January 2022 Book Club
I’ve been part of a IRL (“in real life” for those who don’t know that acronym) for 10.5 years now. We used to meet on the third Thursday of each month so we call ourselves the “Third Thursday Book Club.” A few months ago, we all decided it was more convenient to meet on the third Wednesday. We joke that we’re now the “Third Thursday Book Club, now on Wednesdays.”
We met this past Wednesday to discuss January’s book. (Due to COVID’s increased numbers, we opted to meet via Zoom rather than in-person.)
We discussed KEEP MOVING: NOTES ON LOSS, CREATIVITY, AND CHANGE by Maggie Smith (click the link to read my review). There were six of us that met and only five read the book. Here are some highlights of our discussion:
- Everyone made the comment they didn’t realize KEEP MOVING was mostly the author’s collection of tweets while she was going through her divorce (affirmations to help her stay positive during a time of turmoil). We thought it was going to be more of a memoir.
- No one hated the book, but no one loved it either.
- A couple of people thought it was generic and unmemorable.
- No one could really relate to the author because none of us have been through a divorce (our group is a statistical anomaly).
- One person liked the affirmations more than the other sections.
- One person read KEEP MOVING via audiobook and the rest of us wondered if that experience was weird given the layout of the book.
- The phrase “keep moving” got old by the end because the author tacked it on the end of every. single. affirmation.
Our discussion was really short because KEEP MOVING wasn’t what we thought it was. Like I said in my review, though, I’m glad I read it because of the two little tidbits I got out of it.
After our discussion, we talked about other books we’ve been reading, voting on our new list of books, the Book of the Month club, what’s going on in everyone’s lives, and COVID. I had a great time as always. I really my book club and look forward to it each month, even if I don’t read the book.
Next month’s book is TO ALL THE BOYS I’VE LOVED BEFORE by Jenny Han. I’m very excited to read it. It’s been on my TBR ever since the Netflix show came out, which I still haven’t watched. All things in their proper order.
Have you read KEEP MOVING? If so, what do you think about my book club’s discussion about it?
Honestly, this book sounds like one I’d hate. First off I have trouble with abbreviations on Twitter and text, so that wouldn’t work for me. And who wants to read about someone’s divorce. Glad you got together, though. What are you reading for next month? I just finished my February book for my 2nd book club: Beautiful Country. After a slow start I ended up really liking it.
Well, the tweets were affirmations. They were her way of staying positive during a time of turmoil. It wasn’t negative or anything. We just didn’t realize it was a book composed mostly of affirmations. We thought it was going to be more of a memoir, I guess.
Next month’s book is TO ALL THE BOYS I’VE LOVED BEFORE by Jenny Han. I’m very excited to read it. It’s been on my TBR ever since the Netflix show came out, which I still haven’t watched. All things in their proper order.
I’m glad you liked your February book. 🙂
Book clubs are so cool. I thought of joining one and may when Covid hopefully subsides lol. I think it’s awesome yours has been meeting for so long! How neat.
sorry the book was disappointing- I think I would have expected more of a memoir as well.
I hope you do get to join one when the pandemic subsides. As far as the book being disappointing, it’s okay. You win some, you lose some. 😀
I love our book club! I don’t think I’m going to read To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before. I read it last year, and I feel like it was recent enough for me. I just don’t know if I can count it for my goal of reading 10/12 books for book club this year.
I do too. It’s awesome. We have good people in our book club. I think it counts as part of your goal because you’ve read the book before. That’s my two cents, anyway.