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Vent: My latest book club pick got roasted by everyone
Picked a novel last week for our group in Portland that I thought was deep and layered. Three people didn't finish it, two called it pretentious, and one said the author needed a better editor. I spent 3 hours crafting discussion questions and nobody cared. What do you do when your recommendation just bombs flat with the whole group?
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leo_black761mo agoTop Commenter
Oh man, I read something about this exact thing recently. Apparently there's a study that showed most book groups are actually just social clubs with a reading theme, so the actual book choice matters way less than the snacks and gossip. That made me feel better about the time I picked a literary thriller that everyone called "too confusing." I think you just have to accept that some groups have a specific taste and yours was off that map this time. The three hours on questions thing hurts though. Next time maybe just bring extra wine and see what happens when you let the conversation go wherever it wants. It's probably not you or the book, just a mismatch that happens sometimes.
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I thought was deep and layered" - oh man, I feel that. Reminds me of when I brought a bottle of my favorite craft beer to a party and everyone just wanted Coors Light. Like... you tried, you know? Three hours on discussion questions is brutal though. I spent two days making a playlist for a road trip once and nobody even put their phone down to look out the window at the scenery I picked the route for. Sometimes the crowd just isn't vibing with what you're putting out there... doesn't mean your pick was bad, just means the room wasn't ready for it.
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claire_grant341mo ago
The playlist thing hits hard. Picking the exact route for good views and nobody looks up once. Three hours of work for a room full of blank stares. At least you tried to make it something memorable.
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