Chris Winandy is a member of the “Grand Book Club” from the Sun City Grand community in Surprise, AZ. In this interview, Chris shares how each member’s background contributes to their discussions. She also mentions some of their favorite reads --- and one that just wouldn’t end.

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

A: We are the Grand Book Club. We live in a retirement community named Sun City Grand and have been together for 10 years.

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

A: We have 17 members --- ALL WOMEN, NO MEN. The average age is 68 years old.

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

A: We meet the first Monday of the month from November through May in members’ homes.

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

A: We have snacks and a dessert. The hostess of the month supplies the food.

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

A: The hostess of the month begins the discussion. We use reading guides, and also our own questions.

Q: What kind of books do you read?

A: All categories: biography, fiction, nonfiction.

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 choose the books for several months at a time. Everyone participates in recommendations for books.

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

A: Best discussions: The Senator's Wife by Sue Miller and Loving Frank by Nancy Horan.

Q: How do you keep things fun?

A: We are honest in our opinions, sometimes funny in our comments. A recent book, World Without End by Ken Follett, was retitled “Book Without End” due to the length and repetition of the story line.

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

A: Have fun. Be honest in your opinions. Choose people from many backgrounds.

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

A: Recently, two book club members attended the meeting and had read a different book from the book being discussed at the meeting. After about 10 minutes of discussion, they realized their error and we had a good laugh.

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

A: We have retired nurses, high school and college teachers, business people. Each brings a unique perspective to our group. Jodi Picoult and Elizabeth Berg books follow headline themes, often touching on medical issues, so the nurses really bring keen insights to the discussion. Classic reads such as The Catcher in the Rye, East of Eden and Jane Austen books bring out the teachers, as these were books assigned in class.

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