News

Book Clubs open the door!

Book Clubs Open the Door to Interesting Conversations
Executive Director Nancy Ledeboer
August 2012

I used to belong to a book club where we started out talking about the book and invariably would end up discussing life’s strange and wondrous path. When discussing “Into the Beautiful North” by Luis Urrea, I learned that Eleanor’s family had moved to Mexico where she spent her formative years growing up. “When Everything Changed” about the women’s movement from the 1960’s to the present led to a fascinating recount of the careers of several women who worked in New York City and Washington D.C. during that tumultuous era.

My book club opened the door to many interesting conversations. Reading a book is like having a conversation with the author across time and space. Sometimes this is a satisfying solitary experience. Yet, at times it is also nice to have someone to share the thoughts, questions and ideas that take root when I’m reading an interesting book. Talking about a book has enriched my understanding of many novels while nurturing lasting friendships. Whether you participate in a book club or simply have a conversation with a friend or family member, talking about books is a way to examine our values and share life stories. Through conversation we gain a better understanding of one another.

I hope that many of you have had similar experiences talking about books with friends. This fall Chris Cleave the author of “Little Bee” will be in Spokane for the 11th annual Spokane is Reading. Every year a book is selected in the hopes that reading and talking about the same book will start a community conversation. It is an added benefit that the author will be here to share the background for the story and to answer questions about his writing. I encourage you to read “Little Bee,” talk about it with friends and neighbors and join us to hear Chris Cleave speak on Friday, October 12. There are two shows, at the Garland Theater at 1pm and at the Lincoln Center at 7pm.

There are many qualities that make a good book. For me, a book that raises questions and helps me examine my own beliefs is the best kind of book. I hope you find that “Little Bee” is one of those books.