By Kavita Mistry
by SusanR (United States): This wonderful uplifting book is a book about books and about the community that can be formed when you get a group of book lovers together.
Grace has been mourning her beloved husband Frank for a year and on the anniversary of his death she decides to open the door to his study for the first time. Seeing his study reminds her of what an avid reader he was. He had even started a book club at their local bookstore. She wasn’t interested in reading and never asked much about his book club. Her daughter and grandson suggest that she join the book club that Frank started. She doesn’t really want to but her grandson suggests that she go to one meeting and if she didn’t like it, they’d never mention it again. She agrees to attend and when she goes she’s amazed to find out that it’s a silent book club. Members don’t read the same book and discuss it – instead they all read their own book and then share about their book. She really doesn’t like all of the quiet reading but when she leaves, one of the members, Annie, talks to her and they make plans to meet again and become friends. Once she gets used to the silent book club plus finds Frank’s reading journals, she begins to realize what a great idea it all is – especially for people who are a bit shy. She makes it her new goal to expand the book club and bring new members into her book club and as she breathes new life into the group, she might just find this is where she truly belongs.
The book club not only gave Grace a new community of friends but it also helped her start a new life without her beloved husband. The book club helped take her grief to a smaller part of her life instead of being her whole life like it had been. This is a wonderful story about the way that books can change your life and help bring meaning and friendship. As a plus for me, there were several books mentioned that I have added to my ‘to be read’ list.