Far 16 rocks!
10.2.2013, Mumbai
Two years ago I became a part of a book club where 16
of us from different walks of life and professions read a book and a month
later met up to discuss and review the characters and the story.
Most of us were unknown to each other at that time and
connected to each other via our mobiles/ emails/ addresses. What helped was that we lived in close
surroundings and could collect at the venue in 15 minutes.
Two years ago we were strangers and careful with our
ways and words with each other. Today, we are friends – not the 24X7 who live
from each other’s pockets but strong, dependable sorts who we can count on in
our happy and low moments of life.
The process for the book club members is a fairly simple
one. We meet once a month at a date convenient to all of us. The time is fixed
6.30 pm and the venue, one of the member’s home. The host prepares a hot snack
–usually upma-chutney or chana-pav and some of us, the more hospitable ones
carry pot luck or dessert for the group.
The first hour is reserved to attack the food,
exchange hugs and kisses and catch up with what’s going on in everybody’s
lives. There is so much cheer and excitement at the dining table that we often
forget the real purpose of our meeting. Jokes aside, we are always excited to
discuss, dissect, recall and review the book. One of us conducts the meeting –
asking everybody to share their impressions and the other reads the review of
the book and background of the author.
Sometimes, we invite the author to be a part of our
session and she shares her journey of writing the book. We have so far had many
celebrity authors like Priya Kapoor, Deepti Naval and last time Laksmi Narayan
author of Kitchen Bonsai. Lakshmi traveled all the way from South Bombay to be
a part of Far 16 evening and we were engrossed in her story telling about how
an idea bloomed into a book.
Before signing off we take suggestions from everybody
for the book to read next month and try as far as possible to pick a different
genre and subject, final decision taken on votes. Post meet one member puts up
the review and the minutes of the evening on mail so that those who have not
been able to attend feel a part of the experience. For the last many weeks it
has been Pragnya Chandra who is a writer in the making and we look forward to
her posts as excitedly as we do o our meetings.
Cheers to Far 16 who believe that a book a month keeps
self doubts away…
Bhawana Somaaya/ www.bhawanasomaaya.com
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