Talk vs. Discussion

Today, Margaret and I attended the Senatobia Book Club meeting at noon. The discussion, led by Carolyn Head, focused on the book The Color of Water by James McBride.

I thought great! I’ll finally get the chance to read and discuss this book with others. Well, maybe another time…Out of a room of twenty only five had read the book.

This presents a library lesson learned without pain or embarrassment. As presenter one expects the group to read the book before the meeting. My talk, including author’s biography and a short synopsis, would have lasted 15 minutes at the most. Then the floor would be open for discussion. Silence.

So, in essence, know thy audience or be prepared to do both book talk and discussion. In order to save time, I should make sure my weekly articles are more book talk slanted than review oriented. If called upon to speak, just add more to an article already written then practice, practice, practice.

Margaret raised this idea after suggesting Marley and Me as a book I could present to this group. I’m sure she doesn’t know that the first book talk I ever heard was her humorous and touching Jan Karon book, At Home in Mitford.

Man, the stampede for that book after the club let out was awe inspiring!

Talk vs. Discussion

http://maggiereads.blogspot.com/2006/02/talk-vs-discussion.html