Would anyone be interested in starting an informal preservation book club? Or perhaps some people would prefer a preservation article club? Many of us love to read and enjoy it as a solitary activity, but sometimes it’s more enriching to discuss the book with other people. And while it may sound like homework, it’s not, so have no fear. No quizzes or participation grades! Just lifelong entertainment and learning.
One example is the book, The Devil in the White City by Eric Larson. Everyone I know (preservationist or not) who has read the book, loved it. But we’ve read it months or years apart from each other so there is little that we can talk about except that we liked it. If you’ve read it, you know that there are so many interesting details and plot twists, preservation elements and architectural history and planning elements, etc. What did you catch that I didn’t and vice versa. The same can be said for many books.
Of course, we could choose a fiction book as well or historical fiction or something more academic. The details of the book (readings, discussions, timeline) can be hashed out once we gather a few people, assuming there is interest. Are there preservation book clubs out there (that you know of)?
Think about it. Let me know. You can think I’m a preservation dork, it’s okay.
Preservation in Pink 