Sunk $75 into a book club pick that nobody even finished

I bought this hyped up literary fiction novel for our May meeting because everyone online said it was a masterpiece. Spent $30 on the hardcover alone, plus another $45 on snacks and wine for hosting. By the third chapter I was bored out of my mind but kept pushing through. At the meeting, only two people had read past page 50 and even they admitted it was a slog. Has anyone else been burned by an overhyped book club selection that wasted your time and cash?

4 comments

4 Comments

jakeb812mo ago

Was it really that big of a waste though... $75 is like what you'd drop on a dinner out that's forgettable in two days. I've bought way worse things that sit in a drawer for years, at least the book can go to a used store or be a doorstop. Honestly the social aspect of hosting probably made up for some of it, most book clubs are more about the wine and gossip anyway.

river9522mo ago

Yeah the math checks out if you break it down that way. I've hosted book club a few times and you're right that half the cost is just the vibe - people bring bottles, someone makes a snack, it's more of an event than just reading. Practical tip though: save the book for a white elephant exchange or regift it next holiday. That's what I do with the ones nobody wants. And if the club fizzles out, you can always sell the bundle as a set online, some people will pay decent money for a complete series in good condition.

keith_bennett2mo ago

$75 is just one nice dinner out these days.

aaron_perry1mo ago

@keith_bennett you say it's "just one nice dinner out" but that's not really the same comparison. A dinner out you actually eat and enjoy with people in real time. A book bundle sits on your shelf collecting dust unless you actually read them. I've bought plenty of $75 dinners that were totally worth it because of the experience and company. A bunch of books nobody asked for just isn't the same kind of value even if the dollar amount matches.