Have you ever read a fantastic book and been just dying to talk about it with someone?
If you, like me, answered yes to this question, it might be time for a book-club intervention.
A book club is more than just what its name suggests. It is an opportunity to get together with people who share your interests. It is a chance to engage in intellectual, adult conversation. And, let’s face it, it is also usually a thinly veiled girls night out, complete with tales of motherhood, jabs at the husbands, snacks, and even the occasional adult beverage. In short, it is all of the above: a couple of hours stolen from the daily grind, to bond over a love of books and a shared sisterhood.
It can be kind of challenging to start a book club, however. Who are the right folks to invite? How many are too many? What book will appeal to everyone, and appropriately spotlight your literary good taste?
They can’t help with the guest list, and you’re on your own with the cooking, but the Newport Beach Public Library has you covered on all other fronts. If you stop by the Central Library, you can now pick up a convenient “Book Club in a Bag.”
Nicely packaged in a canvas tote are all the tools you need to host a book club. Included are 10 paperback copies of the same book, discussion questions, author information, and a book summary. The bags can be checked out for a four-week period, with two renewals allowed – enough time for even the slowest readers to finish up. What could be easier, right?
Available titles include: “The Red Garden” by Alice Hoffman, “A Dog’s Purpose” by W. Bruce Cameron, “The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates” by Wes Moore, “Born to Run: a Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen” by Christopher McDougall, “The Calligrapher’s Daughter” by Eugenia Kim, “Handle with Care” by Jodi Picoult, “Beautiful Lies” by Lisa Unger, “Out Stealing Horses” by Per Petterson, “The Giant’s House: a Romance” by Elizabeth McCracken, “The Thirteenth Tale” by Diane Setterfield, “Intuition” by Allegra Goodman, “The Forest Lover” by Susan Vreeland, and “Chang and Eng” by Darin Strauss.
A very diverse list, it is composed of both novels and non-fiction selections, and offers enough titles to power a monthly book club for a full year, with a book to spare – an even baker’s dozen of good reads.
Even better, once you exhaust this list, the library still has you covered via their new podcast, “The Book Report.” Created by the NBPL staff, the podcast is a way in which they can discuss with patrons some of the books they love. Episodes last between nineteen and thirty-nine minutes, and cover all sorts of genres. There are currently ten episodes available on the NBPL website, with more coming soon, and really, who better to recommend a good book than your local librarian!
So, take a minute to jump off the mommy/career/insert-your-crazy-life-description-here track to indulge in a few moments of relaxation. Round up some friends, pick up some chips and dip, and let the library help you become the neighborhood’s newest moderator. I promise, it will be easy, and your nuggets of wisdom – at least for a couple hours a month – will no longer go unnoticed.
For more information about Book Club in a Bag, or to access the Book Report podcasts, please visit www.newportbeachlibrary.org
