It definitely works, its just quite different than many other authors i read. Choose one question at a time and toss it out to the group. And in the end, i was one of the few folks in our book discussion that even saw the book as a comedy. We are around the same age as the main character, katey.
They seem to me to be written in such dispassionate tones. Gather a group of friends, choose a book and start reading. If not, you can visit the publisher or authors website and find online reading guides. Since the point of a book club is a group discussion, keep a few tricks up. If youre ready to start a book club, heres 40 of the best book club questions, for fiction. Select a number of questions, write each on an index card, and distribute. The rules of magic by alice hoffman book club discussion. It can be fiction or nonfiction, but it must be 325 pages or shorter. Many book clubs turn more into a social hour than an intelligent conversation on books. Rules of civility amor towles, 2011 penguin group usa 352 pp.
Is there anything unique about this book such as writing style, structure, or subject matter. Is the book improved by the four sections from tinkers point of view, or hindered by them. You may also submit your thoughts or questions there. Why not consider setting aside 30 minutes for social conversation, and then 60 or 90 minutes for book discussion. Starting a book club is more complicated than you might think. If you are interested, there is additional content regarding rules of civility at including brief essays on walker evans and jazz, a 1930s time capsule, etcetera. Rules of civility, the first novel by amor towles, chronicles a transitional year in the life of a young woman in manhattan. This free printable makes for the perfect conversation starter and to keep at least part of the discussion focused on your latest read. The purpose of this book club is to read and enjoy literature. If you want to be the twinsetrocking, universally beloved taylor swift of your book club, it seems pretty simple.
You may think your friends boyfriends sister spends too much time sharing pictures of her dog or. Ideas for the book using a communication board i created this communication board to use with the novel out of my mind. Tomorrow, ill post a new post about what book to read next. What follows are some questions for discussion that might have surfaced in my reading group. How to lead a book club discussion pen and the pad.
Rotate members take turns, each choosing a book for a given month. At the outset, rules of civility appears to be about the interrelationship between katey, tinker, and eve. All personal discussions and social small talk should be kept to the periods before and after the literary discussion. If youre ready to start a book club, heres 40 of the best book club questions, for fiction and nonfiction alike. Rules to keep your book club running and what to read in 2019. Suggested book and reading club discussion questions for rules of civility. Activities to use with the book rules by cynthia lord.
So, if you love books, and youre ready to discuss them. Ask members to come with 3 questions to generate thought and discussion, marked passages to read, or relevant articles. Even if you use a list of standard questions, come up with questions specific to the book being discussed to add depth to the dialogue. When you are ready to lead your first discussion, heed the following tips to get the most rewarding experience out of your club meeting. Each member or a team of 23 takes a card and answers the question. Amor towles recreates the beautiful atmosphere of this era and fills the pages with people and events that take you back to this time of. Book club discussing little old lady who broke all the rules. On monday, june 11, the friends and books community book club will be discussing the little old lady who broke all the rules by catharina ingelmansundberg. Katey kontent narrates her own journey through the year 1938, from. Theres nothing like sipping chardonnay, enjoying small bites and discussing the summers hot read. The book club gives employees the opportunity to step up and practice leadership roles such as leading a group discussion or presenting to provide an overview of a chapter. Ive found that the best book club discussion questions are ones that are openended and that get people to share their personal opinions.
Aug 21, 2017 ive been in a lot of book clubs, and i know its not always easy to get a conversation going on a book. Its especially helpful for those who travel or miss a meeting or two. Following a few simple ground rules will help you and your reading. Financial, personal relationships, health, spiritual. So i was worried as i picked rules of civility as our instore book club selection for november, worried that it would be too derivative of other novels and period. I decided to come up with a generic list of book club questions to compel us to dig deeper than did you like the book. Dec 14, 2017 my current book club group is much more casual, but perhaps too much so. This book made me think about about the 100 yr old man as well as the girl who saved the king and hitman anders. This detailed literature summary also contains topics for discussion on rules of civility by amor towles. Do you allow any member to veto a pick, or does simple majority rule. Aug 08, 2019 book club central, or bcc, will bring a world of information to book lovers, book clubs, libraries, and anyone who wants to increase their enjoyment of reading. Explore some of the events and people mentioned in the novel, such as popular musicians, fashion styles, historical figures, and events.
If you are interested in reading books deeply or want to focus on a particular type of book such as. Our 23 hour meetings are primarily a social gathering with a mere 10 minute discussion about the book snuck somewhere in the middle. Reading guide for the rules of magic by alice hoffman. There are a couple ways to decide which books to read. Enhance your book club new york city and the 1960s influence the novels culture and history. When you decided to set your life in order, what area did you pick.
Librarian becky spratford in her article, book discussion first aid, shares her groups. Catherine hopes her autistic brother does not keep her from making friends. Getting book club discussions started are often the hardest part of the book club meeting. Book club basics getting started leader norms san rafael. Rules of civility by amor towles book club discussion.
