Twitter Book Club

For the most part, you could say that after the first 30 years of my life, you wouldn't really categorize this blogger as much of a "reader."  I read approximately one quarter of the assigned books throughout K-12.  That's a rough estimate, the real number may be closer to 15%.  Anyway, you get the picture.  I did go through, what I assume all kids went through in 1994, a Goosebumps phase, where I read about 30 of those books.  But after about 8 of them, you sort of caught on to R.L. Stein's patterns of characters and plots.  Pretty much the same book over and over, just with a different monster or thing.  Not the point here, though people.  I'm not here to talk about how awesome Goosebumps books were, no, I'm here to talk about how good I am at reading books.

I'm like a 3rd grader finishing his first Judy Bloom (or Goosebumps) book when I finish one.  I feel so accomplished.  Afterwards, I go to the internet and read what other people thought of the book and I'm extra proud that a lot of the time, people had the same formulations about the book as I did.  Sometimes, I wonder if I really know what makes a good book or not.  After all, I'm not much of a reader, and I'm not really all that smart.  I've been reading books here and there from our Library for the past year and half.  Some I loved, some I've completely hated and returned (Yiddish Policemen's Union, Telegraph Avenue, Life of Pi).  Some I liked enough to finish, but not enough to recommend.  Some I can't stop thinking about. 

When my good friend Tagan decided to start a Twitter Book Club a few weeks ago, I said I would participate under one condition; No Shitty Books.  So, she let me pick the first book for everyone to read.  Uh oh, what have I done?  I need to look smart and sophisticated  so I better recommend one of the higher-brow books I've read recently.  No, no, all those books were mediocre (Night Train to Lisbon, A Sense of an Ending.)  Okay well what about one of the shorter books I've read that will be over quickly (We the Animals, Sunset Park)  No, No those books were three stars at best.  What about a book that takes place during World War II, where two boys go on an adventure seeking a dozen eggs?  Bingo.  

In reality, it was a rather easy call what to pick.  City of Thieves by David Benioff is one of the best books (if not the best) I've ever read.  But just because I loved it, will others like it? " What a dummy!"  they'll exclaim.    Perhaps they'll like it, too.  And that's my goal.  To show others stuff that I've enjoyed.  

So I went to the library to check out City of Thieves again for the Twitter Book Club and couldn't find it, so I grabbed another book of short stories by the same author.  Close enough, right?  

So if you want to join our Twitter Book Club, hit me or @TaganElizabeth up on Twitter.  There's a Facebook group as well, but I don't understand how that would work if you were a stranger.  At the very least, go to the library and see if they have a copy of City of Thieves by David Benioff.  If's a real good story you won't be able to put down.  

P.S. Cool invention idea.  Make a book jacket made out of super glue or some other super sticky substance so when you pick up the book, you litterally can't put it down.  Okay, that's all.  

Happy reading.