#54 Social networking...what are YOU reading?

I belong to our Branch book club, Atascocita Reads, and have for going on two years. The group itself was formed about 7 years ago. I also belong to Goodreads, and have several friends that I swap titles and reviews with, and Librarything, on which I mostly add titles. I prefer the more intimate nature of a book club, with real people with real opinions and conversation, rather then discussions on the internet. I personally don't find communicating with people on the net very satisfying, unless it is a chat situation and real time. The best part of any conversation is what is showing on the other persons face, one can see if they really liked a book or story, or if they are pulling your leg, being ironic or sarcastic, or truly entranced with a story or author.

As for forming a book club, I have considered possibly a club devoted to the classics, or one whose members read and compare books of humor, either a humorist, such as David Sedaris, or just funny stories, such as some of Christopher Moores' work. Erma Bombeck, Dave Barry, even Bill Bryson, whose Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid is one of the funniest books I have ever read! In these uncertain times, with job loss, and the economic downturn, everyone could use a laugh, and a funny story or two. For a classics club, we were all forced to read The Scarlett Letter, Lord of the Flies and 1984 when we were in high school. Actually I managed to avoid all those, but recall being devestated by Steinbeck's The Pearl, and Hershey's Hiroshima. It might be interesting to go back to these well-hated books and look at them from an adult perspective. After checking on Goodreads, I found lists of books of lists of classic literature, "must reads" which were helpful in choosing titles for the club. They suggested, Pride and Prejudice by Austen, The Three Musketeers by Dumas, The Secret Garden by Burnett and a personal favorite, My Name is Asher Lev, by Chaim Potok. For my laughing book club, I also found lists on Goodreads, suggesting Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, by Adams, RightHo, Jeeves, by Wodehouse, Lamb, the Gospel according to Biff by Moore, and for those who are feeling particularly naughty, Napalm and Silly Putty, by the late George Carlin. All the lists had been complied and voted on by members of Goodreads, and ranked accordingly.

After checking various social websites, I was very pleased that the book Katherine is so highly thought of and fondly remembered. Apparently, it was read by many women of a certain age, and recommended to their daughters, who also enjoyed the story. I looked at Goodreads, Amazon, Shelfari and Librarything, and all of them had ratings of four and one half stars out of five for the book, and the commentary was very gracious. So I am pleased to see that some stories just stick around and are loved by several generations.