Berlin book club

Hi,

Is anyone interested in starting a book club? The idea would be that we meet once or twice a month somewhere (bar / cafe or someone's place) and discuss some books over a few drinks. We would first agree on a list of english (or german) books to go through. This should be casual and fun, and all are welcome. To make it worthwhile we should be at least more than three people!

Any takers...?

Rgds
Patrick

Count me in! A couple of months ago I got a PM about an other Book Club in Berlin, will look for it, maybe we can join their meetings - though I think it was ladies only, but no worries I can lend you stilletos and you will blend in ;-)

Hi Speedy,

That's great. Well I think I would prefer a mixed book club to be honest and stilletos don't suit me. Let's see if any more people are interested.

Rgds
Patrick

Interested!

I'm in. Patrick, you can disregard my PM about sending a general inquiry...

Nicole

interested - do let me know the details - never been in one before so i imagine it oughtta be fun.

mail me back.

ciao

Hi,

Ok great, we are now a group of group five interested in the book club. How about we meet in January to organise the details? I'll throw out a date, time and place and you can all let me know if it suits. After that we could for example meet the first Sunday of every month or something like that.

So for the first meeting how about Sunday 13th Jan, 15:00hrs in Stradbad-Mitte, Kleine Hamburger Str 16 (off August str opposite the Ballhaus) ?? Let me know if this is ok and I'll reserve a table.

Regards
Patrick

ok

I would be interested too. So count me in on Jan 13th if that is OK

Hallo - if you don't mind another non-native speaker, I'd be happy to join! I've never been in a book club before, but I'd like to read more and meet new people. So count me in on January 13. Merry Christmas!

Hello,

The response has been good and so far we are a group of seven. The first Book club meeting is planned for :

Sunday Jan 13th at 15:00 hrs
Strandbad bar, Kleine Hamburger Str 16, Mitte (off Auguststr opposite the Ballhaus)

I will reserve a table for eight people under my name 'Patrick'.

It would be good if beforehand you could think of some books you would like to have on the reading list. This first meeting I think will just be to agree on the books we want to read and discuss, and how we organise the club for the follow on meetings.

This is my first time organising a book club so any input and help is welcome!

Looking forward to meeting you in the New Year

Regards
Patrick

I can't make the 13th, but please keep me posted and count me in for future meetings. Thanks!

Can't make 13th as it turns out, as off to visit inlaws but please keep me informed. Have a great first meeting

I don't want to join a book club but I have books I am giving away or you could talk me into letting you buy me a beer

Pride & Prejudice - Jane Austen - Excellent
Resurrection Men - Ian Rankin - (no idea friend from oz left it here during a visit cause her bag was too heavy)
Alice's Adventures in Wonderlan & Through the Looking Glass - Lewis Carroll - Not my cuppa tea.
The Undomestic Goddess - Sophie Kinsell - absolutely hilarious (Ally McBeal meets Sadie)
Two Weeks with the Queen - Morris Gleitzman - for 12 year olds a good read if you like child's lit.
The Scarecrows - Rober Westall - Quiet a disturbing book if you don't like scarecrows how this made it into the child's lit genre beats me.
The Haunting - Margaret Mahy - repeat above but replace scarecrow with just plain weird.
Bridge to Terabithia - Katherine Paterson - for those who like child's lit and to ball their eyes out.
Fathers & Sons - Ivan Turgenev - a bit of a hard read but worth it.
Atonement - Ian McEwan - Brilliant piece written by man from a female protagonist's point of view.
The Good Solider - Ford Madox Ford - I am sure this is literatures version of the Bold and Beautiful not an easy read.
Political Ideologies - Andrew Heywood - it's a political book but still it's worth reading.

Hi, I'd like to come along with my husband if that' s ok,
See you on Sunday,
sc

oh maybe i should mention that I'm not coming to the book club so if you want any of these books let me know so we can arrange something

Hi Patrick,

I would like to join as well! Seeing as some people cant make it this sunday, i hope your table for 8 will be enough...

