You, reader, may have seen flyers advertising the “Bibliomaniac Club” posted throughout the school. You may be thinking, What is the ‘Bibliomaniac Club’ and what is its purpose? What does “bibliomaniac” mean and why is it important?
Bibliomaniac: A funny compound word derived from the Greek words “vivlio”, meaning “book” and “maniakós”, meaning “madness.” This is the name of Maspeth High School’s first book club! So, listen closely, bookworms of Maspeth, because this may be of great interest to you!
The founder and president of the Bibliomaniac Club is Maspeth junior, Angelina. Her club meets every Tuesday in Room 408 and their advisor is Ms. Miu. Angelina confided that before she created Bibliomaniac Club, she was surrounded by people who encouraged her love of reading and discussing literature. She asked Maspeth’s advisor, Mr. Blauner, if there was an existing book club and surprisingly found out there was not! This prompted her to create a space for reading and having literature discussions, and it was a great joy for all book lovers alike. Angelina said that the process of setting up the club was relatively easy and explained that she needed student signatures to show support for the club in order to move her idea forward.
She stated that she chooses highly acclaimed books from her Goodreads list to offer to members. Then, club members pick the book they will read through voting on Google Forms. So far, the club has read two thrillers titled, “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” and “The Silent Patient.” “A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder” by Holly Jackson was Bliobiomaniac’s first book. It was a good start for the newborn club, as it was rated five stars on the club’s Instagram (@bibliomaniac.club). It is a hair-raising tale about a teenage girl who investigates a local closed-case murder in a dangerous attempt to find the true killer. Next, an equally nerve-wracking story, “The Silent Patient,” by Alex Michaelides. This one tells the story of a woman who refuses to speak after killing her husband and a psychotherapist who is determined to uncover the motives behind the murder and her silence. Naturally, these books were tense reads and easily kept the club members on the edge of their seats. Furthermore, through discussion, the Bibliomaniac Club scratched beyond the scary surface to find a deeper meaning in each book.
Taking a break from thrillers, the Bibliomaniac Club decided to read a romance novel by Emily Henry titled, “People We Meet On Vacation,”as their last book. It was the perfect story to squeeze in before summer break as it describes a blossoming love affair between a travel journalist and her best friend through recounts of their annual summer getaways.
As the school year comes to a close, Maspeth’s clubs are having their final meetings. Bibliomaniac Club decided to have an end-of-the-year celebration for the last meeting. Snacks were served and members watched movies and played games. It was a celebration of common interests. It will be exciting to see what books they will read next school year. Angelina remarked that she wants to do a rotation of genres every month. That way, the literary interests of every member will be fulfilled but they will also be introduced to new topics and concepts.
Angelina seemed hopeful about the future of Bibliomaniac Club. She explained how she aims to invite more students to the club, especially freshmen and sophomores. Another one of her goals is to fundraise money for the club in order to design and buy club merchandise.
Bibliomaniac is the place for those who find comfort in reading and deep discussions. It is where you can take a pause from the stressors of life and immerse yourself in a good book to relax. It is also a place to gain “new perspectives,” as its founder said. There is no right way to feel or think when reading a piece of literature. Books can be interpreted in a number of ways and to openly compare different thoughts and ideas is the beauty of Bibliomaniac Club . So, if you love reading and want to enhance your reading experiences, be sure to attend the interest meeting in the fall!
Then again, if you have an idea for a new club, do not hesitate to make it a reality! Follow Angelina’s example! Maspeth High School can surely do with new, innovative clubs like Bibliomaniac. “The more, the merrier!”, as they say.