Los Angeles Times

Chicagoland book club: 58 years later...

One thing to know about our book club: About 58 years ago a group of female friends, all avid readers, decided it would be enjoyable to select a book each month and discuss it. The idea took hold and The Book Club was founded. Through the years circumstances have caused changes in the number of members — there are 13 now — and lasting friendships have been formed.

The group meets in August, each member recommends two books she has read, and the group votes on the 10 they will read in the coming year.

Authors we would like to meet: It would be interesting to meet Philip Roth, a middle-age Saul Bellow, William Shakespeare, and activist and writer Ayaan Hirsi Ali.

Average time we talk about a book before conversation swerves off into politics and family issues
: Each woman chooses the book and leads the discussion for the month. She brings in additional information on the author and other background material. Our discussions last about an hour. Related topics often take us astray, but our leader brings us back to our main discussion.

Which books are next:
“Nothing to Fear: FDR's Inner Circle and the Hundred Days That Created Modern America” by Adam Cohen; “The Old Wives' Tale” by Arnold Bennett.

Five books we loved: “Animal Farm” by George Orwell; “Eyewitness to Power: The Essence of Leadership, Nixon to Clinton” by David Gergen; “The Age of Innocence” by Edith Wharton; “Water for Elephants” by Sara Gruen; and “Infidel” Hirsi Ali.

Find these titles and other books at the Chicago Tribune Amazon store.

Tell us about your book club at printersrow@tribune.com.

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