around the circle and having each person give their reaction to the book.
This has been most successful, as everyone has a chance to talk, but as our group has grown larger it is taking up too much time and they are tired of this format. At our once a year potluck we have discussion questions that are printed out on scraps of paper in the center of each table. It is up to the attendees at the table to sift through the questions and talk about them. I'm thinking of doing a variation on this...printing out discussion questions/starters, cutting up the paper, putting them in a basket and taking turns passing around the basket to draw/read a question. I think this may be fun, because there will be an element of surprise in drawing questions. What has worked for your group?

Thank you for your help.

Karye Hood
Reference Librarian
Rancho Cucamonga Public Library
7368 Archibald Ave.
Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730
Email: [removed]@ci.rancho-cucamonga.ca.us <[removed]@ci.rancho-cucamonga.ca.us>
Phone: 909-477-2720 x5031
Fax: 909-477-2721

FROM: <[removed]@metronet.lib.mi.us>
REC'D: 4/6/04, 2:10 PM

The quick run around the table works well for starting off in our group. I
emphasize that we want brief reactions. I make notes of relevant points
brought up to bring into the discussion later. I think the leader needs
some canned questions but also needs to be flexible in picking up and
following points that the others suggest.>

I'm looking for new & innovative ways of leading bookclub discussion
> meetings. We have tried using discussion questions read by the
> discussion leader(s). This is okay but some attendees end up feeling as
> though they are being tested or quizzed on the book. Plus, there are
> times we would get blank looks from everyone and have to explain/answer
> the question ourselves. We have also tried going around the circle and
> having each person give their reaction to the book. This has been most
> successful, as everyone has a chance to talk, but as our group has grown
> larger it is taking up too much time and they are tired of this format.
> At our once a year potluck we have discussion questions that are printed
> out on scraps of paper in the center of each table. It is up to the
> attendees at the table to sift through the questions and talk about
> them. I'm thinking of doing a variation on this...printing out
> discussion questions/starters, cutting up the paper, putting them in a
> basket and taking turns passing around the basket to draw/read a
> question. I think this may be fun, because there will be an element of
> surprise in drawing questions. What has worked for your group?
>
> Thank you for your help.
>
> Karye Hood
> Reference Librarian
> Rancho Cucamonga Public Library
> 7368 Archibald Ave.
> Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730
> Email: [removed]@ci.rancho-cucamonga.ca.us
> <[removed]@ci.rancho-cucamonga.ca.us> Phone: 909-477-2720 x5031
> Fax: 909-477-2721
>
> ......................................................................
> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
> Everything Fiction_L: http://fictionl.webrary.org

FROM: "Jeff Scott" <[removed]@ci.casa-grande.az.us>
REC'D: 4/6/04, 2:37 PM

I would agree with that. Following points that others suggest is most of the time more interesting than the discussion questions. I hand out the discussion questions when I hand out the next month's read, this gives them something to refer to as they read and allows them to think more critically while reading. Other than that, we don't go off the discussion questions at all unless they are interesting.

I think the mindset as a book discussion leader is to treat the group like you are another member and just bring up points about the book that you found interesting. This is sort of a less is more approach. Stimulate discussion when it begins to stall out, but bring it back to the book if they go way off topic. I say "way" here because I don't think one should clamp down too hard to stay on the book, but make sure it does not get out of hand. Provide background information about the author, the area the book takes place in, and other items relating to the topic.

I have had the same complaints about being too academic or strict. I have tried the around the table thing, but they did not tend to like that. I usually just start it off with a simple what did you think, and then maybe bring out parts that I really liked that usually gets the ball rolling. Not sure if this helps, but I thought I would give you my two cents.

