The book club is finishing up its fifth and last book as the end of the year draws near. This sets a record high compared to last year, when the club only managed to finish two books and membership slowly declined.
The revitalization comes in part to student leadership. Club president Caitlyn Hollingsworth (Sr.) said, “We’ve tried appealing to people outside of the senior circle. I think the new Instagram account is part of it. People actually show up when you have a place to remind them.”
The club now has six members and 40 Instagram followers, as well as official positions. Compared to the four chronically absent members last year, this is a 50% increase. The club is expected to grow, as current sophomores and juniors take over leadership positions and bring in new members.
“We’ve slowly drifted to being student-oriented this year. After finishing a book, we typically have a list of recommendations for the next one and decide through a poll, rather than arbitrarily deciding for the group,” Hollingsworth continued. She said, “having a strict schedule and trying to limit the number of sessions on one book help maximize the output per year.”
Last year, the book club finished two books. This year, the club breezed through five novels, several of which rank as classics. Most members were able to keep up with the club’s pacing and read the recommended number of chapters before each bimonthly meeting. In contrast with last year’s desperate struggle through Wuthering Heights, members’ reviews of the chosen novels have been positive.
The club hosted an end-of-year party for its final meeting in which the members wrapped up the discussion of Play It as It Lays by Joan Didion and enjoyed various snacks. This will be the final book club meeting of the seniors’ high school experiences and an opportunity to say goodbye to the club they revitalized.
Meeting announcements can be viewed on the club’s Instagram (@yorkbookclub) and club sponsor Ms. Spohn can be contacted for more information. The club is welcome to new members and encourages students to stop by and check it out.
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