DANISH AMERICAN CENTER READING CIRCLE
Book Club (Bogklub)
Reading Danish/Nordic Literature across the Centuries
Books have always been an important part of the culture in Denmark. Members in our Danish Reading Circle recall that their Danish ancestors, who emigrated to America, were involved in book discussion groups in various communities in the United States. Our current group at the Danish American Center is continuing this tradition in the 21st century.
The Danish Reading Circle at the Danish American Center was founded in 2001 by Danish speakers, Anne Ipsen and Gitte Mohr, in order to provide an opportunity for Danish speaking members in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area to read and discuss Danish literature in the Danish language. The group then expanded to include English speakers, who read English translations of the original Danish literature. In this way, both Danish speakers and English speakers could read and discuss the same books.
The current Danish Reading Circle reads classic and popular literature with a Danish Connection across a variety of time periods and involving a number of genres (fiction, memoirs, crime/mystery, historical fiction, etc.). Books are chosen by members, who vote for 8 books using a list compiled from books recommended by Danish and other sources and those submitted by members of the Danish Reading Circle.
In our current group, literature with a Danish Connection involves reading fiction books, memoirs, etc. which focus on one, or more, of the following:
- Are written by a Danish author
- Were originally written in Danish (with an English translation)
- Take place in Denmark
- Take place in the Danish autonomous countries of the Faroe Islands and Greenland
- Chronicle the experiences of immigrants to Denmark
- Chronicle the Viking experience
- Chronicle the Danish immigrant experience in America
- Involve characters who are of Danish/American descent
In addition to books with a Danish Connection, we may also read Nordic (Swedish, Norwegian, Icelandic, Finnish) literature. The books being read and discussed may have both a Danish and English version. Members choose which version to read. The book discussions are in English. The discussions are open and free flowing. If we have a guest discussion leader, he or she may provide us with guided questions. Some of the newer books may have a study guide, author biography and/or website to help guide us in the discussion. Although it is recommended that the book to be discussed be completely read before each monthly discussion, participants are still encouraged to come for the discussion even if they haven't read the entire book.
The Danish Reading Circle will meet eight times during 2010-2011 at the Danish American Center ( 3030 West River Parkway S. in Minneapolis, Minnesota) from 3-5 PM on the second Sundays in September, November, January, February, March and April and on the third Sundays in October and May.
Being a part of a book discussion group is a wonderful way to get to know other members of the Danish American Center.