Book clubs

I was listening to a podcast this morning while cleaning the barn and the woman being interviewed was telling about her book club. They met four times a year and chose a classic to discuss. (This explains the need for three months in-between.) I was immediately smitten. 

I do not have good luck with book clubs. I tend not to enjoy typical book club choices. I'm fact some of my least favorite books of all time were titles I read for one. In full disclosure, the feeling was mutual in that usually the entire book club membership disliked my suggestions when it was my turn to pick. I really love the idea of book clubs, though... everyone reading the same title, having interesting discussions, becoming good friends over the course of time. I'm theory they sound fantastic and I'm a little jealous of those people who have managed to attain that sort of bookish camaraderie. 

But a book club based on reading classics? This might solve my biggest issue. You could even broaden it a bit sometimes and add a modern retelling of the classic you read. For example, reading Huckleberry Finn and then James, or David Copperfield followed by Demon Copperhead. I'd even venture to The Grapes of Wrath followed by The Four Winds even though Kristin Hannah has never had a draw for me. (I realize that's blasphemy, but unlike some of my children I am not a fan of sobbing through the endings of books.) For that pair I would want to add the non-fiction book, Right out of California: the 1930's and the big business roots of modern conservatism by Kathryn S. Olmsted. This would be because Ms. Olmsted discussed John Steinbeck and The Grapes of Wrath a lot and also because I would just really like other people to read it so I have someone to discuss it with. Heck, we could also read Emily Wilson's translation of The Odyssey, then her much discussed review of the new movie, and then see the movie together. I'm not against seeing a movie now and then. 

Then the question becomes, can I find enough people who both think this sounds interesting and are willing to put the time into reading the chosen books. I think it would be much more satisfying in person. I'm on Zoom and Teams enough in daily life that I feel no need to use it for something like this. And how does one go about finding these people? I'm not sure, particularly because I know that my reading tastes tend to be pretty far outside the norm. Maybe I'm just looking for people who both share my tastes and my voraciousness.