Library “Books” FCHS’s Newest Club

For students who hate to read, it may seem difficult to understand why others love books. So it must be even stranger to learn that there are actually students who love books so much that FCHS now has a Book Club. Founded by FCHS librarians Lisa Lucas and Shannon Taylor, the club meets Wednesdays of club weeks during Fluco Focus in the 4th floor Media Center. 

“We had been wanting to start a Book Club for a while because of the student interest and for students to have a place to talk about their love for reading,” said Lucas. While you might think that attending a book club means just sitting around talking about books, you might be surprised to hear that this new club has already had its first field trip. On Oct. 31, club members boarded a bus to travel to the Violet Crown Theater to watch the movie “The Hate U Give,” which is based on a book that club members recently read. Lucas said that future club field trips may include going to the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.

Taylor, who is also an avid reader, said that books on her reading list include “How to Swear in America” and “The Girl in The Blue Coat.” She said that club members start a new book about once a month.

Student Jordan Drumheller said she joined the Book Club because she loves to read. “It transports you to a different world where you can experience things from a different point of view,” she said. She hopes to find interesting books by being in the club. Fellow club member Madison Fain said reading “is like an escape from life. I also get to see how characters think and how their minds work. I read about 20 or more books in a month and I have been interested in joining a book club because I have wanted to expand my view of books.”

As for senior Phoebe Duffy, she joined the Book Club because reading “is enjoyable [and] it takes you away from reality. It is like watching a movie in your head.” 

So far, the Book Club already has 15 members. After reading “The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas, they have moved on to reading “Learning to Swear in America.” Lucas commented on the book’s title, saying it is “only a small part of the story. The main character wants to learn how to curse… he’s a Russian teenage physicist genius recruited by NASA to save the world [who] thinks cursing might help people listen to him.”