It’s no secret I love talking books. And I am betting that many of you are the same way. I like to read books, discuss books, search out new books…
Well… you get my point. 😛
As per my earlier post today, ♥ I LOVE MY BOOK CLUB ♥. We have met for ten years and I have met some incredible women through this group who have stretched me into authors and books that I never dreamed I would read… or enjoy…. and have!
For me, it started with my desire to know the people I worked with better. I had worked the same job foe 10 years and found it sad that many of us knew nothing about each other, other than what department we worked in and maybe what we ate for lunch.
So… the book club idea came to be.
I posted a note on the time clock – chose a book (Dance Upon The Air by Nora Roberts), put a time and place and waited. No one said boo to me about it.
I felt like an idiot.
The day of the meeting I showed up at the designated restaurant pretty much planning to drink a diet coke by myself and go home. Then two ladies showed up. We had a blast. And the next month, another one came. And before too long we were 8 and then we grew again to 12, and now we are at 18.
What brings me to this topic today is that I have been blessed by this great group of women and wish everyone had the opportunity to be in a book club. It’s not always easy and with growth we did have growing pains (where to meet as we outgrew spaces, how to keep everyone focused on the book at hand – I am a real stickler that we do discuss the book!) All of us have worked together to bring “more to a group”. By more I mean – we try to bring pictures of events described in books, we discuss the author, we have an annual Queen Event, a Christmas Party, and an October Classic Read. We potluck themes to go with the books, and we do a Year In Review handout every January of the past year, what we read and the funny, or real moments we had. We vote for the best book pick of the year… and the worst.
My questions to you are:
Are you involved in a book club? Why or why not?
Is it online or off-line (or both!)
If you are, what do you do to keep everyone engaged?
Would you be interested in a group that shares book club ideas (ie. fun things to do around certain books, how to get a book club started, how to get the group engaged…)
Book Journey 
Great question, Sheila! I used to be in charge of a book club at our local bookstore, and I absolutely loved it! We had around 8-10 regular members and always had newbies and oldies coming in and out. Then we moved and the book club folded. I would dearly love to have a book club to attend now that we are back in my hometown, but don’t know of any active ones.
I’ve done your online book club (once) and then I missed last months, so hope to jump in again for the next book.
Hi Sharon, grab a few friends and start one 🙂
I have to pick a book yet for Wordshakers, I was hoping to do that this week but am waiting to connect with the author first 😀
I wish I was in a book club! I have tried to find one in my area to no avail (no far…I still hope!). I even posted a notice on goodreads to see if anyone was in my area who would be interested. Nothing! I would much rather meet in person for a book club then do it online, so I am just waiting for one to pop up I can join (or get one together if I can find enough people who are interested).
Coleen – mine started tiny…. but 2 or more makes a discussion. Maybe talk to co -workers or people in other groups you are involved in. I found that there were a lot of people out there juts like me that love to read and discuss books, just didn’t know where to start.
I’ve never been a part of the book club, mainly because I’m just not very disciplined and figure I’d never get the right number of pages read in time. I love the story of how you started your book club, though – it sounds like such a wonderful social event, which is nice because reading is such a solitary endeavor.
It is Belle and we are not super structured (I really dislike lots of structure). If you didn’t have time to finish the book, we hope you attend anyway. We get that life happens.
I have some questions prepared to keep the discussion rolling along but sometimes (in the best of circumstances) the book conversation takes on a life of its own and my questions are hardly needed as everyone takes a part on asking the questions they have. 😀
I am not in a book club…I have always been a solitary reader and discussing a book has not been what I really wanted to do. But now that I have been blogging…I sort of yearn to have a book club…some ex teacher friends of mine say they have a book club but they meet in the afternoons and often don’t discuss the book read and most of the books they choose I have no interest in or have already read…I am so book fussy…I want to have the kind of book club where everyone gets dressed up and we chill out with a glass of wine at each other’s houses and just chat about the book…but that is not going to happen…
I probably sound like a broken record here Patty, but why not start your own group? It doesn’t have to be big…. ours grew through the years and through word of mouth. What started out as a small group of co-workers became an assortment of women that had ties to someone else in the group (a relative, friend…)
We sat almost a year with 4 members before we grew. Now I look back on it and can not believe what started with a note on a time clock has resulted in this great group of women,
😛
I am in a book club. I joined it when I moved to my neighborhood mostly to meet my neighbors but also to help me get back into reading. It’s offline. We use a Yahoo group to communicate, keep track of books we’ve read and create polls to vote for the next books we’re going to read (the hostess for the month chooses 3 books and then we all vote for the one we’ll read).
