I’ve been thinking lately about how much we all love books and yet, how rarely I make time to read these days (it’s pathetic!). What if we really did start a Neo-Trad Book Club? We could choose a title every other week and discuss it in a special post in the comments… Would anyone be interested in doing that with me? I need someone to hold me accountable! What book would you want to begin with? There would be no pressure to participate, only those interested. Can’t wait to hear your thoughts!
UPDATE: We’ll kick things off with a good, light-hearted laugh with Melissa Bank’s The Girls’ Guide to Hunting and Fishing. Pick up a copy this weekend (if you don’t already treasure yours, as I do!) and we’ll discuss it on Thursday, October 28th. On Friday, October 29th we’ll pick a new book (an older classic to mix things up!). I can’t wait to share this with you and hear your thoughts. I have a feeling there will be lots of silly boy talk, a bonding experience no doubt! Happy reading!!!
(images: kate spade)
Sign me up! I might not be able to do it all the time (oh, evil school work), but I adore making time to read good books and would love to discuss them with others!
Yes! Yes! Yes!
Yes yes! Best idea!
I’d definitely be interested!
Yay!!! We need to brainstorm titles. Any ideas??
I would love to!
Yes please!!!!! It’s like you read my mind. I need a good, OLD book to dig into. Was thinking about picking up the Thornbirds or Gone With The Wind or Wuthering Heights for the millionth time.
I would LOVE THIS! We must do a vintage classic to start, yes? Maybe something a tiny bit scandalous, maybe once banned? Lady Chatterly’s Lover or Women in Love?
Definitely!
Some suggestions: Zeitoun by Dave Eggers, Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann, Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese, or anything by Anthony Doerr (Memory Wall is his latest). Or…do you want to stick with classics. Could start with A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, which I haven’t read in ages.
I would love to do this starting with Jonathan Franzen’s Freedom.
Sounds like a great idea! I would love that!
Anyone interested in something by the 2010 Nobel Prize in Literature winner, Mario Vargas Llosa? I think Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter is his most well-known novel.
What a fun idea. I host a monthly book club focused on classic literature, and it’s such a great way to read a great variety of authors while having friends to chat with about them! We were rather ambitious for our first month, choosing the 1200-page “Les Miserables,” but a year and a half later we’re still going! Some favorites: “Jane Eyre,” “The Great Gatsby,” “The Sun Also Rises,” “Great Expectations.”
I’m TOTALLY 100% in! When do we start? :)
I am definitely in! Are you surprised? ;)
I’m loving this! Thinking Emma needs to make the list…
This sounds like such fun! I am totally on board!!
BB — Love his work. Read Aunt Julia in a Latin American lit class. Fantastic book.
Everyone — We’ll have to decide if we want a classic or something more modern to start. So many great suggestions already! We could do something older like The Sun Also Rises or a modern classic that is light-hearted and will make us laugh (like The Girls’ Guide to Hunting and Fishing which I would love to re-read!). Thoughts??
Oh I love this! Sometimes I read random books (like kids stories or the hubs gets me into philosophical ones at times too), but I always love discussing! As for suggestions… oh geeze. I’m reading Life of Pi right now and its pretty wonderful. But I also want to read a book called The Glass Castle – I’ve heard good things!
*kate
Okay, I just read a bunch of twitter comments — what if we make the first book The Girls’ Guide to Hunting and Fishing by Melissa Bank. It will start us off with a good laugh and then we can choose something heavier next time. We’ll kick things off today and discuss it on Thursday October 28th! Then on Friday the 29th we’ll pick a new book (an older classic to mix things up)! Are you with me??
Yes. Yes, yes, YES!
Why not alternate between classic and modern each month? After all, this is The Neo-Trad.
All the titles mentioned are winners. I’ve been meaning to get to The Glass Castle for some time.
Abigail — I’ve been wanting to read The Glass Castle too. Perhaps after the classic we choose nest?! So excited!!
will finish it this weekend..!
woohoo! Can’t wait to read it!
Rikshaw — Take notes so you remember and can discuss on the 28th : ))))
The Glass Castle is incredible! Just finished The Hours, which I also loved. Count me in!
I am running to Barnes and Nobles after work today!
count me in! =D
by the way i’m new here, and have fallen in love with your blog. charming
Love it! I say Gone with the Wind and Rebecca needs to be added to the list. I actually bought a small notebook just so I could keep a list of books I need to read. Number 1 on the list is Room With a View by E.M. Forester. If anyone hasn’t seen the film it’s a must watch!
I’m absolutely in. I love “Girls’ Guide” too, great book.
This is a great idea!
Amazing idea! love it! Just recently found your blog and I think it’s fantastic!
Fantastic idea! I’ve been wanting to read The Girls Guide to Hunting and Fishing ever since you mentioned it in a blog post awhile back. I’m definitely in!
Fantastic idea!! I’m in…
I AM SO EXCITED YOU’RE ALL EXCITED!!! I hope the book makes everyone smile ear to ear. I can’t wait to pick it up again!
