That one critical note from 2019 still shapes how I pick books for our club

Back in 2019, a member named Denise told me my picks were too 'safe and predictable' after we read three straight historical dramas in a row. At our meeting in Portland, she said, 'You're not challenging us, you're just picking what's comfortable.' Since then I've mixed in at least one oddball pick per season, like a translated novel or a debut from a small press, and honestly the arguments got way better. Anyone else get a harsh review that reset their whole selection method?

1 comments

1 Comment

harper_foster24d ago

Oh man, tell me about it, my book club basically told me I was "the guy who picks books nobody finishes" and now I just throw a random genre in a hat to avoid the shame. That one comment totally broke my comfort bubble, but now I live for the chaos of watching someone rage about a weird sci-fi pick.