Also yes, everyone should understand that their library card is magical and can be used for not just physical books but e-books and streaming movies and stuff. If you do use it for e-books I’ve heard that if you run into the issue of getting a bunch of e-books all at once and won’t be able to finish them all you can put your Kindle into airplane mode and they won’t be taken away. I uh…heard this from a friend…
Also, I want to join the book club and/or the library appreciators club. Should we buy libraryappreciator.club now or…
Update: I’m about 10% in. I’m not enjoying it but I’m getting into the rhythm.
I also can’t think of a book that is more disconnected (perhaps an escape?) from what’s going on in the real world right now. Makes it a bit hard to focus but I’m doing my best.
I realize there may be a bit of dissonace if not tone-deafness with reading a book about social mores and how they’re navigated by the elite in light of everything that’s going on. I think at the time of choosing, I was enjoying works of frivolousness as a distraction to COVID (was watching a lot of regency, costume movies!), but I appreciate that our focus and awareness has change significantly since.
I’m happy with any of the following and open to discussion on all:
Continue with the book as planned - I’m sure there’s some valuable discussion to be had on societal structures and the gatekeepers thereof…
Opt for a book that’s more of a response to the current climate around white supremacy, racial divide and the experience of the marginalized.
Take a pause until it feels more appropriate to enjoy literary discussions.
I’m not really sure of the right answer to be honest. I’m divided between the value of literature, community and discussion on one side vs. the tendency to distract from real-life issues on the other. Happy to hear other’s perspective/concerns.
This isn’t helpful in getting us to a decision, but I am fine with any of those choices (I’m still waiting for my copy I ordered).
My lean is to carry on as planned, I was looking forward to reading the book. I agree about the benefit of escape. Also, the societal issues underlying current events won’t change between now and 6/12. If anything, using our next book + discussion can be a good vehicle for continuing important dialogue. One thing I’m concerned about is how long our broader societal attention will hold here. I hope it’s long enough.
Such great points and echo exactly my feelings. Thanks for raising these concerns, but I agree with @Randy and your first point. I think this could be a great opportunity to discuss how this story/these experiences relate to the world today.
I say that as someone who’s like 1/10th into the book haha but I believe in us enough to have a nuanced, thoughtful conversation!
Hey all I don’t want to cast a vote on this since my attendance for next Friday is up in the air as, believe it or not, my brothers will be in town for one of their birthdays and Father’s Day.
But I do want to echo the thoughts above. I believe there is a lot of value gained for sticking with the book, not only for its own literary merits, but also for the opportunity to compare/contrast the world of the Age of Innocence and America of 2020. And I am only about 20+ pages in but maybe, possibly, we could be slightly cheered up by comparing 1870’s America and 2020 America.
Thanks guys! Let’s keep going. I do still see a lot of value in any sort of literary discourse. That said, if people feel uncomfortable or odd channeling their attention in this direction I completely understand if they’d like to wait this one out
Lots of good thoughts in the last few posts so this will echo those sentiments. I wanted to say that The Age of Innocence (read before) can be a good vehicle to discuss white privilege, patriarchy, and others both in the Gilded Age and now.
Wharton was the first woman to win the Pulitzer and only after Sinclair Lewis’s award was revoked. Only 30 female writers have won the Pulitzer (to 60 men) and only 2 women since 2010.
Finally, turning more to current events…here’s a current list of black-owned independent bookstores. Maybe order from one for the next book club.
I must say, I’m powering through this and enjoying it much more than before.
@Sarah are we talking about it this Friday? What time (PST for me)? I’d like to block it off and commit to it, otherwise I might zone out and be watching a movie with the wife and kid and space out.
We had tentatively said June 12, but I’m good with any date. I’m wondering if, since things are starting to get closer to normal, if people would prefer mid week. Wednesday June 17th? Would also give a bit extra time to finish so people can get out and play golf!
I’m a quarter in and will push hard this weekend! But agree, even to start its been much more engaging than I feared. Without knowing the rest of the book it seems like it should lead to some interesting discussion.
My wife was so confused why we were reading this one. She was like, “Was…was there GOLF in that book?” I had to explain it was not a golf book club, it was a book club for golf nerds.
I guess I shouldn’t say this for certain before we chat, but I’d love to keep doing this. I’m glad I was pushed to read this one, a book I would never have started, let alone finished, without this motivation. I read a ton but usually stay in my own lane. Can bring suggestions for this but also very willing to be led to something new.
I’m going to be wrapping up the read today during some flight time. A lot of my thoughts so far have come from general comparison to other reads during my nerdy Pulitzer reading goal push. Happy to be checking off another 1920s winner. That is one tough decade — though intriguing.
Could be some scheduling issues for me Wednesday. That said, I voted for Wednesday with the hopes we can settle into a new post lock down format that works. Monthly could be aggressive, but even a six per year format could keep this awesome discussion group rolling which would warm my heart.
