I started a new book club in November 2010 called the Rock and Roll Book Club. The idea is that we’ll all read the same rock music related book each month. The book will either be directly about rock music or written by a musician-turned-author. Most of us spend way too much time at our computers so we’ll also be tweeting about the book and writing about it on our websites.
Rock and Roll Book Club’s inaugural selection is by local Boston author Steve Almond — “Rock and Roll Will Save Your Life: A Book by and for the Fanatics Among Us” published by Random House on April 13, 2010. Before confessing his rock and roll fanaticism, Steve wrote several other books including one about a different kind of obsession — Candyfreak: A Journey through the Chocolate Underbelly of America.
Part of the reason I started the book club is because I haven’t read a book in a really long time. No, longer than a really long time.
So far 33 people have signed up to read Rock and Roll Will Save Your Life — with more who’ve RSVP’d as “maybe” on the Facebook event page. There’s no pressure to read the book by the end of the month but everyone is encouraged to dig in on January 1st.
The book’s author, Steve Almond, is joining us throughout January, too. He is committed to helping us make Rock and Roll Book Club something more than just another book club. (Not that I really know what a book club is like but yes, it will be f-u-n.) Steve will be guest blogging on the book club website, giving away mixed CDs to people who refer the most new members (all they have to do is signup for the email list — shazam!) and if that’s not enough, Steve is also co-hosting a book club member event in Boston. Eventually there will be events all over if the book club takes off. We’ve already got members from throughout the country so we shall see.
To become an official member of the Rock and Roll Book Club, join the email newsletter and buy the book. If you’d like to win a custom handmade mixed CD from author Steve Almond, tell your friends in email, on Facebook and on Twitter to join, too. All they need to do is note you in the “referred by” field using your full name or your Twitter username. You need to be already subscribed to the email list to win one of Steve’s CDs.
Social Media for the Rock and Roll Book Club
Twitter: @RockBookClub
Facebook: Facebook.com/RockBookClub
Twitter hashtag: #RockBookClub
Blog tag and photo tag: “Rock Book Club”
Website: RockBookClub.com
Steve Almond on Facebook: on.fb.me/stevealmond