Getting to Know You

Just wanted to let you all know that we're excited to meet for the first time tomorrow night.

We're planning on just a fun gathering where we can get to know each other a little bit before we launch into our first book.

Hope you all make it!

Manifesto and Bylaws

Our dissatisfaction with our local neighborhood-affiliated book clubs has reached its peak.

As book lovers we hereby declare that no longer will we endure inane conversation about bland books.

We believe that reading should be challenging, educational, enjoyable, enriching, uplifting, and inspiring.

We have a vision of a book club that promotes just such a reading experience.

We commit ourselves to reading books that are intelligent and well written; books that make you think as well as feel. We want to read and discuss books that actually warrant discussion. Books that are provocative, thoughtful, insightful, as well as fun.

The Book Club Dropouts is a place for disgruntled bibliophiles to gather and share in their love of books and their malcontent with the average neighborhood book club.

Members of the Book Club Dropouts agree to adhere to the following:

1. Read the book. This is a group for people who read, not just people who want to eat refreshments and socialize (although there will be plenty of that). There will be no synopsis telling at meetings. If you want to be in a book club that doesn't require previous completion of the selected book, then go to your neighborhood book club.
   
2. Accept that all members may not agree on a month's reading selection. If a member does not want to read a particular selection, then that member can uninvite themselves from that month's gathering. However, said member is encouraged to read it anyway. They may in fact end up enjoying the book, and if not, at least they could contribute to the discussion by providing an interesting counterpoint.
3. Come prepared to discuss beyond the "I liked/didn't like it" and the "I liked the part where _____" type of conversations.
   
4. Refuse to read the current year's Richard Paul Evans release.
5. Eliminate all home decor licensed by Thomas Kinkade.
6. Respectfully hear all opinions, rather than talking over any that oppose your own, Sean Hannity-style.

If you are disappointed with your local book group, you can lobby for membership into our invitation-only book club by demonstrating wit and intelligence in a comment on this blog. We look forward to hearing from you.