The Pear Tree

Archive for the ‘Book Club Touring’ Category

The room was abuzz with chatter, punctuated by laughter and the occasional juicy tidbit of gossip when members of “The Book Club” met for their monthly get-together last summer.

“It’s actually just called “Book Club,” but we added the ‘the’ because it sounds more professional,” joked long-time member Leah Muirhead.

Ranging in age from their late-twenties to their early-thirties (the oldest is 34), the all-girl’s group has been getting together for the past two or so years to talk about books.

It’s an informal group – you don’t have to have read the book in order to come, as long as you’re prepared to hear the others talk about the ending, and they can’t actually put a finger on how many members they have.

“There’s generally about eight at each meeting, but not always the same eight. There’s probably about 10 in the core group but there are others who come and go,” said founder Emma Miller.

Emma started the group after she moved to Kelowna from Ontario. While her and her husband made some couple friends in the area, she really missed real female bonding over a glass of wine. So, she started The Book Club (or Book Club).

And bond they do, over wedding plans or pregnancy news, wine recommendations and fashion.

And then there’s the book. During the Pear Tree’s visit, they were discussing The Corrections, by Jonathan Franzen.

There’s no theme to the books they choose, although they’ve tried a variety of monthly themes in the past – including Harlequin Romance, classic literature, and back to school (even though none of them are in school). One month they tried everyone reading a different book and then reporting back on it at the meeting.

In addition to moving the club from house to house each month (no assignments – just whoever randomly wants to step up to the plate next gets to), they’ve tried meeting at a restaurant and, once, going to a movie.

Nibblies are potluck, and everyone brings an opinion of the book of the month, and gets a turn to speak their mind.

Of all the book clubs The Pear Tree has visited this year, this was the most technologically advanced. Many of the members use Kindles or iPads or other e-book platforms to access the works, and they also have their own, private group on Facebook to stay up-to-date on the ‘who,’ ‘what,’ ‘when,’ ‘where’ and sometimes even ‘why.’

They started out looking for adventure on skis, but after 10 years on the slopes, the Chix on Stix downhill ski club morphed and expanded into the Chicks’ Picks Book Club, seeking out adventure of the armchair variety.

They’ve found it in such novels as Keeper’n Me by Richard Wagamese, Twenty Chickens for a Saddle by Robyn Scott and Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen.

And in between the pages they’ve found a connection with a group of fellow women – not always like minded, but open to exploring world views different from their own.

They call themselves the anti-book club, because they try to focus on the camaraderie, using the books as an excuse to get together, but not the sole topic for the night.

“Books are something we all feel connected to, that we can bring a little bit of ourselves to,” said Wendy McCracken.

That wasn’t always the case with every member, however. For some, like Jaime Brayman, reading is a recently discovered pleasure. The youngest of the group at age 23, she admitted that she hated reading when she was growing up, but now loves it.

Her first pick as a member of the club was the book Can You Keep a Secret, by Sophie Kinsella. The group laughs about it now, as they relate how they’ve since introduced Jaime to more literary choices.

The 10 ladies that make up the group, who range in age from 23 to 66, are both candid and passionate about their opinions, but also understand that sharing them is part of the fun, and are careful to avoid hurt feelings.

“We have been really blessed,” said Alice Gro, “All the people that have joined have added to the entertainment, and every book we’ve read comes with a personal story from someone.”

The location of the meeting rotates from month to month, as each member takes a turn inviting the group into their home. The host, who provides food and drinks, however, is not the one who picks the book, since presenting and moderating the evening, they feel, is a job in itself.

Presentations over the four years they’ve been getting together have ranged from straight ahead discussions (most common) to themed activities, depending on the ambition and inspiration of the presenter.

Last month, when The Pear Tree dropped by for a visit, the book of the month was selected by Alice. She chose Mennonites Don’t Dance, by Pear Tree contributor Darcie Freisen Hossack, and invited the author to attend and read from the book, as well as partake in a Q&A.

At the end of the meeting, after everyone has had their say, the ladies go around the room and rate the book on a scale from 1-5. Then, the details are recorded in the official Chicks Picks log book, and the next book is announced.

- Words and photos by Lori-Anne Poirier

You never know who you might meet at the Okanagan Regional Library’s Kelowna branch book club. Being a public, or open club, there are usually a few newcomers mixed in with the regulars.

“Sometimes they come because they love the book, sometimes because they’re new in town,” said Fern Teleglow, head librarian of the 1380 Ellis Street branch.

Fern has led the eight-year-old club for the past six years, pulling from a variety of genres to keep it broad enough to appeal to a wide audience.

“I try to focus mostly on Canadian lit but usually include a mystery and/or science fiction and one non-fiction title. In the summer months I’ve been doing a theme – one year we did international mysteries, last year we did time travel. It’s all about getting people to read things they wouldn’t normally read. Sometimes it works – sometimes it doesn’t,” she said.

She tries to pick books that the library has a number of copies of, that are available in paperback and, preferably, that there’s a reader’s guide available for.

This month, a group of eight bibliophiles, including Fern (top left), met to discuss The Book of Negroes, by Lawrence Hill. Judging from the comments, the book sounds at once compelling, disturbing and thought provoking.

Averaging between six and nine people each month – the biggest turnout was about 20 people, for A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews, but Fern thinks that’s too many for a good discussion – the meeting is fairly informal. Everyone has a chance to share their opinion, and when that winds down Fern pulls out some questions.

