Our club in Denver argued for an hour because half the group skipped the introduction to 'Cloud Atlas' and missed the whole point.

I had to shut it down and make everyone go back and actually read the first 80 pages before we could talk about the ending, so has anyone else had to stop a meeting over people not doing the basic reading?

4 comments

4 Comments

black.margaret3mo ago

Oh man, that's a whole mood. I once tried to lead a talk on a book where I was the only one who'd finished it (which, to be fair, is pretty on brand for me). We spent forty minutes just summarizing the plot for everyone else, and I felt like a substitute teacher. Had to call the whole thing off and reschedule.

the_blair3mo ago

That "substitute teacher" feeling is so real. I read an article once that said most book clubs fail because people treat the meeting like a homework deadline. The writer suggested having no assigned reading at all, just picking a theme and letting people bring whatever they liked. It sounded messy but maybe more honest.

-1

jade2211mo ago

Totally get that "messy but more honest" vibe. Theme nights sound way less stressful than forcing everyone to read the same 400 pages. Might actually salvage my social life from the guilt of books I never finished.

sean_murray1mo ago

Honestly @jade221 that's the thing right, we put so much pressure on ourselves to finish stuff that we forget reading is supposed to be fun lol. It's like how people will avoid a hobby cause they feel like they have to be good at it instead of just enjoying it. Just picking a theme and seeing what sticks sounds way more like actual life anyway.