Sincerely,

Jeff Scott
Librarian
Casa Grande Public Library
449 N. Dry Lake
Casa Grande, AZ, 85222
(520) 421-8710
[removed]@ci.casa-grande.az.us
http://www.ci.casa-grande.az.us

>>> [removed]@metronet.lib.mi.us 04/06/04 12:07PM >>>
The quick run around the table works well for starting off in our group. I
emphasize that we want brief reactions. I make notes of relevant points
brought up to bring into the discussion later. I think the leader needs
some canned questions but also needs to be flexible in picking up and
following points that the others suggest.>

I'm looking for new & innovative ways of leading bookclub discussion
> meetings. We have tried using discussion questions read by the
> discussion leader(s). This is okay but some attendees end up feeling as
> though they are being tested or quizzed on the book. Plus, there are
> times we would get blank looks from everyone and have to explain/answer
> the question ourselves. We have also tried going around the circle and
> having each person give their reaction to the book. This has been most
> successful, as everyone has a chance to talk, but as our group has grown
> larger it is taking up too much time and they are tired of this format.
> At our once a year potluck we have discussion questions that are printed
> out on scraps of paper in the center of each table. It is up to the
> attendees at the table to sift through the questions and talk about
> them. I'm thinking of doing a variation on this...printing out
> discussion questions/starters, cutting up the paper, putting them in a
> basket and taking turns passing around the basket to draw/read a
> question. I think this may be fun, because there will be an element of
> surprise in drawing questions. What has worked for your group?
>
> Thank you for your help.
>
> Karye Hood
> Reference Librarian
> Rancho Cucamonga Public Library
> 7368 Archibald Ave.
> Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730
> Email: [removed]@ci.rancho-cucamonga.ca.us
> <[removed]@ci.rancho-cucamonga.ca.us> Phone: 909-477-2720 x5031
> Fax: 909-477-2721
>
> ......................................................................
> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
> Everything Fiction_L: http://fictionl.webrary.org

.

FROM: "Barb Borg-Jenkins, South Haven Public Library" <[removed]@pcpls.lib.in.us>
REC'D: 4/6/04, 3:41 PM

Instead of a "formal" going around the table, I start off by asking if
people liked the book on a scale of 1 to 5, five being they liked it
very much.

Group members just jump in with their ratings--I find that going around
the table puts more pressure on people--spontaneity works better and
people feel more relaxed if they're not put on the spot.

Barbara Borg-Jenkins
South Haven Public Library
Valparaiso, IN 46385

[removed]@metronet.lib.mi.us wrote:

>The quick run around the table works well for starting off in our group. I
>emphasize that we want brief reactions. I make notes of relevant points
>brought up to bring into the discussion later. I think the leader needs
>some canned questions but also needs to be flexible in picking up and
>following points that the others suggest.>
>
>
>
> I'm looking for new & innovative ways of leading bookclub discussion
>
>
>>meetings. We have tried using discussion questions read by the
>>discussion leader(s). This is okay but some attendees end up feeling as
>>though they are being tested or quizzed on the book. Plus, there are
>>times we would get blank looks from everyone and have to explain/answer
>>the question ourselves. We have also tried going around the circle and
>>having each person give their reaction to the book. This has been most
>>successful, as everyone has a chance to talk, but as our group has grown
>>larger it is taking up too much time and they are tired of this format.
>>At our once a year potluck we have discussion questions that are printed
>>out on scraps of paper in the center of each table. It is up to the
>>attendees at the table to sift through the questions and talk about
>>them. I'm thinking of doing a variation on this...printing out
>>discussion questions/starters, cutting up the paper, putting them in a
>>basket and taking turns passing around the basket to draw/read a
>>question. I think this may be fun, because there will be an element of
>>surprise in drawing questions. What has worked for your group?
>>
>>Thank you for your help.
>>
>>Karye Hood
>>Reference Librarian
>>Rancho Cucamonga Public Library
>>7368 Archibald Ave.
>>Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730
>>Email: [removed]@ci.rancho-cucamonga.ca.us
>><[removed]@ci.rancho-cucamonga.ca.us> Phone: 909-477-2720 x5031
>>Fax: 909-477-2721
>>
>>......................................................................
>>Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
>>Everything Fiction_L: http://fictionl.webrary.org
>>
>>
>
>
>
>
>......................................................................
>Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
>Everything Fiction_L: http://fictionl.webrary.org
>
>
>

