Last night I attended my new book club for the first time. I was invited to join by my friend Elizabeth, and I was incredibly nervous for my first meeting. This book club has been going on for seven years which is the amount of time it took me to go to college and law school and suffice to say I was certain they’d find me dumb and kick me out, Survivor-style after a round table discussion and “anonymous” vote. Not that I watch Survivor. I don’t. I mean, I watched the first season with the rest of America and then I didn’t watch again because I was certain there was no way it would last. In other news, there are reasons I don’t work in television programming.
Anyway. Book club! I finally feel like a real adult and I’ve been pleased as punch to respond to people’s inquiries (people = my husband) about my Tuesday night plans with a serious tone of voice while answering “No, sorry, I can’t you see, I have book club.” This might lead you to believe this book club reads tomes like War and Peace, but they do not, I just take myself and my reading very seriously. Not seriously enough to finish this month’s book which might or might not have led to a bit of my nervousness.
Hello, yes, nice to meet you, thank you so much for including me in your club. Yes, the book was lovely. The 100 pages that I read. What? You mean we *discuss* the book?
Exactly.
In my defense December is probably not the best month to join a book club, with all the other commitments and lack of reading time and a very misleading title of a book that indicates the book is short while in reality being over 600 pages long. Short! As short as my (not at all short) hair it would seem.
The good news is that everyone in book club seemed splendid and they didn’t require me to go through any sort of hazing ritual other than taking my shoes off, which would have been fine but I don’t wear socks and it is disarming to meet people in one’s bare feet. (I was offered socks but my feet were not cold so I declined. Then I realized I was meeting people bare footed.) Note to self: remember to carry socks in the winter. (I remind myself of this every winter and yet, more times than not, I walk around other people’s houses with sad, bare feet.) (I wear slippers at home so socks are not something I often think of.) (I do not wear socks unless in the coldest of circumstances.) Other than being bare footed the only other odd part was when everyone asked Elizabeth and I how we met and we said “Twitter” and everyone thought we were joking.
Psyyyych. Not joking at all!
Despite my checkered internet history past, everyone was very nice, complimented the bark that I made to appease to their sweet sides, and I wasn’t the only one who didn’t finish the book this month. I’m looking forward to January’s book immensely, but not as much as February’s book which is my favorite book in the history of mankind, it ranks above Gone With the Wind, Harry Potter, To Kill a Mockingbird and Killer Angels, so I’m pretty much telling you it is the best book ever, go forth and read it.
And sorry, I’ll be busy the third Tuesday of every month. I have book club you see.
So glad your book club went well! I adore mine beyond reason. (Not that I’ve made an appearance in the last 6 months. And now I’m worried to show up because they’ll be like, “Holy crap! You got pregnant!”) I never thought I’d really find one that has the kind of back and forth mine has. And the randomest set of people. And there are real live MEN!
It’s a lovely thing. Have fun with your upcoming reads!
All I’m saying is if your book club is looking for another member, I am in!
i really want to join a book club when i get settled in a new city. I am such a nerd that discussing books is one of my greatest pleasures.