The Pits and Pieces

  I've belonged to writing groups for many years, but I've never belonged to a book club. Nor have I ever wanted to. Why? Because part of my stubborn nature means I do not wish to be forced to read a book not of my choosing. I have friends who belong to book clubs, even writing group friends who straddle both kinds of gatherings. One format is: they meet once a month, and each woman chooses one book for the year and hosts that session. That would mean I would be reading ELEVEN books not of my choosing in a year. I don’t think so! Sure, they might be books I'd have chosen to read anyway. But that's not quite the point. I may have chosen to read them at another time, in another year, in another decade. If we’re not enrolled in some kind of educational course, any book one reads should be something you've personally chosen to read, depending on mood or interest or topic or circumstances. To be directed to read something takes the pleasure out of reading. I'

  “ I opened a book and in I strode Now nobody can find me" Those are the first two lines of Julia Donaldson’s poem (you can find the full poem in the pic below). And that pretty much captures the essence of why readers read. In an online discussion group with Ageless Possibilities , we were talking about our relationship with books, and Kerry Clare’s essay came up which describes so beautifully a reader’s journey blossoming into a lifelong love affair. My love affair with books began early. As a child I LOVED Enid Blyton. In the early years, the Noddy picture books and Brer Rabbit, then the mysteries with the Secret Seven and Famous Five. And the Mallory Towers series. Why did English parents always send their kids to boarding school and why couldn’t mine? Boarding school was where it was at! I longed to go (the reality of course would have been quite different, but children’s imaginations don’t deal with reality). Then there were The Bobbsey Twins and along came Nancy Drew.

  In our Spanish conversation group last week, the theme was: You plan to run for the office of president or prime minister of your country.  What are the four pillars of your political platform? All four proposals should be humorous or bordering on being ridiculous. It’s a mixed group with people from Canada, U.S., U.K. (the English speakers) and Spain and Mexico (the Spanish speakers). The format is one-on-one (or two-on-one depending on who shows up) for the first two breakouts where you speak about the topic in Spanish, then two more breakouts, but in English. The English speakers learn from native Spanish speakers and vice-versa, but it is invariably the Spanish speakers who master a foreign language better and can ad-lib without sputtering. Now, don’t get the impression that I’m in any way proficient in this language (given the themes). I prepare a few simple sentences in advance (using google translate and easy words I can pronounce), and I struggle but everyone in the g