Meg Geffren is facilitating the Muncy Hughesville Book Club Saturday morning as they review Ann Patchet's story, 'Bel Canto.' The club meets the third Saturday of every month.

Every month on the third Saturday members of the Muncy Hughesville Book Club meet to discuss their favorite titles and authors. “However, this club is open to anyone who wants to come and join us, even if you haven’t read the book,” emphasized co-founder, Sarah Jo Womelsdorf. Not everyone will want to read all the titles that are chosen. Every December the group decides what books they would like to read throughout the upcoming year and a list is posted at both the Hughesville and Muncy Public Libraries where they alternate their meetings.

Both fiction and non-fiction are read, some choosing bestsellers and new releases, while others choose classic stand-bys such as John Steinbeck’s, “Cannery Row.”

Some titles we like to read over and over again according to Nancy Coughlin. “Sometimes a title is picked because someone may have started a book, but just couldn’t get through it,” added Womelsdorf.

This month the group that met on Saturday at the Hughesville Library discussed Ann Patchet’s book, “Bel Canto.” Facilitated by Meg Geffren, who also co-founded the book club with Womelsdorf in April of 2005, the book is a novel of intrigue based on a matter of survival when a hostage is taken during a terroristic threat. Although the story is fiction, it is based on a true incident according to Geffren. “The author has a fluid style of writing that keeps your interest,” she told the group.

As book lovers, many of the members are open to several books of interest. “There are some books we like to re-read,” said Joan Martz who will be hosting September’s book review, “The Shoemaker’s Wife” by Adriana Trigiani. Martz said she has read this book more than once.

Muncy Hughesville Book club members are (bottom row l to r): Nancy Coughlin, Joanne Miller, and Joan Martz. (top row l to r): Linda Stein, Sarah Jo Wolmesdorf, Meg Geffren and Marie Castrogiovani.

“We try to stick to familiar authors,” said Marie Castrogiovani who chose last month’s title, ‘The Dante Club’ by Matthew Pearl. Some of the members also belong to other book clubs such as the one in Danville and one in Bloomsburg. They read often. Coughlin said she doesn’t have TV at home and spends most of her free time reading. “I have 15 bookcases of books,” she said. She will be hosting June’s book review and has chosen ‘Crystal Gardens’ an adventure novel written by Amanda Quick.

The members said they read all genres of books, all different ways. Sometimes they prefer the e-books on their mobile devices, or they download audio books listening to them on long trips in the car, but mostly they said they like the hard copies the best. “We can flip through back pages easier to re-read something with the book in front of us,” said Castrogiovani.

Linda Stein has two non-fiction books lined up for the group written by Steven Johnson. ‘The Invention of Air’ and ‘Future Perfect’ are books that prompt discussion on technology, its progress and all interrelated events leading to it.

Next month the book club will meet on Saturday, March 16 at 10 a.m. at the Hughesville Library and discuss longtime author, Mary Stewart and her last novel of mystery, ‘Rose Cottage’ which will be led by Joan Martz. April’s meeting will be at the Muncy Library and ‘Nemesis’ by Philip Roth will be the chosen book for review. All are invited to attend any of the book reviews at any time.