Plan 30 minutes for food, wine and catchingup with. Sep 05, 2016 when you choose a popular book club book, you can often find a wealth of book discussion questions already written for you. Armed with little more than a formidable intellect, a bracing wit, and her own brand of cool nerve, katey embarks on a journey from a wall. Todays book club discussion will be about rules of engagement by jt geissinger. Learn about some basic bookclub ground rules including. Heres how to be the best book club member you know huffpost. This thread is to be considered a spoilerhappy zone. If you are interested, there is additional content regarding rules of civility at including brief essays. So, if youve come this far, i owe you my heartfelt thanks. All the major characters, from tinker the banker, to bitsy the socialite, to. If youve ever wanted to start your own book club but havent been sure.
This may seem obvious, but it is the most important step, so it is worth stating. Home book discussion groups libguides at american library. Book club discussion questions of course you have the gossip and the wine to look forward to, but you might want an excuse to ensure you get some discussion time in. This will give you little something extra to discuss. Many books have reading guides at the end of the book that are perfect to use for your book club. Hopefully everyone that wanted to participate got a copy of the book and can discuss. How to start a book club that doesnt suck book riot. Rules of prey topics for discussion john sandford this study guide consists of approximately 35 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of rules of prey.
Nov 09, 2012 but though that what happens the story is looking back from the 1960s to the 1930s, with katie wellheeled in middle age, what i love about the story is that its a little more complicated than that. Manhattan in the 1930s with all its charm, sophistication and jazzage dynamics is the highlight of this book. But those little tidbits are not the bulk of this quite plotty pacey novel, which is a fa this book was strange for me, at points, it was a 5, at other points a 1. In a discussion book club, the whole group reads the same book between each meeting. Having established rules can be especially important if you are starting a book club thats open to the general public. Discussion questions for rules of civility by amor. Librarian becky spratford in her article, book discussion first aid, shares her groups norms, which are revisited once a year. When you choose a popular book club book, you can often find a wealth of book discussion questions already written for you. Its one, im happy to report, the ladies of the film book club are willing to follow.
The first thing i always do is visit publisher and authors websites and look for a readers guide. Most activity is for books selected by vote for the current month, but you can post about any previous selection anytime. One of the best pairings with our wine is a good book club. Amor towles recreates the beautiful atmosphere of this era and fills the pages with people and events that take you back to this time of witty conversation, lavish parties and soaring ambitions. What are some good questions to ask my book club after. Planning sessions are also a good time to revisit your clubs processesnorms and ensure. The suggested questions are intended to help your reading group find new and interesting angles and topics for your discussion. In the book rules by cynthia lord, twelveyearold catherine must spend the summer without her best friend who goes to california for the summer. Here are some basic questions to get a book club discussion going i mean, lets try not to gossip the whole time. Good rules include dont interrupt another member, let everyone have a turn to speak, if you disagree do it politely, stay on. Content includes books from bestselling, midlist and debut authors.
Book club basics getting started before you start recruiting folks, take a moment to think about what you want out of a book group. After a photoshop nightmare of an opening montage, in which we learn these four friends have been finding time in between marriages and divorces, law school and childrearing to talk about books for several decades now, we see them settle in for a. The seven golden rules of setting up a book club stylist. Vote all members make suggestions, followed by an open discussion, and vote. In a discussion book club, the whole group reads the same book between each meeting, usually one per month.
Let anyone propose a book, then have the club vote on the options. A site dedicated to book lovers providing a forum to discover and share commentary about the books and authors they enjoy. If you are invited to join a book club, pretend you like everyone. When youre starting a book club it helps to set some ground rules to help ensure that all of your attendees feel welcome and want to return. Book club central, or bcc, will bring a world of information to book lovers, book clubs, libraries, and anyone who wants to increase their enjoyment of reading. Sometimes holding a book club discussion can be tricky, and thats where this book club discussion guide can help. The four rules for a good book club electric literature. Dont post about other topics until you read the faq. Discussion questions for rules of civility by amor towles our book for this month is amor towles novel rules of civility. Some of the rules may seem like common sense but making sure everyone is on the same page helps avoid unnecessary conflict. These little nuggets are katys own rules of civility and they made the book worth reading. Which is near impossible when you have a brother with autism and a family that revolves around his disability. Try this if the members have a similar taste in books and dont want to explore new genres.
Check out our book club discussion questions post that has 40 of them. Think outside the book liven up the discussion by reading plays or literary magazines that feature essays, art and short stories. Are dicky vanderwhile, wallace wolcott, bitsy, peaches, hank, and anne grandyn as essential to kateys story as tinker and. Discussion guide rules written by cynthia lord published by scholastic press isbn 0439443822 the book text taken from the book jacket twelveyearold catherine just wants a normal life, which is near impossible when you have a brother with autism and a family that revolves around his disability. You can help your organization become a learning organization in which people continuously grow and develop. Our book for this month is amor towles novel rules of civility. Usually, there are some interesting facts or pictures about the book. Discussion questions for rules of civility are listed. Rules to make your book club run smoothly thoughtco. Book club central will be a repository of resources on book clubs from tools to start and maintain your club to recommendations on books, as well as fun ideas like food pairings for. Its your turn to moderatelead your book club s discussion. Youll also find printable book club questions at the end of this post to bring to.
1025 1488 124 193 448 192 204 951 1471 101 5 80 1003 1293 1270 158 454 914 832 293 148 1315 592 1053 872 1347 1444 101 1473 150 712 1402