Book Club

I took this photo in front of my friend Helen’s beautiful waterfront home on City Island in the Bronx.   Pictured are the wonderful women in my  Uptown Book Club,  in the back row – Reina,  Karlan,  Judy,  Marlene,  and Helen;  and in the front row – Renee and Paula.

It seems I have a propensity for joining book clubs,  but if I have to name a favorite,  this is the one.  (See Book Slut, or Why I’m in Six Book Clubs)

When we started meeting about 20 years ago our assigned leader was Renee,  a New York Public outreach librarian who led monthly book discussions for a group of teachers and school librarians in the Bronx school district where I was working.  When that outreach initiative ended,   Renee agreed to continue meeting with us informally,  and our group meets to this day.

I’ve written more about this book group,  my  friendship with Renee,  and sadly her untimely death.  (See Comfort Food for Renee.)

Now we take turns leading our book club meetings,  but still feel Renee’s presence,  joking about what insightful question she would ask to open the discussion,  and what else she would say about the book.

Several of the other women in the club have also become good friends,  while others I see only at our monthly meetings,  and yet after years together l feel very close to them all.

If you’re already in a book club you know the special bond that can exist among passionate readers.  And if you’re not,  but you like reading good books and making new friends,  what are you waiting for?

– Dana Susan Lehrman

Dana Susan Lehrman
This retired librarian loves big city bustle and cozy country weekends, friends and family, good books and theatre, movies and jazz, travel, tennis, Yankee baseball, and writing about life as she sees it on her blog World Thru Brown Eyes!
www.WorldThruBrownEyes.com

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