tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027299943447728658.post2277713749764750917..comments2023-10-10T20:43:00.969-04:00Comments on Books and Chocolate: Zeitoun and a Book Group UpdateKaren K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13483190930383406559noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027299943447728658.post-19059112971802168432012-05-02T16:44:37.025-04:002012-05-02T16:44:37.025-04:00Sure! :-)Sure! :-)Judith / Leeswammeshttp://leeswammes.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027299943447728658.post-60209307620409687642012-04-30T16:21:52.512-04:002012-04-30T16:21:52.512-04:00Great idea! I hope you don't mind if I borrow...Great idea! I hope you don't mind if I borrow it.Karen K.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13483190930383406559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027299943447728658.post-79373153905882239032012-04-29T16:42:16.320-04:002012-04-29T16:42:16.320-04:00Not even! I usually print one or two copies and th...Not even! I usually print one or two copies and then we pass it around. Someone will say: "Oh, this question!" and we'll discuss it, and then someone else may mention another question that she wants to discuss, etc.Judith / Leeswammeshttp://leeswammes.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027299943447728658.post-24540134168741506382012-04-29T07:28:41.091-04:002012-04-29T07:28:41.091-04:00To be fair, at my group for Zeitoun she had read t...To be fair, at my group for Zeitoun she had read the book (and came prepared with STACKS of notes). But it is especially annoying that she criticized another group and hadn't read the book, just researches it and expects the group leaders to do the same.<br /><br />She sat across from me and was giving me the hairy eyeball for most of the group. It was pretty irritating.Karen K.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13483190930383406559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027299943447728658.post-31344945031617848282012-04-28T22:04:28.055-04:002012-04-28T22:04:28.055-04:00Wow. I am probably preaching to the choir here, b...Wow. I am probably preaching to the choir here, but what's the point of joining a book group without actually reading the book being discussed? I am sorry you have a difficult member :-( As I've never been in a book group, I can't really give you any help except to perhaps call the member out on it once in a while. (I am a very direct person, though, so this may not work for you.) Maybe when she veers into the author's life or something, ask, "Do you think that this experience impacted the way he wrote this book? What scene really exemplifies that to you?" That may help pointedly show her that she has to read, too!Aartihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02354873119188597611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027299943447728658.post-89602914920751423502012-04-27T21:38:27.699-04:002012-04-27T21:38:27.699-04:00Oh, that is so tempting!! If she complains about ...Oh, that is so tempting!! If she complains about it, I might just do that -- I've also been tasked to take over another discussion group since we had a staff member leave. Maybe I'll just play dumb and act like it would be so great if she did that, like she'd be doing me a favor! <br /><br />Luckily my boss and the rest of the staff know her, so if she complains they won't hold it against me. They know she's difficult.Karen K.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13483190930383406559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027299943447728658.post-47300294256940840512012-04-27T21:36:04.826-04:002012-04-27T21:36:04.826-04:00I was so pleased to have so many -- especially sin...I was so pleased to have so many -- especially since we didn't have that many copies! I think everyone had read it -- I actually had to go to a college library to get a copy, and at least one person read the e-book version. <br /><br />Do you print the questions out and pass them out at the beginning of the group, or distribute them before the meeting? That's a good idea.Karen K.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13483190930383406559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027299943447728658.post-24214701665071525052012-04-27T21:34:24.967-04:002012-04-27T21:34:24.967-04:00I agree, it made me really angry and sad. It'...I agree, it made me really angry and sad. It's really well written and presented, but I can't call it a favorite because it's so sad. It was one of the books for World Book Night and I'm really glad it was on the list.Karen K.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13483190930383406559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027299943447728658.post-68453659805037180772012-04-27T21:33:33.331-04:002012-04-27T21:33:33.331-04:00I really wish you could have come, I know you woul...I really wish you could have come, I know you would have had some great insightful comments to share with the group. <br /><br />It's really starting to annoy me that she doesn't even actually READ THE BOOK. To me, the point of the discussion is to discuss what's written! I think my job as moderator is to lead the discussion, make sure everyone gets a chance to speak, keep us on topic, and bring up discussion questions if we run out of topics. Background about the author or topic is nice, if we have time, but I don't think it's crucial.Karen K.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13483190930383406559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027299943447728658.post-55482579703622664442012-04-27T21:30:01.424-04:002012-04-27T21:30:01.424-04:00She's not too difficult about letting other sp...She's not too difficult about letting other speak, she's just very demanding as to what she expects from me as the moderator. And she does do TONS of research -- and she expects me to do the same. Le sigh. <br /><br />Good call about getting rid of your problem member.Karen K.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13483190930383406559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027299943447728658.post-90070168625275896722012-04-27T20:37:10.873-04:002012-04-27T20:37:10.873-04:00I would probably tell the person the next time she...I would probably tell the person the next time she has so many "great" ideas about how you should run the book group that she's perfectly welcome to start her own group ... elsewhere. I don't think there's any right way to run a group. Just do whatever you have the time/energy for and interest in.Kristen M.https://www.blogger.com/profile/02335598194501733541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027299943447728658.post-44151175373418909642012-04-27T16:54:09.422-04:002012-04-27T16:54:09.422-04:00Nice that so many people showed up! The book is gr...Nice that so many people showed up! The book is great for book group discussion. <br /><br />I have a book group (held at people's house, so very informal) where we don't really research. We print out the reading group questions for a book if we can find them online and take it from there. As it's your group, do it the way you like!Judith / Leeswammeshttp://leeswammes.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027299943447728658.post-90050507915999761022012-04-27T12:04:56.087-04:002012-04-27T12:04:56.087-04:00I read this book in a day and loved it. It made me...I read this book in a day and loved it. It made me so angry, but in a thoughtful, eye-opening way. I've passed the book along to a handful of people. It's one of those books I think everyone should read.<br /><br />It sounds like your book club member needs to lighten up.Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10780185535345559390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027299943447728658.post-50798852655340433922012-04-27T11:38:25.810-04:002012-04-27T11:38:25.810-04:00I think you're doing fine, Karen. That particu...I think you're doing fine, Karen. That particular member (ahem!) has always been like that. She is not interested in the book, really, but in the author or the background. Half the time she doesn't even bother to read the book, just looks up pages of research to bring to the group and she chides the book club leaders (ahem) for their not using the literary crit that the library has to offer. Ahem. Yeah...<br /><br />I was not interested in this book before - for some reason, Hurricane Katrina is not a subject that interests me - but racial profiling, especially for Muslims, DOES interest me a lot, so I'm glad you reviewed this. I wish I could come to your book club sometime!Amandahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07026099426503180472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027299943447728658.post-1587811249962000412012-04-27T11:04:51.026-04:002012-04-27T11:04:51.026-04:00My group had a difficult member a few years ago. ...My group had a difficult member a few years ago. We had read Angela's Ashes and said member turned out to be incredibly racial, saying sex under the use of alcohol even if consensual is rape and several inappropriate comments on race and religion being unmoving to disagreement. My mother and I being co-moderaters tried to avert attention to other members as to how they felt which helped the situation, but in the end I made an executive decision to "lose" her email. Anyway, I'd suggest saying "lets give others a chance to speak" and if her behavior continues maybe have a one on one talk about what is/is not appropriate. <br /><br />As for research, I don't see that as a requirement. If your member is so concerned about deep background information suggest she do it, she will learn much more on the subject if she provides the information herself.Whitneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05929468785993424955noreply@blogger.com