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Second Tuesday Book Club - Join Us!Escondido Reads:
2nd Tuesday Book Club

 

All meetings are held at 7:00 p.m. in the Turrentine Room of the Main Library.

Upcoming Meetings:

September 9, 2008
The Double Bind by Chris Bohjalian
Working at a homeless shelter, student Laurel Estabrook encounters Bobbie Crocker, a man with a history of mental illness, and a box of secret photos. When Bobbie suddenly dies, Laurel embarks on an obsessive search for the truth behind the photos.
Evidence of things unseenOctober 14, 2008
Evidence of Things Unseen by Marianne Wiggins
Falling in love during the Second World War, a soldier and a glassblower's daughter eventually have a son, who in adulthood finds his own love affair impacted by the fallout of the atomic age. (Novelist)



 November 11, 2008 Veterans' Day - no meeting
The Birth of Venus book coverDecember 9, 2008
Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant
Turning fifteen in Renaissance Florence, Alessandra Cecchi becomes intoxicated with the works of a young painter whom her father has brought to the city to decorate the family's Florentine palazzo. (Novelist)

 

Previous Book Club Titles:

Jun 2006 Vanishing Act by Thomas Perry
Jul 2006 Saturday by Ian McEwan
Aug 2006 The Mistress of Spices by Chitra B. Divakaruni
Sep 2006 My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
Oct 2006 The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers
Nov 2006 History of Love by Nicole Krauss
Dec 2006 The Christmas Train by David Baldacci
Jan 2007 Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
Feb 2007 The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
Mar 2007 Caramelo by Sandra Cisneros
Apr 2007 Delta Wedding by Eudora Welty
May 2007 The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory
Jun 2007 The Alchemist by Paul Coelho
Jul 2007 The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards
Aug 2007 Empire Falls by Richard Russo
Sep 2007 Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
Oct 2007 Wonder Boys by Michael Chabon
Nov 2007 The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri
Dec 2007 A Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg
Jan 2008 Stones for Ibarra by Harriet Doer
Feb 2008 Eat the Document by Dana Spiotta
Mar 2008 War Trash by Ha Jin
Apr 2008 Gilead by Marilyn Robinson
May 2008 Pretty Birds by Scott Simon
June 2008 Music of the Mill by Luis J. Rodriguez
July 2008 Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver      
August 2008 White Teeth by Zadie Smith                                                

 

Book Discussion Tips

FIRST THINGS FIRST: PREPARE

  • Be sure you've allowed yourself time to read the book and make some notes.
  • Know a little about the author's background.  You may want to use some of the author's biographical information to stimulate the discussion.
  • Prepare a list of general and specific questions to discuss.  Six to ten questions should suffice for an hour-long discussion.
  • Increase your background information by reading critical reviews.
  • Have a list of suggested books or resources for further reading and investigation handy.

READY, SET, GO!  PLAY AN ACTIVE ROLE

  • First, find a comfortable setting for your group.  Arrange seating ahead of time so everyone is comfortable.
  • Be sure to introduce yourself and participants to one another before you begin.
  • Before you start the discussion, take care of housekeeping details: Review and post the Ground Rules for Discussion (see below) and obtain group buy-in for group rules.
  • Begin by soliciting initial reactions about the book.
  • Introduce topics for discussion by asking open-ended questions: Questions that can be answered "yes" or "no" will certainly curtail discussion.
  • Moderate and facilitate the discussion rather than lecture or teach.
  • Depending on the group, ask general questions to stimulate thoughts and lead into more specific questions to provide more depth and insight.  You might want to discuss: author's use of language, character development, plot development.
  • Keep the meeting focused and on topic, but allow for the free flow of ideas.  Encourage participants to refer to ground rules to help keep the discussion on track.
  • Transition or redirect the discussion to new areas by introducing new questions.
  • Ask that comments be backed with specific details and examples.
  • Encourage consensus, but allow room for differing viewpoints and respectful disagreement.  Allow controversial issues to surface in the discussion.
  • Ensure that everyone has a chance to be heard and that no one person's voice is heard too much.
  • Be flexible.  Don't expect to get through all the prepared questions and topics.
  • Keep track of time.

 


Discussion Ground Rules (Suggested)

  1. The discussion is a judgment-free environment: there are no right or wrong responses in literary interpretation.

  2. All opinions and experiences have equal value.

  3. Participants are encouraged to speak up and should not expect to be called upon.

  4. Speakers can respond to what a person before him said.

  5. No prepared speeches.

  6. Listen and try to understand the other person's point of view.

  7. Speakers should be brief and share the discussion with others.

  8. Share your viewpoint and expertise.

  9. Disagree respectfully.

  10. Comments should be based on the text.

ENJOY!

Encourage your group to learn more about the book's time period
or culture.

If you're starting your own book club, check out some of
these links for more ideas on book discussions:


 

View the Escondido Reads: One Book websites for:

-Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner (2006)
-Sandra Cisneros' The House on Mango Street (2007)

Escondido Public Library.
  Revised: 08/14/08.

  
 
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