To read or not to read

“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies . . . The man who never reads lives only one.” – George R. R. Martin

There is something uniquely magical about books and reading. A book can comfort, challenge, inspire, and transport us all at once. Through reading, we step into different worlds, experience lives unlike our own, and discover new ideas, places, and perspectives without ever leaving our chair.

In 2024, we celebrated an incredible milestone — 20 years of our West Yorkshire book club, To Read or Not to Read.

Our very first meeting took place in September 2004, when we gathered to discuss Life of Pi by Yann Martel, the first of many books we would go on to share. Since then, on the last Wednesday of every month, we have met to read, reflect, debate, laugh, and occasionally disagree passionately over our latest literary choice. Some books have made us laugh out loud, others moved us to tears, and the very best have stayed with us long after the final page has been turned. 

What began as a shared love of books and reading has grown into something far more meaningful. Over the past two decades, we have become a close-knit group of nine wonderful, inspirational women whose friendship extends well beyond the pages of a novel.

Together we have enjoyed weekends away, hiking adventures, crafting, theatre and cinema trips, concerts, exhibitions, and countless cultural events. If something artistic, musical, theatrical, or inspiring is happening anywhere in Yorkshire, chances are someone in the group has already discovered it — and before long, an invitation will appear in the WhatsApp chat.

Although my move to New Zealand in 2023 meant I could no longer attend most of our monthly gatherings in person, I have continued reading each month’s chosen book from afar. And, whenever I return to the UK, I still look forward to hosting our get-together — proof that true friendship, like a great story, easily transcends distance.

Books are a great reminder that stories know no borders. Although I now read our monthly book choice from the other side of the world, the experience still feels wonderfully shared.

Opening a book in New Zealand is no different from opening the very same pages in Yorkshire — the story unfolds in exactly the same way, the characters still come to life, and somewhere across the hemispheres, we are all reading together. Distance and time zones may separate us, but books continue to connect us, chapter by chapter.

Meet the lovely group:

• Heather - founder member and the first book suggestion

• Julie - founder member and now a Yorkshire Kiwi

• Sharon - founder member

• Angela

• Lisa

• Kath

• Fran

• Alison

• Carol

Alison summed up our book group:

Much as I love books and the eclectic choices of the other ladies, for me the best thing about becoming a part of To Read or Not to Read has been the friendships formed and the new experiences having those friends has opened up to me. Who'd have thought I'd be watching K-Pop live streamed from South Korea one week, then getting an anatomical lesson from a woollen frog at an agricultural show the next!!