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The book club member who didn't actually read the book
So three years ago I started a monthly book club with some coworkers. Last month one guy kept arguing about a plot point that didn't exist, and it turned out he only read the first 50 pages and Wikipedia summary. I caught him because he said the main character died in chapter 8, but the character was alive until the very end. Has anyone else had to deal with someone faking their way through a book club discussion?
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ward.fiona5d ago
Have you considered he might be doing it because he's lonely or feels left out? Maybe he wants to be part of the group but struggles to find the time or focus to actually read. Instead of getting annoyed, you could check in with him privately and see if there's a way to make the reading more manageable.
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kelly.emma5d ago
The real issue isn't just that he lied, it's that book clubs with coworkers are basically a hostage situation. You can't kick him out without making things weird at work, so now you're stuck either pretending he contributed or calling him out and having awkward water cooler moments forever. Honestly, I'd start picking books where the Wikipedia summary is deliberately wrong or confusing just to mess with him. Let him argue that Harry Potter died in book 4 and see how that plays out. Or better yet, have everyone else read a different book than the one you announced and see if he notices. The only way to win is to make the game fun for yourself.
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michael_jones5d ago
You said "the only way to win is to make the game fun for yourself" and honestly, is it really that deep? I get being annoyed but it's a coworker book club, not a court case. Dude skimmed a summary, big deal. Half the people probably zone out during the discussions anyway. If you're spending this much energy on catching him in a lie, maybe you're the one making it weird. Let him ramble about fake plot points and just enjoy the free entertainment.
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