As stated in the email and Blog #1. We are asking for people to facilitate each meeting.
The facilitators role will be:
1. Choose the book.
2. Bring a list of discussion questions/topics.
3. Keep the group on track
4. Take notes about responses/discussions and avoid lulls.
5. Give a brief synopsis (teaser) at the previous month's meeting to give everyone an idea of what will be discussed.
6. Email Jess (jess.kearneybryan@gmail.com) any relevant websites, book info etc that s/he would like included in the update emails and blogs.
March , April, May and June are covered.
THE FACILITATOR IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR HOSTING! The host for the meeting will be decided independently.
If you can not post to the site send me an email and I will post on your behalf.
If you would like a list of books that are "good for discussion" I compiled one and am happy to send it out.
Facilitating is not a requirement for being in the group...but please know that if you had strong opinions about the selections in the past, this is the best way to get your choices noticed. =)
Thursday, February 26, 2009
MARCH BOOK CLUB (Blog #2 2.26.09)
The next Book Club will be
TUESDAY March 24th from 645-900
We will be discussing My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
http://www.jodipicoult.com/my-sisters-keeper.html
Jess will be facilitating this month and she will be hosting.
Please RSVP if you plan to attend.
TUESDAY March 24th from 645-900
We will be discussing My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
http://www.jodipicoult.com/my-sisters-keeper.html
Jess will be facilitating this month and she will be hosting.
Please RSVP if you plan to attend.
Book Club Update (Blog #1 for 2.26.09)
Hello everyone.
Okay. So tonight didn't seem to work for anyone. Sorry if it was a bad time. But...at least my kitchen is clean. ;) I did go through all of the feedback, discussed some options with Diane (who enjoyed not only my clean house but the pup) and came up with some new ideas.
This is a long email....and I would love feedback. I feel a numbered list is easiest for getting everything out...and I really would like responses from everyone so I am not shooting in the dark. Anything you feel strongly about or would like to add to...you can just say..."Hey Jess...I think #1 should be blah blah blah".
1. We have thrown out the remaining list, save one title, for this year. Yay! Clean slate.
2. We have adopted a slightly different, more structured approach. Some people noted that there was not enough discussion of the book, so to appease the social nature and book loving time:
From 645-715 will be social time, get all your gossip and snacks and get ready.
Each Meeting will start with everyone going around the circle and introducing
themselves, along with a 2-5 min reaction to the book.
The facilitator will have a list of discussion topics at hand and take notes on the reactions
so that we can keep conversations going in the lull.
Meetings will be "scheduled" to end at 900 to adhere to the early mornings that most of
us face.
At the end of each meeting the facilitator for the next month will give a brief synopsis of
the book (a teaser if you will).
3. Each month will have a different facilitator. Everyone gets a turn! That person is responsible for choosing the book, downloading (or creating if you are super cool) the discussion topics, keeping the group on track, and taking note of topics that we may want to revisit. This is obviously not meant to be stressful, because lets face it...we all have enough stress. But it will give everyone in the group a chance to read something on their list and talk about it!
4. IMPORTANT...the facilitator does NOT have to host. I know that some people can not host at their home but would still like to lead...no worries. The location of each meeting will be rotated as usual.
5. We will have AT LEAST 2 months planned. This is to help the folks that are really busy get some mass reading done when they have time, and to help those who miss a meeting to not fall behind.
6. A summary email will be sent out the night of or day after each meeting so everyone knows what book is next and where to go. A reminder will be sent out the week before and the weekend before. PLEASE PLEASE RSVP. It would be best if you could RSVP yes or no so at least we know you are alive. There will also be updates on the blog...remember the blog? http://southcharlottebookclub.blogspot.com/
7. We have switched the meetings back to Tuesdays. This is also in response to the survey. The group will meet on the 4th Tuesday of every month.
8. March and April have been set. I am going to post a message on the blog and would like if people could please sign up for a month by commenting to the post. If you have a book in mind post it there. I will take care of the emails and new posts. If you can't post on the blog send me an email and I will post on your behalf, so that everyone knows which month you would like.