I am in…what fun!
xo Kit
I would definitely be interested in a book club, reading is my passion after all! Though having said that, I read this book years ago and (gasp!) hated it. Maybe I’ll change my mind with a re-read?
Joanna — Oh no, really?!?! Well it’s good to have mixed reviews—will make for lively conversation right? I found it delightful. I can’t wait to discuss : )
Oh my! What a wonderful idea.
Sign me in – I’ll only excuse myself when I can’t get the book on time…
Btw, I second “Rebecca”, “The Glass Castle”, “Jane Eyre” and “The Sun Also Rises”. I loved all of those books and would be delighted to have an excuse to re-read them!
A sampling of my current to-read list:
Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen
Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld
Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky
Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
The Witching Hour by Anne Rice
Teresa — It will be a come and go as you please club so no pressure. So glad you want to participate! : )
Joanna — So many great titles! I also love The Sun Also Rises. I want to name a daughter Brett some day, a bit twisted, but I identify with her in some bizarre ways. And I’m dying to read Gone With the Wind. Perhaps it should be our first classic???
What a cute idea, Katie! I’m in too- although I have read your pick this month, I’m still in b/c a virtual book club fits in nicely to my packed fall schedule. Hope you are well!! x Emily
A terrific idea! Count me in.
Your blog is quite lovely, I’ve included it on my blogroll under Beautiful Blogs.
I *love* this idea! When I was in high school I picked up a copy of Please Don’t Eat the Daisies from the library. I remember the book was really cute & funny, but I carried it around for a month after I finished it just because of the adorable cover! :)
im in too! ill pick my copy over the weekend!
I read this book ages ago. I can’t wait to hear your thoughts on it!!!
YAY!!! i remember mentioning the book club to you the other day :)
Love this idea; I’m going to try and pick up the book this weekend!!
count me in and SO excited! I have been in need of a book club with lots of wonderful young ladies with common interests, and had started hunting for one but with little success- thank you Katie for being on the same wavelength, you have answered my day dreams!
May not be able to get through a book in one week – running a business, raising kids, cooking for hubby and writing a blog (not necessarily in that order) take up a bit of time – but I will definitely be reading your suggestions! Happy weekend!
hmmmm… I might just have to include myself. I’ve been trying to get started reading again. I’ve never been apart of a book club before, but always wanted to see what they were all about! and sadly there are so many classics that I haven’t read.
I’ll swing by goodwill to see if they have this book on their shelves!
xx Kirby
Carolyn — I understand! We’ll be choosing a new book every other week, so hopefully that will help a bit. Plus it’s absolutely no commitment, so if you have time one month and none the next, you can always come and go in the discussion as you please. I only want people to enjoy themselves, no guilt involved! : ) Plus I wouldn’t want you neglecting your beautiful blog. xx
Kirby — They may well have it at Goodwill. In fact, I think I picked up a copy of it once at the one across from the Chelsea Garage flea market : ) Hope you love the book!
this is a fantastic idea! in in in
I am in a book club already and do a lot of reading, does it count if I read once in a while one of your selected books an chime in the discussion when I can?
I do not want to promise and then do not deliver…
What a fantastic idea!
XX
V.
Samantha — So glad you’re in! Can’t wait to think what you think of The Girls’ Guide to Hunting and Fishing! : )
Victoria — Of course! I want there to be no commitment. Come and go as you please and if you’ve read the book in the past, always feel free to chime in as well. We will be very low-key about the whole thing. You are a dear! xx
Kate! I am doing a book club at school for grades 6-12, no one thought it would fly , but we are thriving, and having a BLAST!!! We are reading a series by Suzanne Collins for young adults: The Hunger Games, Catching Fire and Mockingjay – lots of potential to talk about gender issues, hatred, political tyranny, human nature, usw…
Great idea – and this is one that I’ve been meaning to read!! Now to find some time to do so!!
Hi Katie,
I’ve become a daily follower over the last few months. I started blogging last May and it’s become my fun outlet outside of my work – I’m a High School English Teacher. I’m planning on doing a literature masters in a year or two, but I was thinking lately how little time I’ve had to do some pleasure reading! This is such a fantastic idea. I read G.G.T.H.A.F. a few summers ago, and it’s an enjoyable, light read. Can’t wait to get this going. xo
a well-meaning aunt once gave me this book for christmas, but i never actually got around to reading it. i’m taking this as a sign that this is as good a time as any to do so. i will definitely be participating.
I will definitely be reading but not discussing as i am german speaking i hardly would express myself in an adequate way. I love the idea and can’t wait!
Christina — Nonsense! Your English is lovely (far better than my German!) and we would love to have you participate as much as you are comfortable. I bet you the book was published in German, you should look! xx
Hi there. I really enjoy reading your blog. Will be picking up a copy and making use of my commute time for a change. Cheers!
OK just picked up a copy of Girls Guide. I’m heading out to my parents “cabiny” home for a few days (my birthday gift to myself) and can’t wait to curl up with a blanket, my pug and the book
I’ve been following your lovely blog for a while, and this post definitely caught my eye– I couldn’t resist responding! As a bookworm who’s too busy to sit down and actually do it, combined with a neo-trad reading list, this might just do the trick :)