Luke Book Group enjoy lively discussions

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Luther Mitchell
  • 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  In the middle of the day, people from all walks of life gather at the Luke library for some fun. In a circle surrounded by books and enough information for the most avid reader, the Luke Book Group for adults meets up to enjoy lively discussions, food and each other's company.

As part of the quality of life initiative, the purpose of the book group is to support the mission, promote reading and promote the use of the base library, said Pam Lum, 56th Force Support Squadron senior library technician. The group brings people in and lets them see all that the library has to offer.

The group brings in a mix of people from all around base, ranging in age from their 20s all the way up to their 70s and 80s. The group meets once a month, usually on a Thursday afternoon, to discuss a variety of subjects.

"Everybody is welcome to come," Lum said. "Just come ready to discuss the subject or book. You can also come just to listen and enjoy the discussion."

The group has grown since its beginning, leading Lum to develop questions to organize group discussions.

"We have grown quite a bit," Lum said. "We have gone from four-to-six people up to 10-to-13 people. We started developing questions that we have people think about before the discussion. They find out more about how they felt about the book, the person's style of writing or something of interest that grabbed their attention."

Discussion questions provide a guide to get the most out of the reading. Even though book discussions involve doing a little homework, the group still manages to have a lot of fun.

"We developed questions that give them a guideline, but it's to feel the author out," Lum said. "We promote really good discussion but we keep it friendly. We are about fun too."

This month the group plans on reading "Under the Dome," a book by author Stephen King or any title by that author. In August the group discussed "Lysistrata" by Aristophanes, a greek comedy depicting the ultimate battle of the sexes.

"It was a real short comedy, but it really generated a lot of talk and discussion about plays and literature of that time," Lum said. "That's what it's really about."

At meetings, Lum tries to incorporate meals into the discussion. The meals usually have a complimentary relationship with the book.

"We usually have a food tie in," Lum said. "With 'Lysistrata,' the Greek comedy, we did Greek food type things. We had olives, pita bread, dip and baklava. We don't always go that elaborate, maybe just a tray of cookies, tea and juices. But is just for fun, to relax and welcome people in."

Carol Cop, retired library technician, enjoys the group discussions and the people who attend.

"It's a lot of fun," Cop said. "I love to read and I really like the people who are in the book club. It is very low key. It's not too much for anybody. I think everybody enjoys it because it is really down to earth."

For more information on the Luke Book Group, visit the Luke library or call 623-856-7191.