A quarter-century ago, four friends, all avid readers with no outlet to discuss their beloved books, formed a club. Each brought an acquaintance, and today the group is still going strong. “We’ve become good friends, so that’s been a real advantage,” member Brenda Baron says. “We were laughing together a few nights ago when we realized we’ve each stayed married to the same person for more than 40 years.”
The women mostly hail from Olivette, Creve Coeur and Chesterfield and always allow half an hour of gossip and catch-up before digging into the book. Often they choose titles related to their own lives, Baron says. Discussion is free-form; some members come with prepared questions, while others offer insights based on their professions. “We have a therapist in our group who will always let us know about any issues related to the book, and we also have several teachers who offer insights about education,” Baron says. “Sometimes I don’t see the value in the book until I hear what other people have to say about it. Book club forces me out of my routine, and that’s a good thing.”
[about the book]
Graeme Simsion’s The Rosie Project is a romantic comedy about charming yet socially awkward genetics professor Don Tillman and his quest to find love. A man dedicated to the scientific approach, Don designs the Wife Project—a long survey to filter out women with undesirable attributes. Rosie, a barmaid, is immediately disqualified, but Don becomes involved in her quest to find her biological father.
[opinions]
>> “According to Professor Don Tillman, the best way to reach your goal is to set up a project and map every step. That will help him find a wife, find Rosie’s father and learn a new career, like bartending. Rosie’s Project takes you along on these fun rides.” — Leslie Waldbaum
>> “Before it was a novel, Graeme Simsion wrote The Rosie Project as a screenplay. The eccentric Don Tillman decides to find a wife at the age of 39. He begins his quest with a questionnaire and learns, along the way, that what you want is not always what you need.” — Brenda Baron
[former favorite]
The House Girl by Tara Conklin
[up next]
The Chaperone by Nancy Moriarty
by Stephanie Zeilenga
Photo: Bill Barrett
Pictured: Front: Susan Greenberg, Louise Epner, Fran Kepler, Brenda Baron; Back: Louise Levine, Leslie Waldbaum, Estelle Kidder, Nancy Winograd; Not pictured: Linda Levine