I know of a great second hand english book shop near where i live, if you want i could pop in and ask them if they have any books in duplicate. It could give us some ideas of what to read and keep the costs down for some.

Looking forward to meeting you all,

Elodie

If you wanted to read my book - Planet Germany - I could do you a volume discount (I can order in bulk from the publisher). It's normally € 15 a copy - but if you ordered more than 5 copies I could do it for €12 per copy. I'd need to send them to one central person though - who could hand them out at the club.

Only if you want to, that is... you might prefer something more highbrow...

And you don't have to decide now - you could discuss it at the meeting. The offer's open.

Hello All,

Thanks for the response. I think we are still roughly 8 or 9 people so it should be ok. If the number turns out to be too large to be manageable, we'll have to put a limit on the group size.

Remember to bring along a list of some books you'd like to have included...

Elodie,
Thanks, that would be helpful if you could find out whether they have any books.

Regards
Patrick

Hi,

I would like to join the book club. I haven't had time to read a lot in the last couple of years, but want to get into it again. However, its my first time joining a book club, so I am not too sure what is expected from me. I suppose a list of books, to start with.

Jade

Hello,

We were a group of seven at the meeting last Sunday. Thanks to everyone who turned up, it was a nice evening. Below is the reading list that we agreed upon:

The Reader - Bernard Schlink: 7th Feb, 19:30 hrs, Strandbad (Mitte)

Strangers on a Train - Patricia Highsmith: March
(also planned showing of Hitchcock film version!)

Orlando - Virginia Woolf : April

The Black Book - Orhan Pamuk: May

Atonement - Ian McEwan: June

The Last of the Mohicans -
James Fenimore Cooper: July

All new members are welcome!!
Rgds
Patrick

(I wanted to add the below as a 'Word' attachment but the upload kept failing)

Organisation of meetings:

· The meetings will take place every 4-5 weeks at a date agreed upon by the group.

· The duration of the meetings should be approximately 2-3 hrs with the last half hour given over to informal chat. (This is of course only a rough guideline but the majority of the time should be spent on the book discussion!)

· At each meeting one of the group members will act as a facilitator. This will have been voluntarily decided at a meeting before hand. The facilitator’s role should be to:

o Organise location for the meeting and inform group.
o Do a little research on the book and author
o Prepare a number of a number of questions on the book so that a discussion can be opened up.
o Guide the discussions and ensure that everyone has a chance to speak etc.
o Keep time for the meeting.

General Guidelines…..

Avoid side-discussions!
Try and let everyone have a say!
Listen to others
Keep it relaxed!

Happy reading!

Hi Patrick, that sounds really good. Sounds like the first meeting went well. I will do my utmost to come to the next. Look forward to meeting you all.

Hello!
It was nice meeting you all on Sunday. How should we go about buying the books? Each of us orders it separately or you prefer a bulk order?
Speedy (Krisztina)

I'd be interested in coming next meeting!

Hi Speedy,

Well maybe everyone should get their own copy for the next meeting (ie. for 'The Reader'). I already have 'Strangers on a train' on order from Amazon for myself but would be willing to order a few copies for whoever wants them and bring them to the next meeting? Alternatively, I think we also discussed the possibility of getting books somewhere else on discount? Where was that again?

What's the general concensus??

Rgds
Patrick

GREAT list! Lots of things on my looooooooong list of "have been wanting to read this for ages".
Would like to join you next time if the group hasn't become too large already.

If at a later time other books that were made into films pop up I might try and ask a friend who runs a cinema to think about screening it, if you guys'n'girls are interested.
Cheers GF

is there still room for a girl ? ;-)

Patrick, Speedy,

Indeed at the last meeting i said we could order books at a discount if we ordered 5 or more at the second hand bookshop "St George" on Woertherst. in PBerg (between Prenzlauer Alle and Kollwitzplatz). They also have cheap second hand copies (i found The reader there for 5€).