FROM: [removed]@cpl.org
REC'D: 4/6/04, 4:20 PM

Another point to consider when leading a book discussion is what your particular group wants out of the discussion. There are three discussion groups in the branch and mine tends to want to more academic analysis of the book. They love questions and don't mind sharing opinions. The books I choose tend to reflect their desire for this type of environment. One of the other groups reads more popular fiction and mysteries and strays far off topic and they love their group just as much as mine does. Listen to the group and their needs and you can't go wrong. Just my two cents.

Anastasia Diamond
Library Assistant II--Computer Emphasis
South Brooklyn Branch

----- Original Message -----
From: Jeff Scott <[removed]@ci.casa-grande.az.us>
Date: Tuesday, April 6, 2004 3:34 pm
Subject: Re: bookclub discussion format

> I would agree with that. Following points that others suggest is
> most of the time more interesting than the discussion questions. I
> hand out the discussion questions when I hand out the next month's
> read, this gives them something to refer to as they read and
> allows them to think more critically while reading. Other than
> that, we don't go off the discussion questions at all unless they
> are interesting.
>
> I think the mindset as a book discussion leader is to treat the
> group like you are another member and just bring up points about
> the book that you found interesting. This is sort of a less is
> more approach. Stimulate discussion when it begins to stall out,
> but bring it back to the book if they go way off topic. I say
> "way" here because I don't think one should clamp down too hard to
> stay on the book, but make sure it does not get out of hand.
> Provide background information about the author, the area the book
> takes place in, and other items relating to the topic.
>
> I have had the same complaints about being too academic or strict.
> I have tried the around the table thing, but they did not tend to
> like that. I usually just start it off with a simple what did you
> think, and then maybe bring out parts that I really liked that
> usually gets the ball rolling. Not sure if this helps, but I
> thought I would give you my two cents.
>
> Sincerely,
>
>
>
> Jeff Scott
> Librarian
> Casa Grande Public Library
> 449 N. Dry Lake
> Casa Grande, AZ, 85222
> (520) 421-8710
> [removed]@ci.casa-grande.az.us
> http://www.ci.casa-grande.az.us
>
> >>> [removed]@metronet.lib.mi.us 04/06/04 12:07PM >>>
> The quick run around the table works well for starting off in our
> group. I
> emphasize that we want brief reactions. I make notes of relevant
> pointsbrought up to bring into the discussion later. I think the
> leader needs
> some canned questions but also needs to be flexible in picking up and
> following points that the others suggest.>
>
>
>
> I'm looking for new & innovative ways of leading bookclub discussion
> > meetings. We have tried using discussion questions read by the
> > discussion leader(s). This is okay but some attendees end up
> feeling as
> > though they are being tested or quizzed on the book. Plus, there are
> > times we would get blank looks from everyone and have to
> explain/answer> the question ourselves. We have also tried going
> around the circle and
> > having each person give their reaction to the book. This has
> been most
> > successful, as everyone has a chance to talk, but as our group
> has grown
> > larger it is taking up too much time and they are tired of this
> format.> At our once a year potluck we have discussion questions
> that are printed
> > out on scraps of paper in the center of each table. It is up to the
> > attendees at the table to sift through the questions and talk about
> > them. I'm thinking of doing a variation on this...printing out
> > discussion questions/starters, cutting up the paper, putting
> them in a
> > basket and taking turns passing around the basket to draw/read a
> > question. I think this may be fun, because there will be an
> element of
> > surprise in drawing questions. What has worked for your group?
> >
> > Thank you for your help.
> >
> > Karye Hood
> > Reference Librarian
> > Rancho Cucamonga Public Library
> > 7368 Archibald Ave.
> > Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730
> > Email: [removed]@ci.rancho-cucamonga.ca.us
> > <[removed]@ci.rancho-cucamonga.ca.us> Phone: 909-477-2720 x5031
> > Fax: 909-477-2721
> >
> >
> ......................................................................> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
> > Everything Fiction_L: http://fictionl.webrary.org
>
>
>
>
> .......................................................................
> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
> Everything Fiction_L: http://fictionl.webrary.org
>
>
> ......................................................................
> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
> Everything Fiction_L: http://fictionl.webrary.org
>

