of_troy,
Before I leave on vacation, I wanted to get a note off to you in response to this message. I have never belonged to a book club; however, I have a close friend who belongs to two different clubs. She likes one and LOVES the other. In the larger club, everyone reads the book before discussing it. In the smaller club - of only three people where she works (actually she's a co-owner and one of the others is the other owner) - they meet and discuss after every few chapters. It meets more regularly and she feels that they all have a much better understanding of what they've read, as well as a deeper appreciation for it.
I've tried to get involved with a club myself, but my schedule (and the demands on my life in general) are far too erratic to permit me the luxury of knowing what I'll be reading day to day. Plus, from time to time I change my plans. It just happens. I just won't keep up with it, but I really miss being able to discuss what I read with other people. My best friend at the current time is extremely smart, but he HATES reading. The weirdest thing. He really has no patience to listen to me blather on about something I've read.
Anyway, in general, I think if people can belong to a club and think there's a remote possibly they might enjoy it, then they ought to try it. No matter how carefully I read something, when I talk to someone else about it - even someone like myself with no literary background - I find they can bring things to my attention that I never considered.
k
