Book Club Fun!

BOOK CLUB – HOW TO LEAD DISCUSSION

Need to lead a discussion on a best seller with your book club or class?
Want tips on how to promote a lively conversation in your book club?
Whether you are an outgoing extrovert or the shy one in the group, you can lead your book club in an engaging conversation by following these few simple steps. Complete steps 1 - 3 before meeting. Steps 4 - 9 tell you what to do during your book club or class.


1. Read the book - This may seem obvious, but it is the most important step, so it is worth stating. It is a good idea to plan on finishing the book a little earlier than you might otherwise so that you have time to think about it and prepare before your book club meets.

2. Write down important page numbers - If there are parts of the book that made an impact on you or that you think may come up in discussion, write down the page numbers so that you can access the passages easily while preparing and leading the book club discussion.

3. Come up with eight to ten questions about the book - Check out our ready-to-go book club discussion questions on best sellers. Print them out and you are done with this step. Want to come up with your own questions? Check out the tips for writing book club discussion questions below.

4. Let others answer first - When you are asking questions, you want to facilitate discussion, not come off as a teacher. By letting others in the book club answer first, you will promote conversation and help everyone feel like their opinions matter.

5. Make connections between comments - If someone gives an answer to question 2 that connects well with question 5, don't feel obligated to ask questions 3 and 4 before moving to 5. You are the leader and you can go in whatever order you want. Even if you go in order, try to find a link between an answer and the next question. By connecting people's comments to the questions, you'll help build momentum in the conversation.

6. Occasionally direct questions toward quiet people - You don't want to put anyone on the spot, but you want everyone to know their opinions are valued. If you have a few talkative people who always jump right in, directing a question to a specific person may help draw out the quieter people (and let the loud people know it is time to give someone else a turn).

7. Rein in tangents - Book clubs are popular not only because people like to read, but also because they are great social outlets. A little off topic conversation is fine, but you also want to respect the fact that people have read the book and expect to talk about it. As the facilitator, it is your job to recognize tangents and bring the discussion back to the book.


8. Don't feel obligated to get through all the questions - The best questions sometimes lead to intense conversations. That's a good thing! The questions are there as a guide. While you will want to get through at least three or four questions, it will probably be rare that you finish all ten. Respect people's time by wrapping up the discussion when the meeting time is over rather than pushing on until you finish everything you planned.

9. Wrap up the discussion - One good way to wrap up a conversation and help people summarize their opinions of the book is to ask each person to rate the book on a scale of one to five.


Tips:
When writing your own book club discussion questions, avoid questions that are too general, like "What did you think of the book?" Also avoid questions that have yes or no answers. You want to ask questions that are open ended and help people talk about themes and how the book relates to deeper issues.

Do not make dismissive statements toward other people's comments. Even if you disagree, take the conversation back to the book rather than saying "That's ridiculous," etc. Making people feel embarrassed or defensive is a sure way to shut down the conversation.

Book 7: The Stranger Beside Me by Ann Rule

Kimbril Pick - she love True Crime!

Please order this online asap or go to the Library. This book is out of print (being released again in January) so you have to buy it used (online) or check it out from the ole Library. Do it today!

Check your calendars for Friday December 12th. (Denise's Birthday!) If this date isn't going to work please check out the weekend before - Friday December 5th or Saturday December 13th.

Let me know what is good for you asap!

Description of book: Twenty five years after it was first published, Rule's chilling account of serial killer Ted Bundy is revived with a new postscript. Rule tells how she came to learn that the man who worked beside her at a crisis clinic and became her close friend was really the murderer of three women, and possibly 35 others. of photos.

This multiply-reprinted account of crime writer Ann Rule's detective work on serial killer Ted Bundy's case also honestly portrays her long-term, and often confusing, role as friend and confidante to an incomprehensibly magnetic serial killer. Includes a new, but not particularly enriching, update by the author.

Ann Rule, a former policewoman, is the author of fifteen New York Times bestsellers, including Small Sacrifices and Lust Killer. She lives in Seattle.

In case you would like to recap our 2007 year in books:

June Book 1 Barbara Walter Memoir - Denise Liptak

July Book 2 Those Who Save Us - Laurel Perry

August Book 3 Monster of Florence - Jennifer Malin

September Book 4 The Awakening by Kate Chopin - J.C. Loader

October Book 5 Are you There Vodka, It's me Chelsea - Amy Kenyon Jones

November Book 6 Twilight by Stephenie Meyers - Cherie Monarch

December Book 7 The Stranger Beside Me

Book 6: TWILIGHT by Stephenie Meyer

Hey Ladies. Just realized I have never posted on this site and thought I would now so I don't lose track of our books! This one was really good!

See you tonight - Bella's at 7pm. Good choice since the main characters name is Bella - and Cherie picked it b/c it's her favorite restaurant!