9.
NEXT MEETING (MARCH)!!
Book: My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
http://www.jodipicoult.com/my-sisters-keeper.html
Facilitator: Jess KB
Location: Jess's house again (if I am too far away please say something soon so we can arrange an alternate).
When: Tuesday, March 24th 6:45-9:00pm
Contact: jess.kearneybryan@gmail.com
Blurb: I chose this book for several reasons. First, I have a degree in genetics and worked in a leukemia lab for 2 years. Any type of fiction with a loose scientific base is fun for me. I think that with the advances that are being made in biological engineering and cellular science, this theme is not as far-fetched as people may realize. I believe that there will be A LOT of good discussion stemming from the novel! It seems that for a group like ours that has dwindled a bit, something that has been successful in past groups seems like a good way to re-energize us!
APRIL
Book: Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
http://www.bloomsbury.com/Authors/article.aspx?tpid=548&aid=5914
http://www.bloomsbury.com/authors/details.aspx?tpid=548
Facilitator: Diane Chin
Location: Diane's house (Ballantyne area)
When: Tuesday, April 28th 6:45-9:00pm
Contact: dianejchin@gmail.com or jess.kearneybryan@gmail.com
10. I did several hours of research on books that are good for discussions in a book club and both of these titles popped up in many of the sources that I read. I printed out a long list of titles that other groups have used, including the Oprah group, Today Show group and various other well publicized book clubs. If you are hurting for a title but want to facilitate, I would be happy to forward the list.
11. I hope that this doesn't seem to militant. But in fairness, 1. its a lot of work to prepare and have no one show up, and 2. sometimes its easy to get sidetracked and then people who really want to discuss the material are short changed.
12. There will still be snacks. ;) I hope everyone is having a great week. I am sorry that I have let the group slip a little. Let's rebuild together!
Please respond if only to say..."yep I got it and please don't delete me!" or "jess you are annoying, please take me off the list."
Other comments and suggestions are also welcome.
Okay. So tonight didn't seem to work for anyone. Sorry if it was a bad time. But...at least my kitchen is clean. ;) I did go through all of the feedback, discussed some options with Diane (who enjoyed not only my clean house but the pup) and came up with some new ideas.
This is a long email....and I would love feedback. I feel a numbered list is easiest for getting everything out...and I really would like responses from everyone so I am not shooting in the dark. Anything you feel strongly about or would like to add to...you can just say..."Hey Jess...I think #1 should be blah blah blah".
1. We have thrown out the remaining list, save one title, for this year. Yay! Clean slate.
2. We have adopted a slightly different, more structured approach. Some people noted that there was not enough discussion of the book, so to appease the social nature and book loving time:
From 645-715 will be social time, get all your gossip and snacks and get ready.
Each Meeting will start with everyone going around the circle and introducing
themselves, along with a 2-5 min reaction to the book.
The facilitator will have a list of discussion topics at hand and take notes on the reactions
so that we can keep conversations going in the lull.
Meetings will be "scheduled" to end at 900 to adhere to the early mornings that most of
us face.
At the end of each meeting the facilitator for the next month will give a brief synopsis of
the book (a teaser if you will).
3. Each month will have a different facilitator. Everyone gets a turn! That person is responsible for choosing the book, downloading (or creating if you are super cool) the discussion topics, keeping the group on track, and taking note of topics that we may want to revisit. This is obviously not meant to be stressful, because lets face it...we all have enough stress. But it will give everyone in the group a chance to read something on their list and talk about it!
4. IMPORTANT...the facilitator does NOT have to host. I know that some people can not host at their home but would still like to lead...no worries. The location of each meeting will be rotated as usual.
5. We will have AT LEAST 2 months planned. This is to help the folks that are really busy get some mass reading done when they have time, and to help those who miss a meeting to not fall behind.
