Book Group as Soap Opera

Illustration by Gary Hovland for the New York Times

Link to December 7 New York Times article, "Fought Over Any Good Books Lately?"

You may know them by their type.

The Rambler. The person whose opinion far outlasts the natural interest of others.

The Pedant. The person who never met a literary reference she did not yearn to sling.

The Ayatollah. The person who chooses all of the books and leads all of the discussions.

The Drama Queen. The person who turns the discussion into a personal therapy session.