"The Book Club" of Mobile, Alabama originally sprung from a small gathering of co-workers looking to share their passion for reading. They are still going strong seven years later, with a hearty and closely-knit group of 12 members who not only meet every six weeks for book discussions, but also have dinner together once a month. In this interview, Flora Thompson explains the club's trial-and-error methods of establishing schedules and choosing their selections. She also underscores the importance of variety, the need for common interests to sustain discussions, and even shares an amusing anecdote about a bagpipe-playing waiter looking to join their dinnertime conversation.

Q: Does your group have a name and/or a theme? How long has your group been in existence?

A: We've just called it "The Book Club." Not very original, but it serves its purpose.

We've been in existence since 1998. It was started by a group of book-loving friends who worked together. The core group, in turn, invited other friends. The membership inevitably changed as people moved, dropped out, or were grafted in. Of the 12 current members, only three are still with the original company.

Q: How many members do you have? How many men, how many women? What age are most of your members?

A: We've decided to limit membership to 12. Eating out is an integral part of our fellowship, and it is difficult to find restaurants that can conveniently accommodate more than that number.

We have five men, seven women --- five married couples plus two other women --- ranging in age from mid-thirties to mid-fifties.

Q: How often do you meet? Where do you meet?

A: We've tried several different schedules, but have settled into meeting once every six weeks to discuss the book selection. We also get together the first Saturday night of each month at a restaurant. We rotate the selection and particularly like to try new restaurants.

For the book discussion, we normally meet at the home of the person who selected the book.

Q: Do you eat at your meetings? What do you eat? Who brings the food?

A: Always! Generally finger food/appetizers. Occasionally the host relates the food theme to the book. The host provides a food and beverage selection of their choice. The rest of us generally show up with an extra bottle of wine or two.

Q: Who leads the discussion? Do you use reading group guides?

A: The person who selected the book begins the discussion, but we all participate.

We have not used reading group guides in the past, but now that we've discovered this website it will be nice to have that option.

Q: What kind of books do you read?

A: No set type. We've read fiction, nonfiction, science fiction, biographies, classics, and poetry. In a nod to budget and time constraints, we have a general rule that the book should be available in paperback and not exceed 400 pages, but it is occasionally frequently violated.

Q: How do you choose your books? Do you choose one new book at each meeting, or do you choose the books for a number of meetings ahead of time?

A: We have tried several different schemes for book selection over the years. First we tried good ol' fashioned democracy and voted among books proposed by members. A great system in theory, but unfortunately in practice it usually turned into a battle of attrition.

At one point we came up with a bizarre system in which we read books that had won major literary awards the years we were born. (We won't mention how much wine had been consumed before that seemed like a good idea.) Mercifully, that only lasted for two selections.

We've also tried strictly rotating the choices. That worked pretty well until the time someone selected Gravity's Rainbow.

Currently we are using a hybrid system. We still rotate the proposal obligation, but that person now suggests three books and we vote on the selection as a group. Tie votes are broken by the person who originally proposed the books. The book is selected two sessions (12 weeks) in advance.

Q: What were some of the best discussions or favorite books the group read?

A: All Over But the Shoutin' by Rick Bragg
Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner
Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy
Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer
Life of Pi by Yann Martel
Longitude by Dava Sobel
Plainsong by Kent Haruf
The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Q: How do you keep things fun?

A: I wish there was a secret formula that we could share, but the truth is that we thoroughly enjoy each other's company so the fun seems to take care of itself. We do try to throw some variety into the mix, though. For example, we all love movies, so we sometimes cast the film after we've discussed the book.

We also try to keep our eyes open for ways to enhance the experience. For example, soon after the National D-Day Museum opened in New Orleans, we decided to read The Longest Day by Cornelius Ryan. We took a day trip over to visit the museum, and then discussed the book over lunch at The Palace Café.

We also have an annual Christmas Party. It's covered dish, and we have a "Dirty Santa" gift exchange. For a while, we each brought the worst book we could find as the gift. The competition was intense. (Past treasures include My Life in High Heels by Loni Anderson and The Molson Saga 1763-1983: The Triumphs and Tragedies of the Legendary Brewing Family Through Six Generations.) We have now mercifully changed the gift to a favorite book, CD or DVD.

Q: What advice would you give to other reading groups?

A: It takes more than just a mutual love of books to keep a group like this going for the long term. You need a congenial mix of people who have a variety of interests in common or the discussions and the group will be short-lived.

Q: Do you have any horror stories, amusing anecdotes, or other special tales to tell?

A: No horror stories, fortunately. One night at dinner we were very amused by a bagpipe-playing waiter who took a fancy to us and seemed desperate to join the group. He spent most of the evening talking to us. The other patrons were understandably not pleased, but we got great service.

Q: Is there anything else unique or noteworthy about your group that you would like to share?

A: If you are lucky enough to be part of a group like ours, do whatever it takes to keep it alive. It is a rare gift.

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ReadingGroupGuides.com interviews special reading groups around the world, spotlighting a different group each month. We hope that you enjoy reading about their experiences and might find some new ideas to try with your group. If you belong to a group that you think should be spotlighted, click here to answer our interview questions.

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