Looking back at our club's big 'classic vs. modern' split for our 2023 pick

We voted between 'Middlemarch' and 'Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow', and picking the modern one lost us two members who wanted a 'real' literary challenge. Has your group ever fractured over a genre or era choice?

3 comments

3 Comments

william_carter18h ago

Honestly see this kind of gatekeeping everywhere now. People get so stuck on their idea of what's "real" or "worthy" that they miss the actual point of the thing, which is just to enjoy it. Kind of makes the whole group thing pointless if you ask me.

tyler_wilson8d ago

Losing members over a book vote seems a bit much for a hobby club. @the_morgan has a point about new books having their own depth, but getting that upset over a pick is pretty dramatic. It's just a book, not a life choice. Groups change all the time, and people come and go. Maybe those members just wanted a different kind of club, which is fine. Making a big deal over the "right" kind of book can suck the fun out of reading together.

the_morgan8d ago

Find that so frustrating. Calling "Middlemarch" the only real challenge feels off to me. "Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow" digs deep into friendship, creativity, and loss. Its structure and ideas are totally modern but just as complex. Dismissing a book because it's new seems like missing the point. A good story is a good story, no matter when it was printed.