Book Club

"But I have a new love for that glittering instrument, the human soul. It is a lovely and unique thing in the universe. It is always attacked and never destroyed - because 'Thou mayest.'"

Once again, I am grateful to my Book Club for having me pick up something I might not have otherwise read. This book had been on my "Someday I'll Read That" list. Alas, the editions are a bit pricey (thanks, Oprah, for adding this to your book club and driving up the price), its 600-page heft makes it fairly subway-unfriendly.

But then it was a glorious Book Club pick! The Queens Library branch some 5 blocks from my house solved the price dilemma, and I just braved the subway. Balancing this volume and my coffee mug requires true skill. I will remember this book and its indelible characters for the rest of my life.

I just passed on my last Book Club fave to Chris, Serena by Ron Rash. Never would have found that book without Book Club.

My Book Club is thankfully not a thing like these book groups profiled in the NYTimes, full of drama and politics.

My Top 5 Favorite Things About Book Club:

1) Smart (not snotty) girls

2) Diverse and amazing book picks

3) Drinks and snacks

4) Members' pets

5) Hysterical off-topic tangents

Side note: If you're on Goodreads, friend me! I warn you that I am not very conscientious about updating my book list. I contribute the occasional brief review, mostly for myself and my own friends. The culture on the review boards can get a little snotty, so I like to keep it low-key.