Club hopping

Kristiane M. Ridgway

Once a month they come together to feed their addiction.

An art instructor, a music seller, a graphic artist, a stocker broker,

a contract administrator and a history teacher.

A colorful and intimate circle, the six meet at the new Borders,

Books, Music and Cafe at South Coast Plaza to share their love of reading

and passion for science fiction.

“I’ve always liked science fiction,” said Barbara Voelkel of Costa

Mesa. “I discuss it online with friends and wanted to be with people to

share ideas, get other people’s opinions. There’s so much out there.”

Voelkel is not unlike many other avid readers, who are flocking to

area bookstores for a social reading experience.

“[They] attract people who don’t have the college experience to get in

good discussions with their peers,” said Holly Daniels, community

relations manager for Barnes & Noble Booksellers at Metro Pointe and

Triangle Square. “I think they miss that and are therefore drawn to

discussion groups. It’s a social experience different from the movies,

watching TV, activities where you interact more with people.”

Barnes & Noble Booksellers has made a concerted effort in the last

three years to draw readers to its stores by hosting various community

events, such as book signings and book clubs, Daniels said. As an added

bonus, the store lures customers to the events with promises of book

discounts and a cup of java, she said.

Barnes & Noble book clubs at Metro Pointe have included discussions on

science fiction, fantasy and an open mike/poetry evening. A Screenplay

Reading and Writing group and Scrapbooking Club will begin soon. A Costa

Mesa resident spearheaded the store’s most recent addition, a History

Reading Group, which is currently discussing “Hallowed Ground” by Bruce

Catton and other books on the Civil War.

At Fashion Island, Barnes & Noble is in the process of starting up an

Oprah Book Club at its Newport Beach location. The group would take a

look at books recently promoted by Oprah Winfrey on her daytime talk

show.

“Different stores are different and we try to play around with things

and see what will work,” Daniels said.

The Borders science fiction group, comprised mostly of women, is led

by Geneva Sherwood, a self-described “science fiction nut” and music

seller at the store.

“Being science fiction people we tend to go off the beaten path,”

Sherwood said. “We come from all walks of life.”

As with most discussion groups, the science fiction group at Borders

is more coffeehouse chat than study session. They allow conversation

wander.

Last week, commentary on the “The Sparrow” by Mary Doria Russell

followed a brief reflection on Star Trek’s role in the world of science

fiction, the status of the nation’s space program and concerns that

science fiction books are largely lost on the younger generation, who

appear to be increasingly dependent upon the big screen and its special

effects to tell them stories.

“They’re not reading,” Voelkel said of today’s youth. “That’s why it’s

something really exciting to see the Harry Potter series drawing so many

of them into the fantasy world.”

The group’s picks are not always hard-core science fiction, like Tad

Williams or Carl Sagan. Other authors, such as Anne McCaffrey, are well

liked by the group and allow them to explore other themes like fantasy.

Ready for a “fun one,” the group picked “Good Omens” by Neil Gaiman

and Terry Pratchett for next month’s discussion. The story gives a

humorous account of the Apocalypse.

“You are able to tell a lot about a society by what they think the

future will be,” said Ron Bowe, a high school history teacher in the

Newport-Mesa district.

The store’s mystery group discussion draws a casual, yet larger crowd.

The group chose six books at the beginning of the year and are working

through each one a month at a time. This month’s selection is “The

Bookman’s Wake” by John Dunning.

“Mysteries are my guilty pleasure,” said Robbie Burkitt of Irvine.

“But I’ll read anything, including the phone book.”

Commentary among the thrill readers addresses as wide or narrow a

scope as the members wish, though most is focused on the plot and

characters.

“I’m not so much not structure and that stuff, but more interested in

the story itself,” said Stella Kahre, a Borders employee who leads the

group. “I like things to be a little more relaxed. It’s supposed to be

fun. We usually end up laughing at a lot of stuff.”

FYI

Local book clubs and discussion groups

WHAT: History readings, Oprah Book Club, Family Reading and more

WHEN: Most meet once a month at 7 p.m.

WHERE: Barnes & Noble Booksellers

PHONE: (949) 759-0982 at Fashion Island or (714) 444-1653 at Metro Pointe

WHAT: Science Fiction, Mystery, “Simple Abundance,” Literature and

Writers discussion groups and more

WHEN: Most meet once a month at 7 p.m.

WHERE: Borders Books, Music and Cafe

PHONE: (714) 432-7854 at South Coast Plaza, (949) 631-8661 at Fashion

Island