Willful Readers

The book club meeting to discuss Willful Creatures, by Aimee Bender, was so much fun. The very charming hosts informed me that the six participants cleaned off something like 5 bottles of wine and a couple of beers, but it wasn't just this book club's patent drunkenness that fueled the good conversation - oh no. Our little crowd was almost evenly split between those who loved it and those who felt suicidal after reading. It was interesting listening to why folks felt they way they did and which stories appealed or upset the most. Turns out charming hosts don't read silently, to themselves, like animals, but aloud, 18th century-style. They recommend listening to Bender with the ears - so if you want to hear the author herself, here you go.