As much as I adore books, you’d think I would’ve hosted a book club by now.
But until last Thursday night, that wasn’t the case. It’s an idea I’ve batted around in my head for a while, sure, but I never quite got around to making happen.
I’m happy to report the festivities were just as fun as I’d hoped. We had a great gathering of ladies to discuss The Celebrants by Steven Rowley. Since a Greek restaurant called Nepenthe played an important role in the story, I let that guide the choice of cuisine.
We shared a couple of Greek grazing boards, wine, and I made a fresh fig ricotta cake for dessert. I had SO much fun that I barely remembered the Packers were playing at the same time. And for anyone who knows me, well, that’s a big deal (ha ha).
And if starting a book club is something that’s been on your list, I thought I’d share my cheat sheet from our discussion. The icebreaker led to particularly fun banter that allowed me to get to know everyone even better.
Icebreaker: What book(s) were the first to get you excited about reading? What’s your favorite genre now?
Discussion Question 1) Did you agree with Read with Jenna’s choice of books? What did you think of The Celebrants?
2) What was your impression of this group of friends? Why do you think they stayed connected after all these years?
3) Did you like Marielle’s idea of living funerals? Why or why not?
4) Do you have friends from college — a found family — you connect with on a regular basis?
5) Do you think the group will stay in touch after Jordan’s death?
Now how about you, dear reader? Are you part of a book club? Have you led one yourself? What were some of your secrets to success?