Back in July (2009, in case this idea survives beyond the inaugural book), I kicked off an unconventional book club (due to the suggestion of the ever-awesome Srah) — instead of everybody reading a book at the same time and then gathering in someone’s living room to talk about it and eat brownies or something, we would each receive a single copy of the official book club selection in the mail, read it, write notes in the margins, and pass it on to the next person so he or she could do the same. Oh, and the official book club selection would be an abomination in the face of literature. A terrible book.
The first selection of the Terrible Book Club is Apocalipstick, by Sue Margolis. It is winging its way around the world now.
I set up this page to have a place for members to discuss things related to the Terrible Book Club — receipt and/or shipping of the book, questions or comments (“God, this book really IS terrible!”), ideas or suggestions for future selections, etc. Also, if anyone missed the first round and would like to get in on any future Terrible Book Club action, this is the place to mention that.
So here it is. Discuss.
I’ll start is off…I am very much looking forward to reading this Terrible Book.
I have a perfect one for the second book, although it is soooo long and sooo awful, I don’t know if I could get through it again. But if we are looking for suggestions, I have one (unfortunately, I can’t remember the title off-hand, aside from it having the word “moon” in it. I would have to look it up.).
Posted by Cheryl | September 30, 2009, 9:42 amHi.
Yeah, let me know what it is when you think of the title. Though I can barely force my way through really long books when they’re good, so…
Posted by jamelah | September 30, 2009, 11:09 amI have already wiped the Terrible Book from my memory. Any chance I could be added to the end of the chain so that I have an opportunity to read other people’s annotations?
It was a good choice. Just the right level of Terrible, yet not Entirely Unreadable.
Posted by srah | September 30, 2009, 10:46 amSure. Right now I have the last person in the chain mailing it back to me, but maybe I could have her send it to you instead and then you could send it to me? Or would that be confusing?
I am really looking forward to seeing what other people wrote in the margins… it was such an entertainingly terrible book.
Posted by jamelah | September 30, 2009, 11:12 amOh! I guess here is a good place to mention a question I received. It was about continuing the chain, and it made me have a thought.
Though of course this leaves open the possibility of a bunch of books getting stuck at one location, what about having individuals select a terrible book, noting it, and passing it on to the next person on the list so there’s a continuous cycle of bad books floating around for people to read and enjoy?
Or would it be better, once the first cycle completes, to have someone else select a book and kick off the next chain?
Does this make sense? Thoughts?
Posted by jamelah | September 30, 2009, 11:36 amThis thread is a great idea. I kind of like the idea of having multiple books floating around. I wonder if it would get complex. Hmmm. Could always try it scale back it its confusing. I’m looking forward to the terrible book. I need some terrible, I’ve been reading too much non-fiction.
Posted by syd | September 30, 2009, 12:54 pmI haven’t read anything, teribble or otherwise, in over a month. But I’m going on two weeks’ vacation at the end of the month, and am going to be in serious need of at least one terrible book to clear my mind of all work-related thoughts. I’m currently pinning all my hopes on destiny doing it’s thing and bringing me Apocalipstick in the nick of time, but if we’re going to go with the multiple flow idea, I’d be happy to make my own selection.
I think it’s a great idea, incidentally – Was it mine, originally ? Or did someone else weirdly have the same ghastly idea ? My only concern is a nagging worry that their might be some obscure law of quantum physics that says that the Earth will implode if there are too many pieces of terrible litrichur simultaneously circumnavigating the globe at any given moment.
Posted by Tom | September 30, 2009, 3:01 pmThere. For f’s sake !! “…that THERE might be…”!!!
I really do need to work less.
Posted by Tom | September 30, 2009, 3:02 pmI mailed it today!
Posted by allthewine | October 1, 2009, 7:49 pmIt’s called “Pack Up the Moon” by Anna McPartlin. Here is the Amazon review, which tells you absolutely nothing about the book, which is exactly what the book is about.
Pack Up the Moon
I still have this book at home because we didn’t have a Trade In Your Books day at work this summer like I expected. I do NOT recommend it for your enjoyment, which makes it perfect for this. I could throw it into the mix, if you all would like.
Posted by Cheryl | October 4, 2009, 2:23 pmI picked up a book at the local used book sale that looks like it could be Terrible. I’ll take a look at the beginning and if it looks Terrible enough and if we approve the idea of multiple books, I could send it to Tiff (who’s after me in the chain) or Cheryl (who’s well after me in the chain but whose address I have, if we want to jumble up the list a bit so there’s no backup of books) or anyone else. Just let me know!
Hey Jamelah, if it’s okay with the group, could we see who else is in this Terrible Book Club? I’m wondering how many of us there are and what the chain looks like.
Posted by srah | October 6, 2009, 8:51 pmHi. I seem to have been on internet vacation lately.