FROM: "Deborah T. Walsh" <[removed]@geneva.lib.il.us>
REC'D: 4/6/04, 4:26 PM

you said:

>>>>some attendees end up feeling as
> >>though they are being tested or quizzed on the book. Plus, there are
> >>times we would get blank looks from everyone and have to explain/answer
> >>the question ourselves.

This reminded me why I don't use the "canned" questions often provided for a
title. They quite often DO seem like a "test."

To confirm this for myself, I just randomly pulled out the questions from
Picador for Michael Cunningham's The Hours - an example of one of the
questions is -

Who kisses whom in The Hours, and what is the significance of each
kiss?

Is this a multiple choice question? - do you get points off if you miss
one? - Yikes - There has to be a better way to frame the discussion of the
concept of intimacy or types of intimacy (if that's your goal) than to ask
the question so that is sounds like there is one correct answer. In my
experience, nothing stalls a discussion faster than the participants having
the idea that they are being tested to see if they read the whole book, and
didn't miss something. Please don't misunderstand - I really want them to
have read the book, but I don't want them to feel stupid if they missed
something.

Deborah T. Walsh
Geneva Public Library District
Geneva, IL
[removed]@geneva.lib.il.us

FROM: "Bookbitch" <[removed]@yahoo.com>
REC'D: 4/6/04, 5:46 PM

Perhaps you could ask everyone to bring one question they'd like to discuss.
Depending on how many members/how long your meetings last, you may not get
to all of them. It's been my experience that the people who are most
passionate about their questions will be sure to be heard. But it should
eliminate the "teacher-quiz" feeling.

Stacy Alesi
Southwest County Regional Library
Boca Raton, Florida
www.pbclibrary.org

I am the BookBitch
www.bookbitch.com
WIN APRIL SHOWERS OF BOOKS!
Last Lullaby; Past Due; Liars & Thieves; Mortification; The Bride Stripped
Bare; Bobby Fischer Goes to War

FROM: "Bruce Bumbalough" <[removed]@grapevine.lib.tx.us>
REC'D: 4/7/04, 10:27 AM

I think that would be a good idea for my group. I started this group
three years ago and used the canned questions a great deal at first, but
later the teacher - quiz took feeling took hold and now I only use the
canned questions when all else fails. The very best discussion we ever
had was for "The Dive from Clauseen's Pier". I stated with a "How did you
like the book" around that table and the second person reacted to what teh
first said -- the discission took off from that and lasted almost the entire
hour. It was great and I didn't feel like a teacher who had just announced
a surprize quiz.

Bruce L. Bumbalough
Reference Librarian
Grapevine Public Library
Grapevine, Texas 76051

email: [removed]@grapevine.lib.tx.us
Voice: (817) 410-3404
Fax: (817) 410-3084
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bookbitch" <[removed]@yahoo.com>
To: "Fiction_L" <[removed]@maillist.webrary.org>
Sent: Tuesday, April 06, 2004 5:44 PM
Subject: RE: bookclub discussion format

> Perhaps you could ask everyone to bring one question they'd like to
discuss.
> Depending on how many members/how long your meetings last, you may not get
> to all of them. It's been my experience that the people who are most
> passionate about their questions will be sure to be heard. But it should
> eliminate the "teacher-quiz" feeling.
>
> Stacy Alesi
> Southwest County Regional Library
> Boca Raton, Florida
> www.pbclibrary.org
>
> I am the BookBitch
> www.bookbitch.com
> WIN APRIL SHOWERS OF BOOKS!
> Last Lullaby; Past Due; Liars & Thieves; Mortification; The Bride Stripped
> Bare; Bobby Fischer Goes to War
>
>
>
>
> ......................................................................
> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
> Everything Fiction_L: http://fictionl.webrary.org

FROM: [removed]@aol.com
REC'D: 4/8/04, 7:11 AM

I also am in charge of a book discussion group and was wondering how people set up the room. Do you sit the people at tables or just chairs, etc.

