Book Club

I joined a book club! I regretted it immediately.

The essence of reading a book is to interpret the words in your unique way. It is a solo experience. I do not want opinions from others on a book I have read. They did not read it with my eyes and my experiences.

If art is subjective, then why complicate it with a group discussion?

I understand book recommendations but a Book Club feels like I am back in school, reading books because they are part of the curriculum!

I acknowledge I am being a little harsh here but just because he got the 2023 International Booker Prize AND his name sounds fancy AND he makes statements like “I’ve always written on the edge of narrative expectations” (whatever the F that means), I should not be forced to read Georgi Gospodinov.

Note To Self: Do not bother with the book you are writing. Your name (Anshu Mor) is not fancy enough to sell books. You would have to spell your name differently - maybe make it Chzanshu Morinov with CHZ and INOV silent.

I haven't made it to a book club meeting yet, but from the WhatsApp group chat of the last one, it looks like they talked about Wine and took loads of pictures. Not a word about poor Salman Rushdie who wrote Knife with just one eye!

Sidenote - Avoid Knife. It is just a ‘dear diary' entry from a patient and it is certainly not written on the edge of narrative expectations!

I am part of high art

I believe the charm of Book Clubs is that they give people the impression that they are partaking in a sophisticated and intellectual activity:

But are you though? How does a club of consumers help anyone?

Imagine fans of Daikin Air Conditioners (weird example) getting together to discuss air conditioning! What is the point? They will just give their perspective on what temperature is optimal! I like 22 degrees. Why would I waste an evening discussing why you like 24 degrees?

Some things are best-experienced solo

With the exception of books and paintings, all other art forms such as music, comedy, and movies are definitely better when experienced together.

Books and Paintings are different. They are a solo experience.

Though I do not understand paintings at all, I've seen people gazing at them, standing alone with a profound intellectual expression, pondering the meaning of that single white line on an otherwise empty canvas!

Someone would interpret it as - This is an exploration of the challenges encountered by straight white men in a world now largely shaped by progressive values. A guy like me would think: “WTF am I doing in this art gallery?”

Now Ms. Woke and I cannot possibly sit and discuss the nuances of that painting over wine! It would lead to murder and I would be in jail!

The same goes for books. Every word read is filtered through one's own experiences, creating a unique understanding for each individual. That experience should remain sacred and not be marred by someone else’s interpretation of it. It is kinda like religion!

Having said all this, I will perhaps remain a member of this book club. I need content for comedy!

Let’s see how this one goes…..