BookBrowse interviews BookBrowse chats with Dorothy Minor about her book club, the Broken Arrow (Oklahoma) Senior Center’s Circle of Readers. about all aspects of their book club.

BookBrowse chats with Dorothy Minor about her book club, the Broken Arrow (Oklahoma) Senior Center’s Circle of Readers.

BookBrowse: Thank you for taking the time to speak with me, Dorothy! I love the name of your group: the Circle of Readers. How did you come up with it?

Dorothy: When our book club was formed in 2017 another leader was at the helm; she did not discuss a name with the members. When I took over the leadership in February 2018, I proposed several names to the members, and we chose Circle of Readers. We feel the word circle indicates a welcoming of new members because a circle can be easily increased. The word readers is self-explanatory!

BB: How did your group get its start?

Dorothy: The Broken Arrow Senior Center, near Tulsa, is a place where those 55 and older gather for a wide variety of activities including card games, dominoes, crafts, line dancing, yoga, Tai Chi, lunch, and more. I joined the senior center in 2017 shortly after I retired and started attending a newly organized book club there. I’m a retired English professor and seasoned book club moderator, so when the original leader resigned in February 2018 I felt qualified to assume leadership of the group. We began with six members and quickly grew. The original organizer set the book club up to read the first half of a book and meet to discuss it and then discuss the second half at the next meeting. I wasn’t in charge then (which is Southern for “she’s doing it wrong.”). When I took over we decided to change the format to discuss the whole book at a meeting.

The book club began meeting once a month before the pandemic, but once COVID hit we began meeting on Zoom using the senior center’s paid Zoom account. At the first meeting of the month, we discussed a book we had all read; at the second meeting of the month, we discussed other books we had read. I kept a list and shared the list with everyone after the meeting. When we resumed in-person meetings, we decided to continue with the twice monthly meetings since we enjoyed spending time together. The members are avid readers, so sharing other books we’ve read is a natural part of the group. The two biggest changes include the growth in membership and the two meetings each month.

BB: Does your group have a focus or objective? What brings you together for meetings?

Dorothy: Our focus is simple: read good books, share ideas about the books we read, and enjoy our time together. Our group is special because of the camaraderie that has developed over time. We don’t always agree during our discussions, but everyone is respectful of others’ opinions. Many of us did not know one another until we joined the book club. We have become friends through a shared love of good books and the sharing of ideas

BB: Tell us more about your meetings.

Dorothy: We meet in person at the senior center on the first and third Monday of each month, in the morning. At the first meeting of the month, we discuss a book we’ve all read; at the second meeting we talk about other books. I am the moderator, but all of the members chime in. I keep a list and share it with everyone after the meeting.

BB: It sounds like your membership has really grown! What’s it look like today, and are you still accepting new members?

Dorothy: We currently have 38 members on the roster, with twenty to twenty-five generally attending the meetings. The members are mostly women, but we do have three men who attend regularly. We are all retired from a wide variety of careers: teachers, realtors, administrative assistants, nurses, professional trainers, bankers, and engineers. Some are Oklahomans through and through while many of us came from other states. One member speaks Mandarin and is a translator. Some of the members learned about the book club and joined the Senior Center specifically to be part of the book club, which I consider a high compliment. Anyone who is a member of the senior center may join the Circle of Readers, and we welcome new members.

BB: What kinds of books do you read?

Dorothy: We read widely: mysteries, historical fiction, contemporary fiction, some Sci-Fi, memoir, YA, and some history. Sipsworth by Simon Van Booy was one of our favorites. A recent book that generated a lively discussion is I See You’ve Called In Dead by John Kenney. Others we’ve enjoyed include The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson, Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney, Sold on a Monday by Kristina McMorris, Meet Me at the Museum by Anne Youngson, This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger, The Library Book by Susan Orlean, The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams, The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle by Matt Cain, and For Those Who Are Lost by Julia Bryan Thomas.

BB: That’s quite the list! How do you select what to read next?

Dorothy: As the leader, I choose the books. When the group first formed, I gave the members several ways we could choose books. At the time, the members said, “We like the books you choose.” As the group has evolved with new members, no one has complained about the way books are chosen. If members offer suggestions, I always take them into consideration; thus far, I have chosen the suggested books from members for the whole group to read. I do impose one rule on myself and anyone else who suggests a book: one must read the book before suggesting it. I always read the book before choosing it. I know other leaders feel differently. There is one caveat. I sometimes win advance copies of a title, and in that case I can’t read it ahead of time. So far, we’ve been fortunate in that the books I’ve won have been good and generated spirited discussions. Two years ago, I won fifteen copies of Henderson House by Caren Simpson McVicker, a debut novel. We all enjoyed the book, and when Caren came to Oklahoma to promote it she met with us in person. That was a treat.

BB: Have you invited other authors to visit?

Dorothy: Yes, since 2018 when I became the leader, we’ve had forty-two authors join us in person or on Zoom. Our members truly enjoy meeting an author and learning about their writing, research, and personality. Some memorable Zoom meetings have been with Kate Quinn, Janie Chang, Yangsze Choo, Emily Hourican who joined us from Dublin, Piper Huguley, Jayne Allen (whose books I won), and Viola Shipman (Wade Rouse). In-person meetings with Julia Bryan Thomas, Will Thomas, Ginny Myers Sain, and Alton Carter have all been memorable. Diana, our member who speaks Mandarin, greeted Yangsze Choo in Mandarin when the Zoom began.

BB: What about other book clubs?

Dorothy: Several of our members do belong to other book clubs. One member belongs to a mystery book club on Zoom with long-time friends in other states. At least four members, including me, belong to the South Broken Arrow Library book club, Beyond the Book. One member and her stepdaughter have a two-person book club. I belong to a friend’s Zoom book club, and I continue to lead a book club I founded in 1985 at the community college where I taught even though I am retired. Another member belongs to a book club of retired teachers.

BB: What tips would you like to pass on to others who might be thinking of starting a book group?

Dorothy: Be flexible, open to suggestions, and welcoming to all members. My self-imposed rule of reading books before choosing them might not work for everyone; I suggest finding a method that works for the leader and the group by discussing it with the members. Involve everyone in the discussion. Whoever leads the discussion should be prepared with questions and information on the author and any background needed. Whoever is leading the discussion should make sure that everyone has an opportunity to contribute.