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Published on Monday, January 17, 2005 11:19 AM CST

Local Men's Book Club members share a passion for reading

Leo Strausbaugh and Bud Sanders.Ken Trevarthan /Staff Photographer

Bud Sanders of Charleston had a couple of specific goals in mind when he retired. One was to start a ROMEO group, the other to start a book club for men.

"I learned about ROMEO (Retired Old Men Eating Out) when we were visiting our son in Portland, Ore., and I thought it would be fun to start a group here," Sanders said.

Both ROMEO and the book club were started in 1996, when he retired as director of the Counseling Center at Eastern Illinois University.

The club, which merely goes by the name Men's Book Club, meets once a month on a Monday morning; on rare occasions, twice a month. While there is no formal membership, attendance has ranged from seven to around 20 men.

Sanders is a regular visitor at the Charleston Public Library, as well as a collector of books. It's difficult for him to choose a favorite, but "A Beautiful Mind," by Sylvia Nasar, is at the top of his list.

"There are so many books out there," he said, "and I hate to think how many I won't get to read."

"The Men's Book Club is unique," said Library Director Sheryl Snyder. "We don't have another men's group. They came to us and wanted to start meeting here. They're very laid back — very informal.

"People who are retiring now are looking for personal contact with others with like interests and they're looking for intellectual stimulation. I think these book clubs reflect that," she said.

At a recent meeting, Bob Frame of Charleston reviewed the book, "Coolidge — An American Enigma," a biography of the 30th president, Calvin Coolidge, by Robert Solble.

Frame said his plan is to read the biographies of all the presidents who have served during his lifetime.

"The first would be President Wilson," he said, "but I was just a baby then. I was born in April 1918, and Wilson was president from 1913 to 1921.

"Several people at the meetings know a lot about the books I report on because we're old enough to remember what happened."

The subject matter of the books reviewed is diverse, with each book up to the volunteer reviewer to select, said member John Quinn.

"Practically all of the books are non-fiction, however," he said. "In fact, I can't remember of a novel being explored at all, but we've had a pretty wide range of non-fiction.

"We have some really good conversations, but we've never had an argument," he said. "We carefully avoid politics."

Quinn, a retired agriculture economics and urban planning professor at the University of Illinois, is collecting the works of his favorite authors, John Grissom and John le Carre.

Book club reports have included books on short-wave radio, Daniel Boone and General Patton. Upcoming reviews will include "A Short History of Nearly Everything," by Bill Bryson; and "American Soldier," an autobiography by Gen. Tommy Franks.

The group meets around a large table in the downstairs meeting room at the Charleston Public Library. Meetings are informal, with members free to join the discussion at any time.

Raymond Catron of Charleston said he has attended meetings for about a year, although he has yet to serve as reviewer.

"I particularly enjoy the camaraderie," he said. "I like listening to the guys' reports. One I particularly liked was the one on ham radio operating because I used to be a ham operator."

Catron, who is retired from the physical plant at EIU, said one of his favorite books is "The Greatest Generation," by Tom Brokaw.

The popularity of book clubs, both formal and informal, has grown in recent years, thanks in part to Oprah Winfrey, Snyder said.

"Oprah, of course, has made book clubs really big. Now she's doing the classics and that's popular, but not as much as the earlier book club," she said.

Robert Weidner, a former professor in the music department at EIU, recently attended his first meeting. Weidner is also the leader of a non-fiction group that meets at Pages for All Ages in Champaign.

"The fact that so many book clubs are springing up is a good sign that more people are reading," he said.

Harold Marker of Charleston, who has attended three meetings and plans to continue, said he doesn't watch much television except for news and football, preferring a good book.

"No one particular genre," he said, "but I read all the time -- even box tops."

Most book club members apparently subscribe to the wisdom of the late comedian Groucho Marx. who once said he "found television to be very educational. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go in the other room and read a book."

Contact Bonnie Clark at bclark@jg-tc.com or 348-5727.

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