Sibling Assignment #203: The Corner Book Club: Lasting Happiness

Brother Bill gave the last sibling assignment of 2018.

"Write about a discovery you made in 2018 that brought you temporary or lasting happiness and, if is has, how this discovery helped change your thinking or our feelings about something in your life". Brother Bill's is here and siter Carol's is here.

Before I moved back to Kellogg I had been involved in two different adult book clubs, I led online book clubs for educators, book clubs as part of staff development at school, and book clubs with students. I really like to the idea of getting a group of people together for purpose of discussing the same book.  It is stimulating to get ideas, themes, opinions, and new thinking through this format of book reading and sharing.

When I decided to start The Corner Book Club in 2018 it was for many reasons, One reason was I wanted to open myself up to books that I might not normally read and genres that had been left unread. Also, I love being involved in discussion about a book that may stay just with the book, but may open up dialogue about life experiences, other books, and world events. I  also like to have a purpose for reading. I keep a notebook and take notes so I can remember quotes and ideas to bring up in discussion. Another reason for a book club is to swap book titles so your list of books to read before you die get longer and longer.

I wanted The Corner Book Club to be easy, not fussy. I wanted the club to be flexible so it worked for the members and their schedules. We meet in public places around the Silver Valley. Most of the time we meet for lunch.  We try to choose books that are available at the library or inexpensive to purchase. People are welcome when they can come, but we are trying now to have it a certain time each month so people can plan accordingly. We encourage members to come even if they haven't had time to complete the book.

I keep an ongoing list of books that we may want to read. Members of the group suggest books also. This group has brought me lasting happiness because I discovered that readers from completely different backgrounds and belief systems can come together and find common ground in a book discussion.

Here is the list of books we have read this year:
Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson
Hillbilly Elegy by JD Vance
Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown
book of choice with discussion
A Cry from the Dust by Carrie Stuart Parks
Paris to the Moon by Adam Gopnik
Educated by Tara Westover
Refuge by Terry Tempest Williams
Love and Other Consolation Prizes by Jamie Ford
The Baker's Secret by Stephen Kiernan
Gift of the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindberg

We read nonfiction, memoir, travel,historical fiction, and essays. Some of us traveled to Moscow, Idaho in September to hear Tara Westover speak. Carrie Stuart Parks is a local author and she spoke at our gathering the month we read her book. I can't wait for next year dbooksiving into the books we choose. I know I will continue to experience lasting happiness.






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