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My take: Book clubs that avoid controversy are missing the point of reading together
I genuinely believe that picking safe, universally-liked books defeats the purpose of a debate-focused club. For example, our group once read a divisive historical novel, and the heated discussion it sparked was far more memorable than any consensus on a bland bestseller.
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price.ben1d ago
Watched a friend's book club completely unravel over a political memoir last year, but in the best way possible. They had this unspoken rule about avoiding anything "too real," sticking to cozy mysteries and literary award winners. Someone finally suggested this scorching, partisan account of a recent election, and half the group threatened to quit before they even started. The first meeting was brutally awkward, with people talking over each other about media bias and personal responsibility. What was left afterward, though, was a smaller group that actually trusted each other enough to have real arguments. Now they seek out books that fracture their echo chamber, because that discomfort finally made the conversations feel worthwhile.
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eric_schmidt1d ago
At a Google Talks event, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie said controversy in literature is essential for growth. That’s why our club always picks books that provoke.
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