Virtual Book Club

Over the course of the last year, we've devised a method to feel just a little bit closer to friends and family (and help them to feel a bit closer to us): a virtual book club.  It started as a great suggestion by my friend Julie, was seconded by my cousin Julia after a big book exchange at Christmas last year, and moved forward from there.  We have about 10 people in the group, one of us suggests a book that the rest of us might like to read (either a personal favorite or something they've heard about and want to try), and we attempt to schedule a Skype conference call about one time per month to discuss the most recent book.  Since it's not easy to track down specific titles in English here in Romania, we've tried to select books that are available on the Kindle.  The Skype calls tend to be pretty tricky to schedule because the group is currently spread out over about 7 time zones, but so far, we've managed to make it work. 

In case you're looking for your next read, check out the diverse list of books we have read, are reading, or are planning to read in the future.  If you have questions or comments about these books, if you've read them or if you're considering reading them, drop me a note in the "Comments" section at the end of the post. 

1. In Other Rooms, Other Wonders- Daniyal Mueenuddin

2. Everything is Illuminated-Jonathan Safran Foer

3. A Prayer for Owen Meany- John Irving

4. The Good Earth- Pearl Buck

5. In Defense of Food- Michael Pollan

6. Three Cups of Tea- Greg Mortenson & David Oliver Relin (up for discussion this week)

7. Let the Great World Spin- Colum McCann (up next)

8. Gilead- Marilynne Robinson (upcoming December Book Club book)

There's no doubt about it: organizing and participating in a book club takes time, and there's a good chance that you'll read a book or two that you're not crazy about.  But maybe you'll start to appreciate a whole new genre, or be exposed to an author that you otherwise never would have known about.  Of course I'd love to be able to get together to discuss the book in person rather than talking about it on a Skype chat, but since that's not a possibility, this is the next best thing.  Sharing a reading experience, regardless if it's over Skype, in person, or via email, is a true bonding opportunity, and I love that I have this chance to stay in touch, in a unique way, with the people I care about most.