I wrote down a list of the people and the order of the chain but I can’t seem to find that right now. There are 9 people, though I know one is moving to an exotic new land and I’m checking if she wants to stay in the chain or if she wants to skip it while off on new adventures, so I’ll update when she gets back to me or if she decides to check in here.
Posted by jamelah | October 7, 2009, 10:01 amI’d love to do part 2, but things are so hectic around here I’m not sure if I’d be able to devote my full terrible attention to it before I leave.
I hope this wonderfully terrible book club is still going in April and I can rejoin when I return!
Posted by allthewine | October 7, 2009, 12:31 pmOkay, so for now we have 9 (I apparently couldn’t count earlier): Me, Srah, Fraulein N, Cheryl, SA, Jolene, Sir, Tom and Syd. I think that’s also the order of the chain.
Posted by jamelah | October 7, 2009, 3:30 pmFound another Terrible book! This one’s short. It’s called I’m So Happy For You.
Posted by Cheryl | November 5, 2009, 12:48 pmShort and terrible? Bring it on.
Posted by jamelah | November 5, 2009, 8:26 pmCan I be added in the mix somewhere? It sounds fun!
Posted by Emily Ann | November 6, 2009, 3:30 pmSent you an email.
Posted by jamelah | November 7, 2009, 1:19 pmDid we decide if we wanted several going at once? How about I send it to whoever is after me? I haven’t gotten the last/current one yet, so things shouldn’t get too backed up. I’ll reread it this weekend (I am SO committed to this book club, I am willing to put myself through this book again) and send it out next week!
Posted by Cheryl | November 11, 2009, 1:13 pmI admire your dedication.
And yeah, go ahead and send it to the next person on the list. I’m not even sure where the first book is right now.
Posted by jamelah | November 11, 2009, 2:30 pmDone! I woman at USPS laughed when she read that I wrote Terrible Book Club on the envelope.
Posted by Cheryl | November 17, 2009, 2:20 pm*The* woman. The.
Posted by Cheryl | November 17, 2009, 2:20 pmI haven’t received anything yet.
Should I be worried ?
Posted by Tom | November 22, 2009, 5:55 pmWell, I haven’t received the original terrible book (Apocalipstick was still the choice, right? And like Tom should I be worried?) however I did receive Cheryl’s book “I’m So Happy For You.” I read a few pages last night. Dudes, it is terrible. So so bad. Slow clap for Cheryl y’all.
Posted by SA | November 22, 2009, 7:39 pmOooh, Cheryl! A slow clap!
Uh, I don’t think not having received the book yet (Apocalipstick, yes) is cause for concern, but I’m not sure where it is. The last thing I heard (well, read) was when allthewine posted on Oct. 1 that she mailed it. So it’s either been lost in the mail, or the person who got it hasn’t read it yet or has forgotten to mail it or something. I’ll send out an email to the group tonight.
Posted by jamelah | November 22, 2009, 7:53 pmI received Apocalipstick the other day! A friend of mine saw it on the table with a pencil in it, questioned what I was doing, and may also add her own comments once I’m finished.
Posted by Cheryl | December 3, 2009, 8:20 amAwesome.
Posted by jamelah | December 3, 2009, 9:21 amOkay, so I’ve been lazy the last few days and haven’t sent “I’m So Happy For You” out to the next person like I should have. It was cold (for once!) and rainy and all that jazz. Will be sending it out tomorrow.
Posted by SA | December 6, 2009, 5:57 pmI’m also sending out Apocalipstick today!
Posted by Cheryl | December 8, 2009, 8:22 amI’m sort of excited that I get the book last because it will be so filled with your comments. I don’t think I’ve ever waited so long to read a really awful book.
I see Cheryl sent it in December….so, uh, who has it now?
Posted by Syd | March 1, 2010, 2:35 pmI’m back stateside! I want back in!!!
Posted by allthewine | May 25, 2010, 12:48 pmomg. how did i not know about this? I WANT IN.
Posted by sarah | June 10, 2010, 11:46 pmI think we should resurrect Terrible Book Club and do it with one of those really smutty Jane Austen sequels. Emma Tennant, boooooooo.
Posted by srah | November 23, 2010, 1:03 pmI think this is a very good idea. I saw a smutty Jane Austen sequel the other day when I was in a bookstore and I just… wow. So yes, let’s go for it. I still have no idea whatever happened to the last book and therefore no clue where the chain broke, but I am totally in.
Posted by jamelah | November 30, 2010, 10:28 pmHoly crap!
I was the weak link in the chain! I found not one, but TWO books here from the Terrible Book Club! I feel like such an asshole.
I will get on them right away and beg forgiveness from you all!
Posted by Jolene | March 19, 2011, 10:51 pmHi Jolene! We’d just started talking about reviving the circle, so what marvelous good timing that you found the books!
Posted by jamelah | March 20, 2011, 9:46 amHooray!!!
Posted by srah | March 20, 2011, 10:22 am