Do you belong to a book club?
Well, even though I work at a library (actually, two libraries), I don't. The Book Club at the Callander Public Library meets on the morning of the last Wednesday of the month. Alison, the librarian, usually works on those days. I offered to fill in for her on this past Wednesday, without giving thought that it was "Book Club Day".
So, I hadn't read the book.
The last time I filled in on a Book Club day, I hadn't read the book either...but at least I had seen the movie so I didn't seem totally unaware. (Yes, I agree it's a bit unconcerting when the Assistant Librarian attends the book club meeting and says "No, I didn't read the book, but I saw the movie". I feel I should defend myself by saying that I do actually read...every day, in fact.)
I felt like that nervous kid at school that knows she is going to be called upon to answer a question about the homework that she didn't even bring home. I shouldn't have worried.
The ladies started pouring through the door. Fourteen in all. You've seen our library? Some call it 'cozy'. On book club day, it's like the Yonge Street subway car on a weekday at 4:00pm. We run out of chairs. Our photocopier and fax machines are barricaded by bodies. The ladies at the back have to limit their tea-intake...cause once you are in the back row, you are stuck there for the duration.
This month's book was The Postmistress by Sarah Blake.
Fourteen ladies, fourteen viewpoints.
I was very impressed with the thought that these readers had given to their critique. Many read excerpts from the book, to illustrate the writer's style - whether in a positive light or negative light. Some were able to articulate what in their own life made some parts of the book resonate for them.
This particular book takes place partially in London during war time. There is apparently a scene where a couple is having loud, passionate sex in the dark corners of the bomb shelter while the other citizens are trying to calm themselves while bombs drop above. There was a very loud, intense debate amongst the ladies at the table on whether or not it was realistic that people would be expressing their deepest life passions while attempting to survive amid chaos. I am sure that the three males using the library at the time were getting a different view of 'library ladies' that day.
The book is also partially set on the East Coast of United States. One reader felt that there was a deliberate portrayal of the North American citizens as being very detached from the war, talking and worrying about mundane things while the citizens of Europe were living in chaos and terror. One of the readers spoke up quite strongly, telling her own personal story of living in Canada during WWII and that every evening her whole family would gather around the radio listening in disbelief that bombs were being dropped on London and that children were being evacuated.
At least two members spoke of visiting war memorials in Europe and how this book brought them back to the same feeling of reverence to the citizens who survived the choas of war.
As I said, I haven't read The Postmistress.
But, thanks to the Callander Book Club, it is now on my list of 'Must Reads'.
And for those of you who might be interested, the Callander Public Library's Book Club publishes their meeting minutes on our website.
