Chapter 6: It's not working - what do I do

You've chosen a book you think folks will love.  Heck, they've even voted for it and been super excited about the selection.  You start reading and its just a total dud.  It happens, and most of the time I'll admit one of two things happen.

First, if it's a book I'm doing with my students, well, I'm going to be honest, I quit reading it and fake it.  It's shameful, I know, I'm the leader, I'm supposed to guide them in the discussion.  But here's the deal, I know how to work around the system.  So here is what I do when I just can't finish a book and still manage to lead the discussion.  Remember this: note cards are your friend.  I will grab a handful of note cards and bring those and some pencils to the meeting.  I have each participant write down one or more questions and BAM, I have my questions for the meeting.  The irony is that most of the times, their questions are great and I've even gone back and finished some of the books.

Secondly, if it's with the faculty/staff group, well, faking it is too hard, so I just grin and bear it.  I always remind myself that not every book is for me and while I may not be enjoying it and while I may not be getting a thing out of it, they might be.  So I'll dig in and make it work.  This is where Google becomes your friend.  Google the book, questions about the book, or just maybe Google information related to it.  I promise you'll find plenty to talk about.  Also don't forget this is where giving assignments that pertain to the book also come in handy.  Turning the tables on the participants takes some of the pressure off of you.

Third, oh yeah, there is a third, I should have mentioned that.  So here is the deal - what happens when it's not just you that doesn't like the book?  I'm always pretty comfortable not finishing a book I've begun reading.  I've come to an age that I don't need to finish reading a book, because I know there are so many more out there that I'm dying to read.  When I lead discussions I always ask, if you don't like it why?  People are allowed not to like a book in my group, but they have to tell me why. 

This spring however, I started noticing more and more folks not liking the book we were doing and that is when it happened, a coup d'état.  The whole group finally admitted they hate it, and well, that's when things got real.  You know what the best part was?  It was okay.  We all had a good laugh about it and somehow the experience has bonded everyone together.  "You remember that horrible book, argh!" For the first time in leading all these book groups I've never had one where we gave up, and now I have to figure out what to do.   Thankfully I was able to make some changes in our schedule and spend one of our sessions voting and discussing our next book options for the fall. 

But here is a way to maybe help prevent this from happening for your group.  First, think about what has worked for your group in the past and go with similar themes, if it isn't broken don't fix it.  Now this doesn't mean you are allowing them to get lazy - it simply means you have to find a new book to challenge them.  Also, and here is a crazy idea, ask them what they'd like to read.  This year because of our debacle I was able to really look at what types of books they did and didn't want to read.  I was able to make selections based on that and I'm super excited about where we are heading in the coming year. 

Remember at the end of the day - it's okay to not finish a bad book - there is too much good stuff out there to be miserable!

Magpie

This blogging thing is for the birds

It has come to my attention that some of you have had trouble commenting because I didn't know I had to change the setting to allow ya'll to comment.  I believe I have now fixed it so feel free to comment away.

Also I've also had a request to add a way to get a RSS feed.  I think I've also managed to fix that.  How you go about setting it up, well, I'm not sure, so if someone wants to give it a shot, and it's not working I'll try again.

Thanks for your feedback and of course for reading along,
Magpie

Chapter 5: Creating Tasks

There is something incredibly fun about working with faculty and staff and leading them in a book group setting.  I think it's a bit of that whole, "the student becomes the master" thing.  Not saying I'm better or smarter, because I can promise you, on a regular basis I'm reminded how awesome the faculty and staff on our campus are.   Having said that, I love giving them assignments, because I just love seeing those smarts come out.  I mean these people are great, funny, and smart and that is why giving them assignments have become my mission for every book we do.  As you saw last week their assignment last week was to do something kind for someone on Tuesday in honor of the victims of the Vel d'Hiv.  As a result people made donations to students needing help to get back to graduate school, donations were made, and I was even the recipient of a yummy apple pie.

