my new book club

I used to be a member of a real book club.

I also used to read the books that Penguin and BlogHer sent for their online book club but participating online just isn't the same as a real life book club where you get to discuss the books in real time.

Since I started running with the Fleet Feet groups I've found a new book club.  No, we don't all read the same books and report back on a specific date, but we do periodically check in with each other regarding what we've been reading lately and it sparks some interesting discussion during our runs.

Yes, we get off on tangents about the strangest topics, but you'd get the same thing at any book club you go to regularly anyway.  And no, we don't get wine at this book club.

I can't tell you how many conversations we had about the Crossfire series when I was reading those and then when I read Gone Girl no one I run with had read that one yet, but later a friend came back and talked with me about it after I'd recommended that she read it.  That book gave you plenty to think about and when you get a bunch of people together that have read it (especially women), you get some pretty interesting commentary on it.

Thinking about this lately reminded me of the post that DoctorMama wrote a while back.  She said, "But running with someone is like taking a long car trip; it’s enforced togetherness, and conversation eventually happens."

This statement is so true.  That's why parents like the idea of family trips and that's why we have movies like National Lampoon's Vacation.  Some entertaining things happen when you get a group together long enough to force them to talk.

And that's another reason I love running.  I guess I need to add this to my list of ways to motivate myself to run.

----

Are you a member of a book club?

If you run with others, do you ever talk about books while you run?

I just finished a book. What should I read next?