The Costco Connection

By Stephanie E. Ponder

WHILE THE WORDS “book club” might strike fear in some—what if you don’t finish or like the book?—The Connection recently spoke with Costco members who prove that a book club is a great way to share a love of reading while fostering community.

Finding a group

If you’d like to join a book club, a bookstore’s bulletin board and meetup.com are two places to find groups looking for members. Talk to friends or colleagues—men and women alike—to see if they’re in a group. Or, like Vicky El Houchy, of Edmonds, Washington, start your own.

“A friend of mine, knowing I love to read,
suggested we start a book club,” she explains.
“He and several of his college mates had
recently moved here, and he invited them to
join. Our group is an eclectic mix of genders
and professions.”
Elizabeth Naiman, of San Diego, shares
that she plays kickball with a really social group
of people. She says, “A lot of us also like to read,
and we decided to start a book club.”
“I wanted to find a way to connect with
other smart women in the office and talk about
ideas and books and not about work,” says
Doreen O’Skea, of Ashland, Oregon.

The basics

First, determine whether the group will read only science fiction, Southern writers or nonfiction, or be open to any genre. From there, most groups tend to either vote on member suggestions or let the host choose.

Most groups meet every four to eight weeks, depending on schedules. “Once the date is set we’re pretty committed to keeping it,” Rachel Geerlings, of San Diego, tells The Connection, adding, “Our meetings sometimes lead to extra events, like going to see a movie together that’s based on a book we’ve read.”

Most book club members understand that finishing a book isn’t necessary to participate, but that there will likely be spoilers.

For many, a book club is almost as much about the food and beverages as it is about the book. (Naiman says her group is called “Read Between the Wines.”) Some groups treat every meeting as a potluck, while others put the host in charge of refreshments. Regardless of who prepares the food, it’s fun to use a book’s setting or plot for themed-food inspiration.

Community

Regardless of what’s served, the heart of
any book group is the discussion. El Houchy
says another member’s perspective will often
change how she feels about a book she didn’t
like, adding, “I feel as if the members show me
who they are and how they think.”
“We’ve had members from diverse back-
grounds, religions and stages of life, and it
always amazes me how others can read the
same words I’ve read and interpret them in a
completely different way,” Geerlings says. “I
love listening to my group discussing a title
and finding out they’ve picked up on details I
had glossed over, sympathized with characters
I hated or disliked a book that I really enjoyed.”

The Costco Connection:

Most Costco warehouses carry a variety of books, along with food, beverages, folding tables and chairs, and other items to help host a book club.

Book clubs are
a way to dig
deeper into
the story

JUNE MARKS THE inaugural pick for the just-launched Costco Book Club: Etta and Otto and Russell and James, by Emma Hooper. This debut novel tells the story of Etta, who, in her 80s, sets out to walk from her home in Saskatchewan to the ocean. Leaving behind her husband, Otto, Etta is joined by James, a coyote. And, she is trailed by Russell, who has always loved her.

(Item #581388; 5/26)

Do you belong to a book club?

We’d love to hear about how your group operates. Please send an email to dialogue@costco.com and put “Book Club” in the subject line.—SEP

O’Skea adds: “It creates a shared dialogue among us. It gives us a gentle reminder that we are not simply our careers, but that we are fully developed characters in our own stories.” C