What i can do is note down at the next meeting the list of people who want me to order the books there.

Cheers
Elodie

Hi, Id be interested in coming to the meetup on the 7th, is there room or are you fully booked?
Cheers

Hi Tibia,

I am afraid we are fairly large group now. If some people drop out for the next meeting in March, we'll let you know.

Rgds
Patrick

Ok no worries, thanks for letting me know, and if there's a dip in attendance, I'd be interested...

Hello,

The next Book Club meeting has been postponed from 7th Feb to the new date of:

Sun 17th Feb, 15.00 hrs

Strandbad Bar, Mitte

See you all there!

Patrick

Hi there,

So the next meeting is next Sunday. It was a real shame it got postponed. i was looking forward to meeting you all. Looking forward to it. Cheers

Hello,

The next book club meeting will be on Sunday 16th March at 3pm.

The book for this session is Strangers on a Train.

I will host it at my place so will not be posting the address on here but members will have received the details. If you have not, please PM me.

See you all soon,

Elodie

Hello, cant make it tomorrow (going on a suprise weekend trip...) have fun! Speedy (Krisztina)

thats sounds great, i would really be interested. could you let me know what is going on with it?

Hi,

The next meeting of the book club will be at my place in Mitte on Sunday 13th April at 3pm.

Members have address details already, but if you are interested, please pm me for further information.

This months book is Orlando by Virginia Woolf

sc

Hi Guys,
We agreed to meet next time on the 23rd May FRIDAY 8pm at my place in Charlottenburg (members have address details)
Max, we hope the date qualifies for during the week ;-)
Next book is The Black Book by Orhan Pamuk.
Speedy

Hello

I am moving to Berlin around the end of July and would love to be involed in the book club!

Fibi

Hello,

The next meeting has been postponed to Sunday May 25th at 15:00 hrs. Depending on the weather we are hoping to hold it in either a park or biergarten. The location has yet to be decided.

The Book for discussion is "The Black Book" by Ohran Pamuk.

Anyone interested please send me a post for details

Regards
Patrick

Hi Book Clubbies, This is David. I was at Sachsenhausen with you recently. Looking forward to the next Book Club meeting.

Hi everybody, I moved to Berlin two months ago and so far it has been all work and no play ... :-) Looking forward to reactivating my interest in literature. Let me know if you have room for one more. Take care, Marcia

Hi, there. I'd be interested in joining for next time if you have any space left. Please just let me know. Thanks!

Hello,

The next Book Club meeting is on Saturday June 21st at 15:00 hrs. Depending on the weather we are hoping to hold it outdoors again - Location: TBD !

The book for discussion is "Atonement" by Ian McEwan.

See you there!

Patrick

Hello,

Correction - the next meeting is on Sat 21st at 14:00 hrs not 15.00 hrs !!

rgds
Patrick

Hi, does this book club have any spaces left - or are you all full? thanks!

mistermagoo, katberlin, marcia_m or anyone else who is waiting to join the book club - you guys could just make a 2nd group, if there's enough of you.

There's a second book group planning their first meeting for Saturday June 14, 2008.

Hello,

Here is the agreed reading list for the next months:

August 2008 - 'The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox' by Maggie O'Farrell

September 2008 - 'Wash this Blood Clean From my Hands' by Fred Vargas

October 2008 - 'Titus Groan' by Mervyn Peake

November 2008 - 'This Blinding Absence of Light' by Tahar Ben Jelloun

December 2008 - 'The Moving Toyshop' by Edmund Crispin

January 2009 - 'An Uncomplicated Kindness' by Miriam Toews

February 2009 - 'The View from Castle Rock' by Alice Munro

March 2009 - 'Sputnik Caledonia' by Andrew Crumey

The next meeting will be on Friday 18th July at 20:00 hrs: Location TBD

Rgds
Patrick