I've always thought that a reading group would be a fun thing to join, and now I've done it and I'm really happy to report that it is exactly what I hoped it would be.
The thing that had stopped me in the past was the lack of knowing anyone else who wanted to do the same thing. I used to mention in passing to friends that I'd like to join a reading group but no one ever said, "So do I, why don't we start one?" or "Do you, I know someone who's a member of one". Then one day I googled reading groups in Southampton and that took me to the library website and they run reading groups. I emailed into the ether and nothing happened and then months later, when I'd forgotten all about it, an email came saying the Library was setting up a new reading group and would I like to go.
Off I went on the agreed date, curious to see who else would be there. We are a fairly electic group, mostly female (do men not read?) but with a shared passion for reading. It has done all that I hoped for me. We've just read our third book, Helen Dunmore's "The Siege" and all 3 have been high quality novels. I haven't liked all of them but being part of the group has made me read all of them to the end and then I am surprised that in the group sessions I have lots to say, even about the books I'm not that keen on.
This book, "The Siege" is my favourite to date. It's historical, set in Leningrad during the German siege of the Second World War and it tells the story of the city through the experiences of a family. It's incredibly evocative and makes you feel what it must have been like (as much as anyone can by reading about something so awful). It also gives a feeling of what living under Stalin was like for Russians and how appalling that was. Despite the bleak setting of the story it is an easy book to read and ultimately uplifting in people's ability to survive the most appalling circumstances.
So we'll discuss it next week and it'll be something new. Can't wait.
