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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?
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jakeb811mo 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.
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river9521mo 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.
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