What can we do to make the book club better?

[CrispyQ]

I welcome any ideas & suggestions.

[hang a left]

1. boy girlie......you sure do get up early in the norning, don't you.

I started a thread night before last in GD to get your forum more exposure. And I am gonna kick it again this morning as soon as my other eye opens ;-). These are just suggestions, some are good, and some are bla but I thought I would through them out there anyway.

Maybe more than one title could be selected in any given month. And maybe some consideration could be given to the depth and heaviness of one book, and a second book offered for lighter fare. If you know what I mean. Sometimes someone will finish a heavy book that has impactd them and they may need something lighter for their next endeavor.

Also, I think sometimes others may have already read the book club winner, so if they are given an alternative choice they might be inclined to participate. You could even go so far as to have 3 winners with the idea that those books would still be elligle for another book club, either the following month, or at a latter date.

I just love your book club. I love to read and never have anyone with which to discuss it with. That is an awesone feature your forum offers.

You are doing an awsome job!!!!
Darlene

[CrispyQ]

6. I love the book club too & certainly some months are better than others,

which isn't always related to the chosen book.

Multiple titles may be a way to go. A little more difficult to administer, but doable.

Anyone else want to chime in on this?

[pstans]

2. If there could be someone to lead the discussions

Instead of people just posting comments, maybe someone could ask a few questions during the month to move the discussion on. I tried to do that during the book "The Long Emergency" that we read a few months ago.

[CrispyQ]

5. I believe this was originally the plan, but fell by the wayside.

I think it would help generate better discussions if this were the case.

What do you think of this idea? If you nominate a title, you are also taking on the responsibiltiy to lead discussions if that title is chosen. ?????

Anyone else have some input on this?

[abluelady]

3. I'm a Newbie

And I would like to participate but haven't a clue how it works. Is that posted somewhere? Maybe that could be a permanent post at the top of the threads? Just a thought.

[CrispyQ]

4. Here are the guidelines.

Book Club Guidelines:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=209&topic_id=1152


We take nominations the first half of a month for next month's book club title. You can nominate only one title but you can second as many as you like. (When there are less than 10 titles nominated I put all of them on the poll even if they haven't been seconded.) Then the 2nd half of the month we poll for the winning book title. The first of the month I start a thread to discuss the current month title & we start the nom process over again for the coming month.

I believe that originally the idea was to have someone oversee discussions & throw out questions (like pstans suggested above), etc to generate more dialogue, but that sort of fell by the wayside.

[abluelady]

8. Let Me Get This Straight

The book was announced September 27 and we are supposed to have read it by October 1 to discuss?

[CrispyQ]

9. You make a good point.

I did let this month's poll go a little longer cuz so few people had responded. But many times, by the time the title is selected, it's too late for me to get it at my library if the book is popular & many people are on the wait list.


Most have not read the book by the first of the month, but rather get the book & start reading it by then. Usually by mid month discussions pick up quite a bit as people have finished or are at least part way through the book. There are always a few who have already read the book so usually they start the discussions at the first of the month.


Maybe this is a problem & we should move the selection process up so that next month's selection is finalized by the 15th, or maybe even a full month ahead. We could easily do that so that by the first week in October you already know which book is the November title.

[abluelady]

10. That Would Work For Me

I have been in many, many book clubs over the years. I don't want to join and be too pushy, but I think for those of us who can't buy all the books we read, being able to get them out or reserve them from the library takes some time.

Just a thought, but December is such busy month, maybe we could not discuss a book in Dec. but pick a January book in November and then Dec., do February, etc. ??

[RoyGBiv]

11. This is a problem ...

FWIW, this is the primary reason I have never taken part in a book club discussion. I refuse to discuss a book I haven't completed reading yet, and I don't like reading books "quickly," particularly non-fiction books. By "quickly" I mean taking a heavy subject treated with several hundred pages and knocking that out in a few days. I miss too much. I like to take notes when a read non-fiction, and I can't do that with a deadline of a few days.

[CrispyQ]

7. For the record:

Past books we’ve discussed & the links to them:

“Freakonomics : A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything”
by Steven D. Levitt, Stephen J. Dubner – September 05
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/006073132X/qid=1124129830/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/002-8283823-6562440


“A People's History of the United States” by Howard Zinn
by Howard Zinn – August 05
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=209x2197


"The Long Emergency: Surviving the End of the Oil Age, Climate Change, and Other Converging Catastrophes of the Twenty-first Century "
by James Howard Kunstler – July 05
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=209&topic_id=2057


“Unequal Protection : The Rise of Corporate Dominance and the Theft of Human Rights”
by Thom Hartmann – June 05
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=209&topic_id=1823


“Affluenza: The All-Consuming Epidemic”
by Scott Simon– May 05
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=209&topic_id=1724


"Confessions of an Economic Hit Man"
by John Perkins – April 05
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=209&topic_id=1504


"Imperial Hubris: Why The West Is Losing The War On Terror"
by Michael Scheuer – March 05
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=209&topic_id=1387


“Running On Empty: How The Democratic and Republican Parties Are Bankrupting Our Future and What Americans Can Do About It”
by Peter G. Peterson – Feb 05
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=209&topic_id=1126


"Don't Think of an Elephant: Know Your Values and Frame the Debate--The Essential Guide for Progressives"
by George Lakoff – Jan 05
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=209&topic_id=806


"What's the Matter with Kansas?: How Conservatives Won the Heart of America"
by Thomas Frank – Dec 04
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=209&topic_id=366