book club replacement

I was in a book club for many years. probably over ten. But when I started working at Saks on Fridays, I quit, as our book club met on Fridays.

I felt bad leaving as I really liked all the women in the book club. But once I left Saks and could rejoin, I chose not to. I didn't like most of the books we read (the group was more literate than I like to be) and, the discussion of the book became secondary to a general monthly catch-up.

So my friend M and I formed our own little book club. Just the two of us. It's perfect. We chose the books together. We discuss them in real-time. Nothing ever needs to be scheduled or coordinated. And we "meet" on the phone, so there is never the issue of what to serve.  

But lately, we haven't been able to find books we are excited to discuss. And, the type of books we want to read keeps narrowing.

Neither of us likes sci-fi, or books about the future, or any type of dystopian state.

Anything too depressing is out. So that rules out tons of books, including any about the holocaust. Terminal illnesses. Alcoholism.  Abject poverty.  Drug addiction. And abusive relationships, to name just a few.

We'd much rather read a book that is well-enough written but has a great plot, than an excellently written book with a so-so plot. Gone Girl is a  good example of a book that has both. There are few of these.

That same standard also applies to television-viewing, which our book club has recently morphed into. Breaking Bad, for me, is the gold standard.

We are both now watching the 164-episodic Turkish soap-opera on Netflix called Black Money Love. 

We are at episode 117, and discuss the show daily. Its many many flaws make it the perfect discussion piece. 

We imagine writing to the writers and asking:

• Hey, whatever happened to that computer guy who disappeared?
• I thought O needed an operation to save the use of his arm? Did the writers forget that?
• Why does everyone recover so quickly from multiple gunshot wounds, stabbings, car accidents, or organ transplants?
• Why did O fabricate such a stupid lie that will clearly be uncovered?
• What's up with the aunt who looks like a man?
• How do people in the show overcome their grief so quickly from the sudden deaths of those they love?
• How ugly was L's jacket, and why would he wear jeans to a wedding?
• Why are the poor people always eating?
• Why do the rich people never seem to be working at their real jobs?
• And please, can't you cut all the endless, flowery, never-ending dialogue about much in love all the lovers are?

And on and on.

I guess the point of this rambling post is that whether it's books, or movies, or TV series, it's always more fun and more interesting to share the experience with someone else. Especially now that the proverbial water cooler is missing.