We have all heard of, or perhaps at some point considered or joined a book club. But a book discussion group is quite a different experience. This year there will be three, all taking place at MATC Mequon Campus. They are open to everyone in the community, in addition to MATC students, staff and faculty. One of the unique aspects of these discussions is that MATC English instructors Terri Sutton, Marianne Szabo and Myra George will each be leading a group. Each book discussion coincides with an actual author visit to Milwaukee.

Mequon’s The Next Chapter Bookstore, Milwaukee’s Urban Ecology Center and the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee will be hosting these events.

The first book up for discussion at MATC is “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society,” by M. Shaffer and A. Barrows. Sutton, who is also the group’s founder, will be heading that evening’s discussion.

Szabo’s is next with “That Distant Land,” by Wendell Berry. According to Szabo, “It deals with the land as well as each other.” Szabo also reminds us that a student may get extra credit points if a book relates to their class.

George is leading the final book discussion, “Breath, Eyes, Memory,” by Edwidge Danticat. “The reader is transported via the language and the food to the author’s native Haiti,” said George.

When I asked her about some of the sorrow in the book, she added, “There is always tragedy, but there is celebration as well.”

George has been involved in the discussion groups for two years and is looking forward to this year’s selection as the subjects and authors are so diverse.

The whole point is to get people together to talk about a great book. “People from all facets of life and age groups and the discussions can be quite surprising,” said Szabo.

As the coordinator, she is hopeful about future discussions wooing a wide range of instructors and other professionals. “One idea was to bring in some of the Nursing students to discuss current issues with (Assisted Living and Elder Care), then bring in books that relate to that subject. ”

There will be some light refreshments served. Szabo added, “Nothing fancy; it is about people getting together to discuss what they have read.”

One never knows what will happen. These evenings may have the potential to spark a book discussion movement in the MATC community.

All of the discussions meet on Wednesday evenings in Room A114 from 7 p.m.-8:15 pm.

The dates are October 21 and November 18.