April 2, 2009

What will we be discussing?

Please don't fret about erudite discussion! Any response to the text will be valued.

For those who want to get a bit fancier, then I'll get all librarianish and muster some resources for book discussion.

Firstly, you might want to check if a reading group guide is available. Publishers frequently have them on their websites, though there are other sources online. Otherwise, the following general questions work for just about any novel, and they can give you a good starting point for discussion:
  • What was unique about the setting of the book and how did it enhance or take away from the story?

  • What specific themes did the author emphasize throughout the novel? What do you think he or she is trying to get across to the reader?

  • Do the characters seem real and believable? Can you relate to their predicaments? To what extent do they remind you of yourself or someone you know?

  • How do characters change or evolve throughout the course of the story? What events trigger such changes?

  • In what ways do the events in the books reveal evidence of the author's world view?

  • Did certain parts of the book make you uncomfortable? If so, why did you feel that way? Did this lead to a new understanding or awareness of some aspect of your life you might not have thought about before?
Cheerfully plagiarised from the Book clubs resource website.

Hosting the book club

When we meet for the book club, there will be one person who has been chosen to act as host for the evening.

What you can do as the host:
★    read the book early
★    note down important page numbers
★    --> 8 - 10 questions heaps of reading club support material online - it’s ok to get help!
★    let others answer first
★    make connections between comments
★    bring people into discussion
★    rein in tangets - socialisation is good but not too much!
★    no need to answer all questions
★    wrap up - summarise and ask for final verdict and rating

This isn't intended to be dictatorial! It's just a guide so that we can keep things going.

Wayzgoose has a home

Jade has found us a place to hold our meetings - it's a bar with a library!

Meet us on Thursday May 7
6.30pm - 8.30pm
at the North Fitzroy Star Hotel
32 Georges Road, Fitzroy North (Here's a little map to get you there.)

An executive decision has been made regarding our first book. We'll be starting with The slap by Chris Tsiolkas. Happy reading.

Wayzgoose Calendar