Making Time for Books: Senior Book Group

Seniors have been gathering at the Canton Public Library to discuss a monthly book pick for at least a dozen years. What brings these readers to the group and keeps them coming back? We asked some of the members at a recent meeting, and here are their responses. 

Lori retired from teaching in 2016 and decided to join the Senior Book Group. She likes the camaraderie that develops among group members and appreciates the opportunity to read different types of books.

Deb was in another nearby library book club when she was drawn to the CPL Senior Book Group because of a title that she especially wanted to read and discuss. When she moved to Canton soon after, she became a regular member of the group.

Greg is a member of several book clubs and appreciates the discipline of reading with a deadline. He strategically divides the number of pages in the books by the number of days before the next meeting and then reads at least that amount each day.

Nellie joined recently and is pleased by how easy it has been to fit in with the group and meet new people.

Cindy remembers how much she loved the stimulating group discussion in her high school Great Books class. She had no time for book clubs when she was working, but now that she is retired, she loves to read books that she normally would not choose for herself.

Donna asked at the CPL Information Desk for book recommendations and found out about our book groups. She loves participating in book groups because she would never pick up the titles the group reads on her own.

When asked for memorable books that they have read, Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell came to mind as an interesting title that led to good discussion. On the other end of the spectrum, they were in agreement that most of the group didn’t like Inland by Téa Obreht, but they still had a good discussion about it. They agreed that discussing a book that isn't popular with the entire group can be stimulating. 

The Senior Book Group meets from 2:00-3:00 PM on the fourth Thursday of each month in the Friends Activity Room at the library. Copies of the book are available for checkout at the Information Desk. Click here to learn about upcoming titles. New members are always welcome!