A Show I Would Watch Every Week

Earlier today I was searching for a book-related article I had read a few days ago but ended up reading this:

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/jacketcopy/2010/01/the-tv-book-club-ukstyle.html

This year, a British TV producer is introducing a "TV Book Club," a show that will be devoted to people discussing books on TV. Now the UK has seen popular talk show hosts turn books into overnight successes (ala Oprah here in the US) but this idea of a television show ABOUT books is certainly a fresh concept.

So far, the article says, 10 books have been chosen for 2010 and they hope to have famous comedians come on to liven-up the discussions. I haven't read (or admittedly hear of) many of the books on the list, but I did manage to make time for Nick Hornby's latest Juliet, Naked over this past summer. Maybe it was the fact that I was in school all summer, but I couldn't get into it as much as I have Hornby's other work. Just didn't grab me in the way that I was expected it to, but it was still a good read and would be fun to read with others.

Really though, I'm wondering why this idea isn't happening here on our side of the pond. Often I know many book lovers who don't read Oprah's latest pick simply because it has her stamp of approval on it. Having a show like this would be the perfect place for avid readers to try new genres. Plus, think of the online tie-ins that could happen: book discussions, contests, meet-ups, etc. I'd totally be a fan and I'm jealous of my Brit friends for having this as a viewing option.

Or we'd manage to make it totally lame and have all the titles by Jodi Picoult.