Unlike private book clubs, which require an invitation to be a part of, everyone is welcome to the library meetings, held in the meeting room off the lobby. If you only want to come occasionally it’s okay – and the library supplies the snacks. And it’s free.

The regular club runs from September to April, meeting the second Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. Next month’s selection is Strength in What Remains, by Tracy Kidder.

- Words and photos by Lori-Anne Poirier

The night The Pear Tree crashed February’s featured book club, it was only the group’s third meeting, and the members were still learning each other’s names.

But when the conversation got going, talking about the book of the month, it flowed and meandered the way it does between old friends.

The book on the table was Little Princes: One Man’s Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal, by Conor Grennan. It’s the true story of three months the author spent in war-torn Nepal, volunteering for an orphanage. But the conversation wandered from compelling moments in the book to the Twighlight series, vampires and zombie porn.

“It’s fairly casual – more about the wine and the socializing than the book, I think,” said member Suzan Wood-Young. “We chat about our lives, then we talk a bit about what we liked or disliked about the book.”

There are 12 women in the club, and two rules: no men and no kids. Each member gets a turn to host once in the year. The host picks the book, and they’re not allowed to read it before they pick it (if someone else in the group happens to have read it in the past, that’s fine).

Group founder Lisa Bernier picked up The Ultimate Book Club Organizer to keep track of the books they tackle, and it moves from house to house each month. The organizer has a place to assign a rating – “wow,” “okay” and “ugh.” This month’s book was given a unanimous “wow,” but their first selection, The Children of Witches, by Sherri Smith, got an “ugh.” Last month’s, The Secret Daughter by Shilpi S. Gowda received and “okay.”

“We want to explore different genres – something we might not pick up in a bookstore. Some of these books I probably wouldn’t have picked up – I would have passed by,” said Christina Donick.

In addition to being a welcome monthly social escape, Cherise Myers, who has nicknamed the group “Book Club for Dummies,” says the monthly meetings give her an incentive to make time to read.

“I love reading, but so many of my books end up just sitting there, with two little ones in my life,” she said.

Lisa thought of starting the club after moving away from her old group, in Dawson Creek, recently. After trying a local club that she found much too serious in their approach, she suggested creating their own to friends Tracy Sherman, Min Du and Cherise over a glass of wine at Rotten Grape in Kelowna.

“The club was born over wine, and wine and food is still a key feature,” Lisa said. “It’s about the book, too, but also about friendship and visiting and getting out once in a while.”

Their next meeting, which will feature the book Fluke, or, I Know Why the Winged Whale Sings, by Christopher Moore, will be a pyjama party.

- Words and photos by Lori-Anne Poirier

They’ve been through marriages, births, divorces, deaths, grandchildren and menopause together. They’ve laughed, they’ve cried, they’ve eaten and reminisced. And they’ve read. Countless books.

When Nancy Crouchman started her book club 33 years ago, she never imagined how long it would last – or the richness it would bring to her life and the lives of her fellow members.

“I just thought that when I read a book it would be nice to talk to someone else who had read the same book,” Nancy (below, left) told The Pear Tree.

Among the people she approached to join her for the club’s first meeting, way back in 1977, were Shirley Simson, Rose Grant, Shirley-Anne Denney and (sister-in-law) Donna Crouchman, all of whom are still members of the club today.

“We’ve lasted longer than some school friendships,” quipped Shirley.

Jeanette Dunagan and Teresa Manduca joined shortly after, and in more recent years Dixie Ellison, Ako Hobbs and Betty Ann Catcher have rounded out the ranks.

In addition to all the life changes they’ve weathered together over the years, the girls, who range in age from 63 to 75, have survived the early self-help book stage, fiction good and bad, strong opinions and members who don’t quite get to reading that month’s selection.

“It’s like a sisterhood,” said Shirley-Anne, who moved away for about nine years at one point but rejoined the group when she came back to town.

“There’s never been any pettiness or gossip. We inspire each other.”

The group meets once a month, and at the beginning of the year each member is assigned a month to host the club. The hostess gets to pick the book for that month, and anything goes – from non-fiction to self-help, classics to “smutty” books.

In the beginning the hostess took care of dinner, but in recent years they’ve turned their meetings into a potluck where everyone contributes and it’s less pressure for the one in charge.

The meetings start off with dinner and catch-up before turning the discussion to the book of the month during dessert. The “bad” books, they agree, elicit the most discussion. The selection during The Pear Tree’s visit was Good to a Fault by Marina Endicott, and the reviews were mixed.

“We don’t always agree,” Teresa points out. “But the different opinions bring a good dimension to the group, and everyone is respectful of each other’s point of view. It’s a great education. I like that I get introduced to authors and books I might not choose for myself.”

Perhaps most importantly, however, they cite the connection they have made over a shared interest of books. While they only meet once a month as a club, many cherished friendships have been formed that have filtered into their daily lives.

Interestingly, the club’s first book was one about how to be happy. Whether or not its contents were useful, the platform for looking at it, in the long term, was.

- Words and photos by Lori-Anne Poirier

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Giveaway Winner!

The winner of our last giveaway in the New Year’s Resolutions series is Kirsten Nilsen! Kirsten will receive a 90-minute consultation with performance coach Rhonda Victoor to help her get a start on her ambition for 2011! Congratulations! For everyone else, thanks for all your comments – keep reading for more fun giveaways down the road!