Book club for people who can't buy books

Tonight I will host what will be my very last book club.  I started going to book club here at my school from the very first time it was held back when I first got here.  I love book club.

The funny thing is, every time I mention, say on facebook that, "I have book club tonight" people always ask, "What book did your group read?"  And while this is of course a valid question, our book club doesn't work like that.

See, when us teachers (or spouses thereof) travel in and out of the country, we have, as I have said before, limited baggage space.  Most of us that love to read will pick up a few books for ourselves- I know I can't get through an airport without picking up at least something at the book shop, never mind if I run across a book shop out in the real world!  So I pick up a few small paperbacks which I have room for, but I hardly have room to pick up say, 20 copies of the same book.  Not to mention, wouldn't that just be a waste?

I mean, the thing is, here in Luanda, as far as I know, there are no English language book shops.  Not even any Portuguese book shops that have a small English section.  So you can't buy books written in English here.  So to me, and obviously, all of us who attend book club, it seems clear that we all profit much more from SHARING books, rather than all reading the same book at the same time.

So what we do at our book club once a month is get together with all the books that we've all read.  Each person tells a bit about the books they've brought, some even read a passage from a book they really liked.  Then after everyone has told about all of their books, all the books get thrown in the middle and everyone gets to fight over who takes which book home!  Usually we're quite civil about it, and will agree to read fast and pass on, if there is a book that many people want.  The books that get left- there are always books left-  get stored in a box in someone's classroom.  

Now of course, there is no accounting for taste.  I am not going to lie, I tend to read a lot of what might be classified as chick lit or romance novels or poolside/beach reading.  I do also enjoy serious books, biographies, historical novels and more...but, I love to sink in with a love story that will remind me of the beginning of my relationship with my husband, or what it was like when we were planning our wedding, or having a baby.  I like chick lit.  Sue me.

A lot of the women, well, we also have two men now, that come to book club shun chick lit, and I am ok with that.  They read downright bogged down stories of all the horrors in the world- especially in Africa, since we are here.  I'm not going to lie, I don't think I have picked up a single one of those books.  I'm probably missing out.  But the truth is, all that bogged down seriousness is just outside my window all day, so, reading about it....I don't know... I guess I just don't feel the need. I can understand why you would- knowledge is power and all that, but, I'm just not into it.  Interestingly enough, I actually don't mind reading those kinds of books about Asian countries...I'm probably going to end up saying something very un-pc in a moment so I'll just get off this track... :)

So that is the book part of book club...but that is hardly all there is to it.  Our book club could also be called a wine and food club.  The get-togethers are hosted by a different member of the book club every month.  That person usually provides a few drinks, etc, but everyone that comes also brings some food or drink.  Nibbles, fingers foods, maybe a salad, dips, etc...and dessert.  For many of us, this is one of our only chances to cook for people other than our families. For me, it is definitely an opportunity to enjoy one of my favorite hobbies (cooking and baking) and have it be appreciated by people who really LIKE food, rather than just my husband who pretty much eats because he has to. It's always nice to have people oohing and aahing about your food, you know?

Oh, and the wine...well, people don't actually tend to bring anything special in that category, because it's just too expensive, but, they do bring large quantities of it.  And people tend to have a few glasses.  I have not generally been a person who really drinks mid-week without a social reason, so, having book club once a month was always a really fun reason to get tipsy mid-week.

This is the only book club I have ever participated in, but, I got an invitation to participate in one when I was living in Riga.  That one was not organized through school, but the lady who invited me was another teacher.  She said to me though, "it's a book club, but really we get together at a different restaurant every month, eat a lot and get drunk!"   Seems that maybe book clubs round the world might have this in common?  Or is it just book clubs for expats?    

So that is what I'm doing tonight...and I need to get ready for it now.  The house needs to get clean (a much bigger issue than it sounds when we're mid-packing!), and I need to start making my food for tonight- I am making caramelized onion and goat's cheese tarts.  And I might make something sweet as well, but I haven't thought that through yet. :)

Have you ever belonged to a book club?  What is it like?  Do you all read the same book, different books?  Do you eat and get drunk, or focus on the book/s?