FROM: "Carol Kubala" <[removed]@columbiapl.libct.org>
REC'D: 4/8/04, 9:53 AM

I usually try to set it up in a circle or horseshoe or something like
this. This way everyone can see everyone else. We've done it this way
for years and seems to work up to 16 people. I'm not certain what would
work best if your numbers are larger. Generally we have about 12 - 14
for our non-fiction book discussions and approx. 6 - 8 for fiction.

--
Carol Kubala
Adult Services Librarian
Saxton B. Little Free Library
319 Route 87
Columbia, CT 06237
Voice 860-228-0350 Fax 860-228-1569

[removed]@aol.com wrote:

>I also am in charge of a book discussion group and was wondering how people set up the room. Do you sit the people at tables or just chairs, etc.
>
>......................................................................
>Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
>Everything Fiction_L: http://fictionl.webrary.org
>
>
>

FROM: "Donna Jo Atwood" <[removed]@olatheks.org>
REC'D: 4/8/04, 10:50 AM

We usually sit around a table, which gives people a place to put
refreshments, books and papers. Since we have such a small group this
works, but I doubt that a group much larger than 8-10 would be as
comfortable with it.

Donna Jo Atwood
Reference Librarian
Olathe (KS) Public Library

-----Original Message-----
From: [removed]@maillist.webrary.org
[[removed]@maillist.webrary.org]On Behalf Of Carol Kubala
Sent: Thursday, April 08, 2004 10:00 AM
To: Fiction_L
Subject: Re: bookclub discussion format

I usually try to set it up in a circle or horseshoe or something like
this. This way everyone can see everyone else. We've done it this way
for years and seems to work up to 16 people. I'm not certain what would
work best if your numbers are larger. Generally we have about 12 - 14
for our non-fiction book discussions and approx. 6 - 8 for fiction.

--
Carol Kubala
Adult Services Librarian
Saxton B. Little Free Library
319 Route 87
Columbia, CT 06237
Voice 860-228-0350 Fax 860-228-1569

[removed]@aol.com wrote:

>I also am in charge of a book discussion group and was wondering how people
set up the room. Do you sit the people at tables or just chairs, etc.
>
>......................................................................
>Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
>Everything Fiction_L: http://fictionl.webrary.org
>
>
>

FROM: "Anne Kabel" <[removed]@sfldlib.org>
REC'D: 4/8/04, 11:13 AM

one thing I've done is to start off the discussion by asking members if
they liked, disliked or felt so-so about the book - no reasons are given
for their feelings. Then at the end of the discussion, we go back
around and see if anyone has changed their minds because of the
discussion.

Anne Kabel
Adult Services Librarian
Southfield Public Library
26300 Evergreen Rd
Southfield MI 48076
248-796-4381

FROM: "Lisa Bailey" <[removed]@mckinneytexas.org>
REC'D: 4/8/04, 11:47 AM

At T.L.A. this year, Nancy Pearl led a book discussion on Ella Minnow Pea, which was the conference's "One Book". She started the discussion by explaining that one should not begin by asking who liked the book or what people thought of the book because that polarized the group from the outset. She recommended that the question be asked at the end of the discussion instead. My group tends to start talking before they sit down, before any questions are asked, and they do talk about whether or not they liked the book. When I "call the meeting to order," I usually start with a more specific question or information about the author.

