
The Book Club’s inaugural year, a month of reading, was the best year of my life.
The library’s shelves were filled with books and I was hooked.
Now, I feel I can’t afford to skip the event.
It’s the perfect way to pass the time before bed and unwind.
“I think book clubs can be a way to relax and recharge,” said Kristin Stiles, executive director of the Globe Book Club.
But I’ve found they can also be a source of anxiety.
“The more I read, the more I think I’m not really having a good time,” said Stiles.
I’m always thinking, What’s this book?
or What’s the best thing about it?
I’m just so caught up in the moment.
And, if I do go to the library, it’s only to buy a book and not to read.
There are a lot of books out there, but you have to choose one or the other.
I have to pick which one I want to read, or what I’ll find interesting and then get back to my life, she said.
But, when I have time off, I try to take time out to do something I love.
Stiles said that during the first year of the club, she didn’t know how to read a book.
She was just enjoying the experience of reading and finding the right book to read with.
I guess I’m still trying to figure out what I want.
I don’t think it’s something that’s in my nature to read or listen to a book, she added.
And when I go back to the bookshop in the fall, I have a few books that I have enjoyed, such as Stephen King’s The Dark Tower and George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire.
“And I do have to keep reading,” Stiles added.
She is planning to go back in November and start reading again, but not on a regular basis.
“It’s just a way of letting myself go and having a nice time with friends and family, rather than just having a book.”
The Book Clubs’ first year ended with a bang.
In April, we sold nearly 3,000 books.
In May, the library sold 3,600 books, an increase of more than 70 per cent.
“We are very proud of our success and we’re excited about what we can do in the future,” said Kristen Stiles at the launch.
“Our goal is to reach more people who are in a book club and we will continue to increase our number of books we sell and the number of people who visit our store.”