They don't always finish the book, but that never stops the members of Abigail Pringle's book club from having animated, therapeutic discussions.
"We break all the rules," said Emily Turner of Bexley. "They say never talk about religion, politics and health issues. We talk about all of them."
During meetings, the eclectic group of women often trade opinions about elected officials, current events, relationships and more.
And rather than create hard feelings among members, the lively conversation has created a tight-knit group of confidantes. Over glasses of wine and homemade dinners, they share everything from struggles with infertility to issues with in-laws to career successes.
"It's way more than about the book," said Christy Steffy of Bexley. "We talk about things I would not talk about with people at work, or even my family."
Members said they look forward to the monthly gatherings, like the recent event in Liz Magee's Bexley home to discuss Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri.
"Whenever I leave book club, I always feel better," said Pringle of Upper Arlington, who formed the group in 1997. "It's like a free therapy session."
Book Club Bio How old is the club?
12 years
How often they meet:
Monthly
Number of members:
11
Can anyone join?
The club will replace a member if someone leaves
Number of books discussed:
125
Secret to success:
Letting the discussion roll even if it moves off topic
The members of Abigail Pringle's club share the practices that keep their mouths moving.
Fiction or nonfiction?
Both
Book that caused the most animated conversation:
The Vagina Monologues by Eve Ensler
Book that most members didn't finish:
Yesterday I Cried by Iyanla Vanzant
Most reliable authors for a book-club read:
Anna Quindlen and Margaret Atwood
Oprah books - yes or no?
They usually discover the titles before she does.
Number of members who also belong to another book club:
None
Ever kick anybody out of the club?
No, but people have left because they didn't like the club's tendency for uninhibited discussion.
Any men in the club?
Tried it once and didn't like it.
How do you choose the next book to read?
Club members are each assigned a month; when it's your month, you host the meeting, serve dinner and choose the book.
Ever hold theme meetings?
Yes, it's not uncommon for the hostess to choose a meal that relates to the book. One member served Ethiopian food for the discussion of Ayaan Hirsi Ali's Infidel, about her childhood in Africa and Saudi Arabia. Another member prepared a Kentucky-inspired menu when the group read Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand.
One rule that the club enforces:
No spoiler alerts. The group discusses the book in its entirety, so people who haven't finished will find out how it ends.
Think we should consider featuring your book club? E-mail Kristy Eckert at keckert@capital-style.com.