Book clubs are abundant on the West Plains

Getting involved in a book club in the West Plains is easier than some may think, considering there are three in the area. The Airway Heights, Cheney and Medical Lake libraries each have a book club that community members can join.

The book clubs come together once a month to discuss a novel, socialize and sometimes enjoy a guest speaker that is a local author. Each book club is run through the Friends of Spokane County Library program, which also provides the books.

Airway Heights has a book club thanks to Mary Ann Longeway. Five years ago, she went to go join the Medical Lake Book Club but instead of joining, she was asked to start a book club at the Airway Heights Library. This club meets on the first Tuesday of every month from 2 – 4 p.m. The group usually consists of six members, but Longeway hopes to add to that.

"The club is open to the community," Longeway said. "Just show up on the first Tuesday of the month to discuss a book."

Last year, the book club invited five authors of recently read books to come to their meetings. The authors came to take part in discussions with them, and providing their viewpoints behind the book. If there is a movie version of the book, the club will watch it too.

"My favorite part about this book club is getting together with the girls and catching up," Longeway said. "I have become good friends with the ladies."

The next meeting at the Airway Heights Library will be on Feb. 7. They will be discussing the book "The Girls of Atomic City: The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II" by Denis Kiernan.

Just 12 miles away from the Airway Heights Library, the Cheney Book Club meets every fourth Tuesday of each month from September – May at 6:30 p.m. at the Cheney Library. This club has been meeting since 1991 and Delphine Phillips currently runs it. The club usually has 10–15 people join every month.

"I have been introduced to many new authors," Phillips said. "I have been delighted with my findings. It (the book club) is a good source of finding new books."

Like Airway Heights, this club also invites local authors to come speak at their meetings or to just listen to the discussion. The members take turns leading the group every month and sometimes the books even come with a list of questions already provided.

"It is a great way to read books you would not read on your own," Phillips added.

The next meeting at the Cheney Library is on Feb. 28. They will be discussing the book "Deep Down Dark: The Untold Stories of 33 Men Buried in a Chilean Mine, and the Miracle That Set Them Free" by Hector Tobar.

Then just 10 miles away from the Cheney Library, there is also a book club at the Medical Lake Library that meets the second Monday of every month from September – May at 12:30 p.m. The club has been around for about 15 years and is currently run by Mary Seagrave, who has been the president for four years.

The Medical Lake Book Club usually has 12 – 18 people attend every month. The club also sometimes has guest speakers that include local authors. Seagrave compiled a list of suggestions with a variety of genres, and the officers each chose two off the list to decide what books would be discussed.

The book club helps run two book sales put on by the Medical Lake Library. These sales have supplied multiple items to the library including a coffee cart, display cases, puppets and a round carpet for kids.

"The best part about the book club is the camaraderie with the other ladies," Seagrave said. "It is nice to have a group of people like that and it also makes you read different books."

The next meeting at the Medical Lake Library is on Feb. 13. They will be discussing the book "A Fall of Marigolds" by Joyce Caudel.

For more information on the book clubs, visit the Spokane Country Library website, http://www.scld.org/book-clubs or contact your local library.

MORE BOOK CLUB INFORMATION

Airway Heights: (509) 893-8250

Cheney: (509) 893-8280

Medical Lake: (509) 893-8330

Grace Pohl can be reached at [email protected].