Lisa

Lisa Bailey 972.547.7305
Public Services [removed]@mckinneytexas.org
McKinney Memorial Public Library
101 E. Hunt St.
McKinney, TX 75069

--

FROM: Sandy Westbrook <[removed]@libraryconnection.info>
REC'D: 4/8/04, 2:09 PM

My group reads fiction or non-fiction. We sit around a table or tables
if there are more than 10 of us. If I don't have time to set us a table,
we sit in a circle. The table works best because we can set our books on
it, write on it, etc. I send around a sheet at the beginning of the
meeting with two columns - Recommend, Don't Recommend. The group signs
their name under the appropriate column. At the end of the year, I use
these sheets to make up our list of recommended books to hand out during
the summer. (This way I also get a count for my statistics!).
I start the meeting by giving biographical information about the
author. Then I give specific reviews of the work we're discussing. (I get
the reviews from Amazon or from Gale's series: Contemporary Authors and
Literary Criticism.) That almost always gets the ball rolling. We respond
to the reviews. I almost never have to ask a question. If I do, I use
that list of generic questions Vicki Novak posted here in 2000 (look in the
archives under "Creating Book Discussion Questions").

Sandy

Sandy Westbrook
Adult Services Librarian
South Windsor Public Library
South Windsor, CT 06074
Ph 860-644-1541
Fax 860-644-7645
[removed]@libraryconnection.info

FROM: "Jeannine Cook" <[removed]@co.douglas.or.us>
REC'D: 4/8/04, 6:55 PM

We also like using tables, so there is room for refreshments, books, information sheets, etc. We usually shove 4 tables together so there is enough
room for about 16 people all the way around. We usually have 11-18 people at each meeting. We are able to use a large community room, so we also
have a separate table for refreshments, another for sign-up, name-tags, supplemental material, etc, and a third with some kind of related display.
It has worked out amazingly well, especially for a relatively small town.

[removed]@aol.com wrote:

> I also am in charge of a book discussion group and was wondering how people set up the room. Do you sit the people at tables or just chairs, etc.
>
> ......................................................................
> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
> Everything Fiction_L: http://fictionl.webrary.org

--
Jeannine Cook
Adult Services Librarian

Douglas County Library
1409 NE Diamond Lake Blvd.
Roseburg OR 97470
[removed]@co.douglas.or.us
phone: (541)440-6013
fax: (541)440-6011

FROM: Candice Michalik <[removed]@yahoo.com>
REC'D: 4/9/04, 11:35 AM

We sit at tables because we have coffee and cookies
and being a tables is easier. There are usually 10 to
15 of us. We put four tables together to make one
large table, like this:

Table 1 Table 2
Table 3 Table 4

=====
Candice Michalik
Reference Librarian
Lynchburg Public Library
Lynchburg, VA
[removed]@yahoo.com

__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Small Business $15K Web Design Giveaway
http://promotions.yahoo.com/design_giveaway/

FROM: "Bruce Bumbalough" <[removed]@grapevine.lib.tx.us>
REC'D: 4/9/04, 3:10 PM

We set up tables in a large square so that everybody can see everybody else.
The group is not large -- 12 is big number and itworks well that way. They
like having the flat space for writing etc.

Bruce L. Bumbalough
Reference Librarian
Grapevine Public Library
Grapevine, Texas 76051

email: [removed]@grapevine.lib.tx.us
Voice: (817) 410-3404
Fax: (817) 410-3084
----- Original Message -----
From: <[removed]@aol.com>
To: "Fiction_L" <[removed]@maillist.webrary.org>
Sent: Thursday, April 08, 2004 7:06 AM
Subject: Re: bookclub discussion format

> I also am in charge of a book discussion group and was wondering how
people set up the room. Do you sit the people at tables or just chairs, etc.
>
> ......................................................................
> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
> Everything Fiction_L: http://fictionl.webrary.org

FROM: "Theyer, Hillary" <[removed]@TORRNET.COM>
REC'D: 4/12/04, 3:11 PM

I like to start with a bit of author background, then read some of the
professional reviews. This usually gets the discussion started, especially
when the reviews are really good or really bad, or both! I can always say
to the group, "what did you think of that assessment?" After that, we are a
pretty loose format, I have some questions prepared just in case, but unless
everyone hated the book or is fatigued, I usually get through less than half
of them. We will talk about whatever anyone wants to talk about.

