The book club is open to participation by anyone from the myeloma community, whether patient, caregiver, family member, or medical professional. It is not necessary to be a registered member of the forum to participate or to help select the books discussed by the book club.
Each month, at least one book will be selected to be read and discussed by members of the book club. When a book is selected, it will be given its own sub-forum of the book club forum. The sub-forum will be dated to indicate when the book is to be discussed. This will make it possible for the book to be discussed again in the future, in a new sub-forum, by different members of the book club should there be enough interest in discussing it again.
Members of the book club are free to read and discuss as many of the books currently being read as they wish.
Guidelines for Reading and Discussing The Books
Currently, we do not think it necessary to impose any restrictions on how the books are discussed in each sub-forum, or when postings can be made in the sub-forum while the book is being read.
Thus, as you are reading the book you have selected to read -- or after you are finished reading it -- feel free to start a new discussion in the book's sub-forum on whatever topic related to the book you would like to discuss. Have a question about something in the book? Post your question as a new sub-forum discussion thread? Have some thoughts about a chapter or passage in the book? Post them in a new discussion thread.
Or, if you prefer, just read the book and, whenever you feel like it, post comments on other discussions in the sub-forum that have been started by others.
We have only one suggested rule for discussion threads and their titles. If you want to discuss a topic that would "spoil" the book for others who have not yet finished, or gotten to the relevant point in, the book, please
- Use a topic description that does not contain "spoilers"
- Include the text "(spoilers)" at the end of the discussion / topic title to tip people off to the possibility of spoilers
However, if club participants would like there to be more structure than we've proposed, or have other ideas about how to organize and run the club discussions, don't hesitate to share your ideas. We've intentionally included the word "proposed" in the title of this discussion thread.
We do suggest that discussion about a particular book be open for the month it is to be read and the month thereafter, but then closed at the end of the second month. Closing discussions on topics or in forums is not something we have done in the forum in the past. In this case, though, we think it could be a good idea in this case, as it could help ensure that there are big enough groups of people in the future interested in reading together a book that already has been read by some members of the club.
So, ladies and gentlemen, get out your books, put your glasses or contact lenses in place (as necessary) ... and start reading and discussing!
