Delmarva Discussions: Articles for Readers

Some publishers provide reading guides and discussion points in the backs of trade paperbacks which may or may not be a good thing. If you are a group leader, they may be a godsend (although creating your own guide is not so tough) but what about these points:

You run the risk of spoilers. You know, those great turns and twists in the book which make books so great to read and so disappointing if found at the wrong time! A questions like "The realization that Mr. Smith was John's natural father and not just the neighbor had what impact on you as a reader?"

And then there is the "Compare and contrast the psychological impact of Mr. Smith's confession to John with the symbolism of the flowers dying in the sun".

My favorites are the silly questions or the ones which just shouldn't be asked…"What part did you like best about John's confrontation of his mother?" What a thing to ask! Like best?

Then there are the author bios, the interviews, the first chapter of the next work, etc. etc. Everything to distract you from the real purpose of your holding these pages in your hand… reading the book! While some of the information is no doubt relevant and helpful, in many cases it looks more like "added value". You know the stuff… you appear to get more for your money but more of it will end up rotting, going stale, and in the trash.

Of course, for those with the time and inclination, reading the material may make them more prepared for the discussion, They will have discussed the material in their own minds and thought about their initial responses to the questions and topics. Some readers may be inspired by the author's own life story and expand their horizon's to write, read more by the same author, etc.

So, to use or not to use, to read or not to read. It is really a personal choice, but please don't "require" your group members to utilize or even read these tidbits of added value. They most likely won't thank you for it and it may become a sticking point for the membership!

There is a site which offers online reading guides without the interviews, author BIOS, etc. They are written by assorted people so the quality varies but they can be a good starting point for your own discussion question prep or to have the group look at after their reading and before the discussion session. http://www.readinggroupguides.com