If discussion stops, or toward the end, I like to ask the group to think of
a single genre or a single word to describe the book. If they had to pick
one and only one. That's really difficult for a lot of fiction, deciding if
it is a historical, mystery, romance, growing-up, woman's, suspense, magical
realism, morality tale, etc. That also gets people talking.

If the book and the group lend themselves to it (and if I have time) I will
start with a discussion question exercise that follows the book somehow.
When I led Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with a group of kids who just
would not talk, I printed the questions on to little slips and taped them
inside out onto tiny chocolate bars. They could only eat the chocolate if
they asked the question and then tried to answer it. For a group of
strangers, having them get silly is a great icebreaker, I think. For
example, if I were using Angry Housewives Eating Bon-Bons with a new group
who didn't know each other well, I might serve bon-bons, but you have to say
something angry to one of the main characters before you can take one. Or,
something like that. Women are more likely to be willing to go along if
there are no men in the group, I have found.

We started a discussion of Patrick O'Brian's Jack Aubrey novels with a
"sailor's lingo" quiz to break the ice. This got everyone in the seafaring
mood. I also bring pictures of stuff from the books (especially
historicals) and pass them around. When we did Red Water, I brought
pictures of that region of Utah and of Mormon settlements to show that New
Harmony was a real place and some of the people that lived there. For
O'Brian's books, I got a copy of Lobscouse and Spotted Dog, which is a book
of food from the books, and an atlas of the journeys so we could see all the
places the ships went. Passing stuff around also allows the shy ones to look
down and not into the faces of strangers.

Hillary Theyer
Torrance (CA) Public Library

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: bookclub discussion format
From: "Hood, Karye" <[removed]@ci.rancho-cucamonga.ca.us>
Date: Sat, 3 Apr 2004 16:42:13 -0800

I'm looking for new & innovative ways of leading bookclub discussion
meetings.
We have tried using discussion questions read by the discussion leader(s).
This is okay but some attendees end up feeling as though they are being
tested or quizzed on the book. Plus, there are times we would get blank
looks from everyone and have to explain/answer the question ourselves.
We have also tried going around the circle and having each person give their
reaction to the book.
This has been most successful, as everyone has a chance to talk, but as our
group has grown larger it is taking up too much time and they are tired of
this format. At our once a year potluck we have discussion questions that
are printed out on scraps of paper in the center of each table. It is up to
the attendees at the table to sift through the questions and talk about
them. I'm thinking of doing a variation on this...printing out discussion
questions/starters, cutting up the paper, putting them in a basket and
taking turns passing around the basket to draw/read a question. I think this
may be fun, because there will be an element of surprise in drawing
questions. What has worked for your group?

Thank you for your help.

Karye Hood
Reference Librarian
Rancho Cucamonga Public Library
7368 Archibald Ave.
Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730
Email: [removed]@ci.rancho-cucamonga.ca.us
<[removed]@ci.rancho-cucamonga.ca.us>
Phone: 909-477-2720 x5031
Fax: 909-477-2721

FROM: "Nancy Sherman" <[removed]@hepl.lib.in.us>
REC'D: 4/14/04, 1:15 PM

One thing I'm trying with our mystery discussion group is to vary what
we read. For example, some months are genre months (historical mystery,
culinary mystery), others are a particular author (last month was Nevada
Barr) and only 4 times this year is the whole group reading the same
book. So far, it's working well and it varies the type of discussion.

You could try pairing books - like Jane Eyre & The Wide Sargasso Sea,
or doing a theme such as places around the world (or country) and then
draw together the book with the place.

Nan Sherman
Hamilton East Public Library
Fishers, Indiana
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