When we read Atul Gawande's The Checklist Manifesto there was a great deal of discussion about bucket lists so one of the things I asked them to do was share with me some of those items.  I dare you to read it and not be impressed or not want to update your own personal Bucket List.  It's a good little list and it again reminds me of what an interesting group of faculty and staff that I'm surrounded and inspired by.  If you haven't had a chance to read The Checklist Manifesto I really encourage it.  As a list maker myself I loved it and it was one of the books that our group really liked.

I've already mentioned the impact that Gretchen Ruben's book, The Happiness Project, had on me as being the initial kick start for me in writing this blog.  Now let me say this.  This was one of those books that the group just loved to hate.  And hate is a very strong word, but you get the idea.  They would complain about certain aspects of the book, but then with a guilty look talk about how they had done something she had encouraged, or liked something she suggested.  As a moderator who likes to play the devil's advocate, it was a dream, and not a group didn't pass that I didn't go back to my office and kinda giggle about something that had happened that day.  One of the things Gretchen mentions in her book was about her "12 Commandments" and her "Rules of Adulthood".  While the discussion of these lists were earlier in the reading they were often referred to during the remaining part of the book so they were constantly brought back up and on people's minds.  So this was an easy one.  I encouraged them to share with me their "12 Commandments" or their "Rules of Adulthood" which I then combined in one major list.  I still have mine posted on the bulletin board in my office and every now and then I read them, smile, and again am thankful for the shared wisdom of the folks I get to spend time with. 

Just about any book can have a task associated with it no matter how large or small.  This is your opportunity to get folks thinking a bit more intently about the book, what they are reading and the effect it can have on them after the book has been finished and placed back on the shelf. 

Magpie

Friday Fun

I try really hard not to be a book snob.  When people tell me to read something even if it isn't something I normally read, I'll give it a shot.  I feel if they know me well, they kinda get how I work and should know what I like to read.  Often times, people aren't just off, they are WAY off (you know who you are).  This is where not being a book snob comes in.  I have to remember we all have those books we love to read, those types of books that make us happy, help us relax or just plain comfort us.  I like to call these types of books, "brain junk food".  We all need books that are simply chips and ice cream after we've read books that are nothing but pure meat and veggies.  After reading Sarah's Key, I'm sure many of you feel that way. 

In addition to reading Sarah's Key, I've also been reading a great book called, Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand, the author of Seabiscuit.  I picked up this copy at my conference this year and on a recent weekend roadtrip decided it was time to read it.  I literally haven't been able to put it down, and I can't wait to go home and finish reading it!  Why pick up another "heavy" book, I can't answer, it was at the top of the stack so I went with it.  Suffice to say I'm way over due a little "brain junk food". 

So its confession time.  What is it that you read that you consider your "brain junk food"?  I have a couple of different things that normally work for me when it comes to this.  I am a big fan of Jane Austen fan fiction.  I don't know what it is, well, yes I do.  Sometimes when you've come to love a group of characters it's hard to let them go.  So for me I love getting to check back in on Eleanor, or Elizabeth to make sure things are going well for them.  Or simply reading more modern day versions of the stories, think Bridget Jones's Diary. 

The one book that I go back to again and again is Nancy Turner's These Is My Words.  I can't even begin to tell you how many times I've read it, or how every time I read it knowing the end I'm still completely enthralled.  Don't be shocked, but, it's also historical fiction, set in the American west during the pioneer days.  I just love this book.  The author based the book on letters and journals from her own family and that gives it a great deal of realism.  While there are two other books that followed this one about Sarah's life, this is the only one I read, and re-read over and over again.  Its also been about a year since I've read it so I'm really due a reading.  Problem is, I suggest it to so many people or have "loaned" it out so many times I've had to buy at least 3 copies after the first one, and you guessed it, it is out on loan now.  Here is my dilemma, go buy yet another copy of it, or maybe find another book that can become my new comforting brain junk food. 

Decisions, decisions.
Magpie