6. A summary email will be sent out the night of or day after each meeting so everyone knows what book is next and where to go. A reminder will be sent out the week before and the weekend before. PLEASE PLEASE RSVP. It would be best if you could RSVP yes or no so at least we know you are alive. There will also be updates on the blog...remember the blog? http://southcharlottebookclub.blogspot.com/
7. We have switched the meetings back to Tuesdays. This is also in response to the survey. The group will meet on the 4th Tuesday of every month.
8. March and April have been set. I am going to post a message on the blog and would like if people could please sign up for a month by commenting to the post. If you have a book in mind post it there. I will take care of the emails and new posts. If you can't post on the blog send me an email and I will post on your behalf, so that everyone knows which month you would like.
9.
NEXT MEETING (MARCH)!!
Book: My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
http://www.jodipicoult.com/my-sisters-keeper.html
Facilitator: Jess KB
Location: Jess's house again (if I am too far away please say something soon so we can arrange an alternate).
When: Tuesday, March 24th 6:45-9:00pm
Contact: jess.kearneybryan@gmail.com
Blurb: I chose this book for several reasons. First, I have a degree in genetics and worked in a leukemia lab for 2 years. Any type of fiction with a loose scientific base is fun for me. I think that with the advances that are being made in biological engineering and cellular science, this theme is not as far-fetched as people may realize. I believe that there will be A LOT of good discussion stemming from the novel! It seems that for a group like ours that has dwindled a bit, something that has been successful in past groups seems like a good way to re-energize us!
APRIL
Book: Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
http://www.bloomsbury.com/Authors/article.aspx?tpid=548&aid=5914
http://www.bloomsbury.com/authors/details.aspx?tpid=548
Facilitator: Diane Chin
Location: Diane's house (Ballantyne area)
When: Tuesday, April 28th 6:45-9:00pm
Contact: dianejchin@gmail.com or jess.kearneybryan@gmail.com
10. I did several hours of research on books that are good for discussions in a book club and both of these titles popped up in many of the sources that I read. I printed out a long list of titles that other groups have used, including the Oprah group, Today Show group and various other well publicized book clubs. If you are hurting for a title but want to facilitate, I would be happy to forward the list.
11. I hope that this doesn't seem to militant. But in fairness, 1. its a lot of work to prepare and have no one show up, and 2. sometimes its easy to get sidetracked and then people who really want to discuss the material are short changed.
12. There will still be snacks. ;) I hope everyone is having a great week. I am sorry that I have let the group slip a little. Let's rebuild together!
Please respond if only to say..."yep I got it and please don't delete me!" or "jess you are annoying, please take me off the list."
Other comments and suggestions are also welcome.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
February Book Club
Hello everyone!
I hope you all survived Friday the 13th and Valentine's Day!
The email for this month's book club went out yesterday. Hopefully everyone got it.
I am working on the feedback from my mini survey. Thanks to everyone who participated, it was very helpful!
Because I am trying to juggle a few too many things this month we are going to stick with Thursday night (26th) and vote (on days and times) at the meeting. If you can't make the meeting because it is Thursday then just send you vote via email. It will be 700 at my house. Directions to follow.
This is an open discussion of all the books we have read this year, including Angry Housewives. It will mostly be a "let's try this" meeting where we re-write the list with more input and chat about books, reading and life. Likely there will be snacks. =)
Please RSVP via blog or email so I can get a head count.
Thanks!
Jess
I hope you all survived Friday the 13th and Valentine's Day!
The email for this month's book club went out yesterday. Hopefully everyone got it.
I am working on the feedback from my mini survey. Thanks to everyone who participated, it was very helpful!
Because I am trying to juggle a few too many things this month we are going to stick with Thursday night (26th) and vote (on days and times) at the meeting. If you can't make the meeting because it is Thursday then just send you vote via email. It will be 700 at my house. Directions to follow.
This is an open discussion of all the books we have read this year, including Angry Housewives. It will mostly be a "let's try this" meeting where we re-write the list with more input and chat about books, reading and life. Likely there will be snacks. =)
Please RSVP via blog or email so I can get a head count.
Thanks!
Jess
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