Spring Break
Everything you need to know about the bulldog book club
Q & A with Bulldog Book Club founder and University professor of English Frances Teague
SETH MCKELVEY
Issue date: 4/2/08 Section: Variety
Why was the Bulldog Book Club started?
"I hear a lot from colleagues and administration officials that say that our students don't read and write, and my feeling was, yes they do. Being a contrarian, I decided I would just see if people would come and talk about books with me.
How are the books to be read chosen?
"I started letting the people who showed up pick the books. At the end of every term, the last thing I always ask people is 'What book do you think we should be reading next?'"
Is there a required membership?
"No. We have an emeritus professor who's retired. He's pretty regular. Lots of students, librarians. At least one time we had a nice homeless man from downtown who really wanted to read about [Malcolm Gladwell's] 'The Tipping Point.'"
When: 3:35 p.m. today
Where: Student Learning Center Jittery Joe's
More Information: Contact Frances Teague at
fteague@uga.edu
What do people get out of the Bulldog Book Club?
"I've spent my entire life getting a great deal of pleasure out of reading, and my experience is University of Georgia students are very, very good at pleasure. They've got that nailed. I was pretty sure if it was something that was fun to do, I could find some students that would enjoy doing it."
How often do you meet?
"We do six books a term, two meetings on each book, so twelve times a semester. About once a week, usually."
How do the meetings go?
"The first question is, 'What did you find most interesting?' I do not ask, 'What is good?' I do not ask, 'What is bad?' I do not say, 'What did you like or you hate?' It's always what's interesting."
Is the environment laidback?
"God yes, I don't do anything but laidback, trust me."
Do any particular moments stand out in your mind?
"Let me tell you the best part about what the emeritus professor said [about 'Treasure Island']. ... 'I haven't read this since I was a kid, but I really enjoyed re-reading it because I read it aloud to my grandchildren.' The kid sitting next to him turns around and said, 'I've loved this book ever since my grandfather read it to me when I was a boy,' and there was this moment. The two of them just looking at each other, it was so sweet, it really was."
Possible works to be read in fall:
- "America" by Jon Stewart
- "I Am America (And So Can You!)" by Stephen Colbert
- "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer
- Assorted works by Hunter S. Thompson and Jane Austen
"I hear a lot from colleagues and administration officials that say that our students don't read and write, and my feeling was, yes they do. Being a contrarian, I decided I would just see if people would come and talk about books with me.
How are the books to be read chosen?
"I started letting the people who showed up pick the books. At the end of every term, the last thing I always ask people is 'What book do you think we should be reading next?'"
Is there a required membership?
"No. We have an emeritus professor who's retired. He's pretty regular. Lots of students, librarians. At least one time we had a nice homeless man from downtown who really wanted to read about [Malcolm Gladwell's] 'The Tipping Point.'"
BULLDOG BOOK CLUB BLUE CARD EVENT
"Wise Blood" by Flannery O'ConnerWhen: 3:35 p.m. today
Where: Student Learning Center Jittery Joe's
More Information: Contact Frances Teague at
fteague@uga.edu
What do people get out of the Bulldog Book Club?
"I've spent my entire life getting a great deal of pleasure out of reading, and my experience is University of Georgia students are very, very good at pleasure. They've got that nailed. I was pretty sure if it was something that was fun to do, I could find some students that would enjoy doing it."
How often do you meet?
"We do six books a term, two meetings on each book, so twelve times a semester. About once a week, usually."
How do the meetings go?
"The first question is, 'What did you find most interesting?' I do not ask, 'What is good?' I do not ask, 'What is bad?' I do not say, 'What did you like or you hate?' It's always what's interesting."
Is the environment laidback?
"God yes, I don't do anything but laidback, trust me."
Do any particular moments stand out in your mind?
"Let me tell you the best part about what the emeritus professor said [about 'Treasure Island']. ... 'I haven't read this since I was a kid, but I really enjoyed re-reading it because I read it aloud to my grandchildren.' The kid sitting next to him turns around and said, 'I've loved this book ever since my grandfather read it to me when I was a boy,' and there was this moment. The two of them just looking at each other, it was so sweet, it really was."
Possible works to be read in fall:
- "America" by Jon Stewart
- "I Am America (And So Can You!)" by Stephen Colbert
- "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer
- Assorted works by Hunter S. Thompson and Jane Austen
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