We’re all about sharing stories here on The Road, so it’s only natural that we’d start a book club – and call it a story club.

There have been some great memoirs published over the years, and reading them together gives us a chance to share our reactions.  The Story Club is the place where we can read about how one family faced a bump in the road, and brainstorm about how we might do things the same, or differently.

First on our list was “Adventures in the Mainstream” by Greg Palmer.  

So far, we’ve been posting questions on our Story Club Website and in our Story Club Facebook group.

We’re only about half-way through the book – so if you’re interested, there’s still time to get in on the fun.

Discussion Format

Our questions are designed to get reactions about a specific piece of text from the book.  This way, you’re not required to remember every bit – we provide the quote we’re referring to – and ask you a few simple questions to start the discussion.  Here’s the latest question as an example:
Q12)  ”Getting him to go also took some lying.  I told him he could get a burger in Kilronan if he came, although I thought the possibility that the tiny village of Kilronan would have any burger joints was about as likely as a Kilronan K-Mart next to the Man of Aran Taco Bell.  But I’ve about had it with Ned staying on the boat.” p. 29

What is your reaction to the deception Palmer uses to gain compliance from Ned?  Have you told “white lies” to your loved one?  Used bargaining techniques that you wouldn’t consider using with other adults?

Live Talks

We’re in the process of scheduling live discussions over the internet so we can capture more of the feel of a real book club.  Our next book will be “Life with Charley – A Memoir of Down syndrome Adoption.”
We’re super excited about this one because the author, Sherry Palmer, is a friend of ours.  We’ll be able to ask her questions about the book directly!  

Be sure to subscribe to the Story Club newsletter for information about when we’ll start discussions on this book and when you can talk to Sherry.  In the meantime, you may want to listen to our interview with Sherry and her family.

We’re Open to Suggestions

The Story Club is the latest addition to our list of services and very much a work in progress.  We’d love to hear any suggestions you may have about what books to read, or what features we should include in The Club.  Email Stephanie with any questions or comments.