Whether it’s because of Oprah Winfrey’s efforts to get American adults reading, or the lack of anything but reruns on television, reading is booming on the westside, according to local librarians and others who head up area book clubs. "I know there are definitely more people reading," said Debbie Amesbury, a clerk at the Chili Public Library who co-coordinates the library’s book club with Chili resident Adrienne Furness. "Our children’s programs are exploding and that’s great, but I am especially pleased to see so many adults discovering or rediscovering reading." More people reading has led to more people talking about books, and talking about books is what local book clubs are all about. The clubs, which meet monthly in libraries, homes, and community centers, are discussion forums for those who love literary talk. "There really is something unique about reading a book and being able to discuss it with friends," said Amesbury. "It’s a way of savoring the story." The camaraderie of the book club at the Holley Community Free Library has been important to Ann Hazen, the organizer of the group. "We do enjoy each other’s company and we always snack together," she joked (actually, snacks came up very often in the preparation of this story), "but I so appreciate the different points of view. When I come to the discussions, I feel like my eyes are opened by the ideas of others." Book clubs are a haven for passionate lovers of books, agreed Peg Markham, a retired elementary teacher who lives in Hilton. She turned her attention to getting a group started at the Sweden Senior Center about six months ago after wandering in to find out if the center had anything she wanted to get involved in. Nothing the center had available appealed to her immediately, so she decided to start something new. "I love to read, and this seemed like something quite feasible to do," she said. "I can read and discuss all I want, and this way I’ve developed something that also gets others involved in something." The Sweden Senior Center group consists of both community and nursing home residents. Markham belongs to two private, "in-home" clubs in addition to the one she organizes at the Senior Center, a level of commitment which seems to be common among the book club set. Another local woman, a resident of Ogden who asked that her name not be published, noted that the first week of each month is particularly busy. She goes from the Sweden Senior Center meeting on Monday to the Chili meeting on Tuesday. Things slow down a little then, her third book club meeting, sponsored by the Farmers' Library in Ogden, doesn’t come until the third Tuesday. What do book club members read? Anything and everything, it seems. Books that have the official Oprah stamp of approval have been popular, but there are literally hundreds of new books published each month from which to choose. "People read Oprah’s books and I think they often discover that they really do like reading," said Patty Uttaro, Director of the Ogden Farmers' Library and head of Ogden’s book club, which was regenerated several months ago. "Then I think they branch out from there." Some clubs ask members to take turns recommending what’s next, others rely on a club leader for that, and some, like Holley’s, make a decision based on what’s widely available for borrowing through interlibrary loans. Clubs try to select a variety of books so that fresh voices join the circle. "We read J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings at Christmastime," said Hazen. "I really didn’t care for it, but we had three young people join us for that discussion. Listening to them be so excited about that book really gave me hope for the next generation." Chili’s group had the same experience when they selected The Perfect Storm last winter. That attracted some new male members. The membership composition of the book clubs isn’t as varied as the books they choose to read. While the age range of members is pretty wide – Ogden has members who are from the mid-20s to late 70s – most regularly attending club members are women. They tend to be women with opinions, and that, all involved say, can be where things get a little "sticky," said Markham. "Some clubs have a conversation leader, someone who makes sure that no one monopolizes the conversation. Because if there’s just one person talking, what’s the point of having a discussion group?" "We have a great group right now just because of that point," agreed Chili's Amesbury. "No one is overbearing, people are being very good about sharing the time. That’s what leads to a rich understanding of the material." Joining one of the area’s book clubs is easy - basically all you have to do is find out which book is being discussed and show up at the meeting, opinions in hand. Holley’s club meets at the Community Free Library at 7 p.m. on the first Monday of each month. The library gets several copies of the book being discussed, so no book purchase is required. For more information about the book to be discussed, contact the library at 638-6987. The club at the Sweden Senior Center, which is open to anyone, also meets on the first Monday at 7 p.m. For information, contact Markham at 637-4376 or the Senior Center at 637-8161. Chili’s club meets on the first Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. at the library. For information, contact the library at 889-2200. Ogden’s club meets at 7 p.m. on the third Tuesday of the month. For information, call the library at 352-2141. "We have new people joining all the time," said Amesbury. "We always enjoy the fresh ideas of new members." Looking for something to read? Try these novels, which have been recommended by the leaders and organizers of area book clubs. •The Painted House by John Grisham •If you’re a Grisham fan, expect the unexpected. If you’re not a Grisham fan, give this one a try. The Painted House is very different from his legal stories. The main character is a young boy, Luke Chandler, a seven-year-old in the sultry summer of 1952. Two groups of migrant workers - and two very dangerous men - came into town to work the Chandler cotton farm. A series of events, including a brutal murder and the birth of a fatherless baby, have the whole town talking and young Luke confused. As Luke watches the world around him, he sees things that ultimately expose secrets and change his family and his town forever. •Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult Picoult’s writing is straightforward and often heartbreakingly honest. This novel is about the discovery of a dead infant in an Amish barn and the resulting community outcry. Circumstantial evidence points to eighteen-year-old Katie Fisher, an unmarried Amish woman believed to be the baby’s mother. When Ellie Hathaway, a disillusioned big-city attorney, comes to Paradise, Pennsylvania, to defend Katie, she and Katie, and their two cultures, conflict. •Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner This is a wonderful book, but it’s not light beach reading. Stegner's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel is the story of four generations in the life of an American family. The narrator is a wheelchair-bound retired historian embarking on a quest to come to know his grandparents, now long dead. •Plainsong by Kent Haruf This is a highly-readable, can’t put it down novel that reveals the dynamics of a whole community through the interwoven stories of a pregnant high school girl, a lonely teacher, a pair of boys abandoned by their mother, and a couple of crusty bachelor farmers. Here’s a special recommendation for reluctant readers from Peg Markham, organizer of the Sweden Senior Center Book Club. "I have put this book in the hands of kids from fourth graders to graduate students," she said. "I have never met anyone who doesn’t love it." •The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton A classic novel written by a young woman just about the same age as the characters she develops. Ponyboy is a 14-year-old orphan with strong ties to his brothers and his gang, a bunch of boys from the wrong side of the tracks. When Ponyboy’s best friend Johnny kills a member of a rival gang, violence erupts which traps Ponyboy in a turbulent chain of events. |
