AAR

[Linda in sw va]

Ok so we're not a book club but we are a discussion forum and I could see some truth in these, too funny!

http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/26/living/bad-book-club-talk/index.html?hpt=hp_c2

Linda
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"The Bookshop has a thousand books, all colors, hues and tinges, and every cover is a door that turns on magic hinges." ~ Nancy Byrd Turner

[Tee]

That was very funny, Linda, and maybe just a bit too close to the truth.

[ChrisReader]

LOL, I'm sure I've seen a number of these statements used, if not just here but all over the web.

I have to say I don't see a big problem with #1- it gets the conversation rolling anyway

[xina]

I belong to a wine drinking book club in Real Life. We've probably said all those things, and more. I blame the alcohol. really.
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"As you wish"
~The Princess Bride

[Nicole]

That was funny. I'm guilty of a lot of those, but probably number 8 the most. Oops...
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She is too fond of books, and it has turned her brain. -Louisa May Alcott

[ladynaava]

I don't know, some of these I wouldn't have an issue at all with someone saying... =-)

[Linda in sw va]

I think number 4 somtimes becomes an issue here!

4. "Oh, I would never put up with a man who did [insert gambling, cheating, etc.] and I think it would take a pretty weak woman to stay with him like the main character did."

Ouch. Making judgments about a relationship in a book can too easily translate to real life.



Linda
_________________
"The Bookshop has a thousand books, all colors, hues and tinges, and every cover is a door that turns on magic hinges." ~ Nancy Byrd Turner

[Eggletina]

Number four jumped out at me too. We all make moral judgments on characters and people in real life based on our values and experiences, but I think when discussing books we should make an effort to be aware that there will be someone in the audience who has either been in the same shoes as the characters we're judging or can relate to them, so it's best to try to phrase our feelings respectfully. Even better, make an effort to try to understand the other view point. In casual discussions people all too often assume their own crowd is in agreement, when probably people disagree with their buddies far more often then they'll publicly admit.

I think the most offended I ever got in an online discussion (not here, and not about a romance novel) was when a poster stated that she would question the intelligence of anyone who liked a certain book. It happened to be one of those much hyped bestsellers that people either loved or hated. I felt fairly neutral about it myself, but was offended for everyone who liked it when she made that comment. It's one thing to privately think such a thought (perhaps we've all been guilty of that a time or two) but to publicly air it is really inconsiderate and not productive for meaningful discussion.

[dick]

Naturally, I don't think stating that I couldn't get past the first chapter is wrong...because I've written it rather often because it often happens.

[Eliza]

[Eliza]

[xina]

[Eggletina]

The only time DNF bothers me in a book club scenario is when the person who didn't finish campaigned to get the book nominated. Now, I'm much more understanding if they tried and it just didn't work for them. It can be just as interesting to discuss why a book didn't engage the reader enough to want to continue. But when I tried some online clubs years ago, I'd find people who were nominating books they had read before and would either not join the discussion at all or just pop in with an excuse like, "I don't remember enough now to comment." Boy, does that drive me batty!

[Tee]

[xina]