Book Club - 1st Meeting Highlights

Our very first Book Club meeting was last night, and I must say, what a great and enjoyable experience it was.  In fact, so many highlights that I will have to provide more than just one update.  Yes, there really is that much to share!!

While we had a small, quaint group of six, it was the perfect amount to start off with.  Don’t get me wrong, those of you who were not able to make it were GREATLY missed.  And we hope and expect you to be at the next one.  And I think after you read some of the highlights, you’ll not want to miss it anyway!!

Where to even start...

I know, funniest moment.  And book club ladies, I hope I get this right!!  Okay, this will require a set up.  This book club has women from mid-twenties to early forties (of course, we are all blessed with good looks and great skin so age is not an obvious characteristic!).  And while I know everyone’s ages (mainly since I’m the only person who knows everyone for this first meeting), the rest of the group is not as informed at this time.

We were discussing Courtney Cox and her age and how she doesn’t really look as old as she is.  Everyone agreed it must be the lighting on set to make her seem so young.  Person A (we’ll call her CC) referenced that Courtney Cox was close to her age and begins discussing this with the group.  Person B (we’ll call her FIM - Foot in Mouth) has not caught on that we are talking about an actual person in our group, which is CC.  And when she hears someone say to CC “You don’t look that age at all”, FIM says “It must be the lighting”.  Clearly, we are all shocked.  Granted, FIM isn’t one to hide her opinion in fear of what others think, but really...  It must be the lighting??  Thankfully, a friend (someone FIM should obviously consider adding to her will to even come close to paying her back for catching this whole show down) caught on and pointed out that we were actually talking about CC and not Courtney Cox.  You can imagine FIM’s shock...  We of course laughed hysterically and continued to do so for the rest of the evening.

So now, we of course have our very first inside joke - “It must be the lighting”.  LOVE IT.

Let me guess...you want to know if we even got around to talking about the book???  Well, of course we did.  We ARE book lovers after all.

Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner   

When I picked this book, I did so believing that it would be a light read which would be perfect to start off our book club.  Get everyone into the idea of having a deadline, etc.  I was completely mistaken.  We all agreed that this book went way beyond a light read.  In Best Friends Forever, you will find serious topics such as cancer, obesity, rape, and neglect.  Yes, there is humor sprinkled throughout.  Although, I should mention that one member, did not find as much humor in it as she felt there would be from reading the jacket.  So the humor was maybe not as obvious to everyone, so you might not find it as humorous either.  Nevertheless, the book was one that could relate to so many women...and from so many different angles.  

For instance, as we were discussing the book, I heard throughout the group, women comparing their real life stories or situations to that of the book.  For one woman, it was about Addie’s brother Jon reminding her of her own brother.  Jon was in a terrible accident and left handicapped - mentally and somewhat physically.  He was never the same and required someone to take care of him.  For others, it was about the pressure of crossing the 30 year old threshold and not being married and not having children.  This is the pressure Addie is under in the beginning of the book.  She must get out there and date and find her “soul mate” before her eggs rot and die.

And I know that for me, I consider a book one that I just love when I can’t put it down.  Either the suspense of the story line has me.  Or I am so in tune with what the characters are going through, that I want to know how they are dealing with it to show me how I can.  I must say that Best Friends Forever has both.

I could go on with more about the book.  And not to mention that there are so many stories, funny moments, and great dialogue about so many books to share with everyone that I will have to spread this out as I previously mentioned.  

Until the next post...