BookBrowse interviews BookBrowse chats with Lynne Nordhoff about her book club, the Mangrove Readers. about all aspects of their book club.

BookBrowse chats with Lynne Nordhoff about her book club, the Mangrove Readers.

BookBrowse: The Mangrove Readers is a great name! How did you come up with it?

Lynne: We all live in Naples, Florida, a coastal venue, where mangroves are a large part of our eco-system. It seemed like a good fit!

BB: How did the group get started?

Lynne: In 1994, several of us were tennis friends. We discovered that we were also book lovers and decided to put a discussion group together. It began with 14 members that November.

BB: What kind of books do you choose?

Lynne: Primarily current literary novels.

BB: Tell us about your meetings.

Lynne: We meet monthly in each other’s homes or club rooms or at our beach restaurant. It is a BYO lunch with the hostess providing beverages and a sweet treat. She also serves as facilitator of the discussion. We meet at noon for lunch, the discussion begins at 12:30, and we finish about 2pm. In September, we often gather with no specific title, just to chat about what we have been reading.

BB: What’s your membership like these days?

Lynne: We’ve decided to cap membership at 12, which allows each person to host one meeting over the course of the year. Most of the time all 12 members are present, but in the summer months attendance might dip as low as 6. Members are women who’ve retired, with ages from 60s to 80s, and they’ve lived in different places in the US, Canada or England. They’ve had varied careers as well: banking, aerospace, retail, teaching, legal assistant, advertising sales & public relations. Members commit to attending each month and reading each selected title. We have lost spouses and members over the years, but other than that, membership is quite stable.

BB: It sounds like there’s very little turnover, but I imagine there’s still some. How do you find new members?

Lynne: Sadly, we have had members move away or pass away. When openings occur, current members recommend friends who enjoy reading and who they think would be an asset to the group.

BB: What are some of the books your group has read that particularly stand out?

Lynne: Over the years most selections have been award winners (Booker, National Book Critics Circle, Pulitzer, etc.) and most are fiction. In December, we tend to read a classic. There are so many favorites!

BB: How do you pick your books?

Lynne: The whole group offers suggestions at most meetings. The hostess for the month selects the book she will facilitate months in advance, which gives us time to read the selection. We also utilize various lists from lecturers, the library, other book clubs.

BB: Do you feel your book club choices are evolving over time?

Lynne: Not really, since we’ve got a fairly narrow focus. We prefer fiction but sometimes we’ll go into non-fiction or biography. We love women authors.

BB: Are your members in other book clubs as well?

Lynne: Yes, many are in multiple book groups. We also attend lectures with a speaker and/or an author.

BB: What makes your group special to you?

Lynne: It is special because of its long history and members have become great friends. We share different perspectives and learn from each other. Everyone is friendly and accepting of differing opinions. For those members who have moved away, we keep in touch monthly by sharing what is coming up on our calendar.

BB: Have you invited authors to visit?

Lynne: No, the group seems to prefer going to the author lectures/readings when they come to Naples rather than inviting them to attend our meetings.

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

Lynne: Establish a location, time and purpose. Be flexible, respectful and committed. Reading is a solitary venture and sharing our thoughts with the group is so rewarding. If you love to read, just do it!