I’m not sure what we do to keep everyone engaged. I guess letting everyone vote on the books helps so we’re sure to choose books most of the members want to read. And we try to stick with books that are easy to get from the library so no one has to buy the book. We require all members to host at some point. We have 13-15 members so everyone hosts about once a year or a little less.
I would be interested in a group that shares book club ideas. I think that would be fun.
Thanks Julie – I appreciate your input. It sounds like your group is pretty active! 😀
I see that starting one of my own might be the way to go! 😉
LOL Audra! I must be in a book club promoting mood! 😀 I remember trying to find one too and starting one was one of the best decisions I made.
I’m more passive than I like to admit, so I keep wanting to just whine about the lack of book groups around me — but as I said in my tweet to you, I think this is the kick in the butt I need to be more proactive!
Oh good Audra! I hope it works out 😀
Another great topic!
I am in a book club. When I first moved into my neighborhood, a neighbor quickly learned that I was a book lover like her and invited me to be in her book club.
We meet off-line, usually at someone’s house or at a restaurant.
Lately, we have been more of a support group than a book club. With the exception of this summer’s book (The Fountainhead) we’ve been trying to keep our reading on the lighter side (Sarah Addison Allen) because our “real lives” have been so tough. A few months after I joined the group, one of our members was killed in an accident with her husband. Out of 8 of us, 4 of us have battled or are battling breast cancer. So, we talk less about books these days.
I have thought about joining another book club in addition to this one, but I’m not sure I could possibly have the bond with any other group that I have with these women.
The next book club meeting is at my house, which means it’s my choice! I’m looking for a book to which there will be a movie coming out soon -this way we can read the book and then do a girls’ night out at the movies! Any suggestions? (One for the Money is at the top of my list, but most of us have already read it!)
Wow Alison, that is an incredible group and how wonderful you can be there for each other! We have lost one member to cancer through the years and during different reviews people have brought up painful memories that a book may have triggered – all part of the book club bond that I love.
Your movie/book choice sounds good – could be lite and yet fun and thoughtful at the same time. 😀
I love when a book discussion takes us on the road to discovery. We laugh, we cry, we heal…I love these women!
And, yes, I guess for a group of Jersey women, a book like One for the Money can be thought provoking! LOL Rutgers, traffic, the mob, and the best Italian bakeries this side of NYC. 🙂
And err…. Ranger. Don’t forget Ranger. 😛
I’m not involved in a book club per se, but our church women’s group does a book study, that lasts over several week, every so often.
I’d like to start my own but so far I haven’t had any success. I am a freelance writer, so I don’t work with anyone but my computer. My mom and I are both avid readers but I have no idea who else in this small community might be interested or even how to get the word out about a book club LOL… but I’ll find a way!
I would definitely be interested in any help I can get! So a group to share ideas would be great…
Maybe through your library Deb? I am cheering you on 😀
I’m in a book club, but it’s very informal. We do meet once a month and we do discuss a book, but it is made up of a great group of friends who often use it as an excuse for a child free Sunday afternoon!
Kylie that just sounds fun! 😀 What a great way to get together!
*ahem* My name is Suzanne and I am a bookaholic.
I am in three book clubs — two at the library (one is classics, the other non-fiction) and one at an area indie. The group at the indie is quite informal and we do tend to go off topic a lot but it is a nice group. The classics group is great because I’m reading a lot of books that have been on my must-read list and having people to discuss them with helps me a lot. The non-fiction group is very small (2-3 people) and I don’t know how much longer it will last but I like the concept.
I’d be interested in a book club group — I’ve thought about starting my own as well.
Ok everyone… all together now, “Hello Suzanne!” 😛
You are in a safe place here Suzanne….LOL
You are really busy! I have the Bookies (my ten year group) and I run an online one (Wordshakers) but I cant do that every one so I try to do that every two months with about a week or so in between books and then 5 weeks to read. Even that is hard to keep up with sometimes. 🙂
i am in a bookclub and enjoy it with a couple of exceptions…if it’s not a semi fluffy 200 pager only myself and 1 or 2 others bother to read it and a lot of people show up not having read it but expecting conversation…i’d love more book time vs social
would love love ideas on how to expand bookclub and other ideas
We have a pretty good mix Diane of the social time (pre review) and then once we order our food or if at a house dish up a plate we get into the book. A few of us will stay after the group to catch up. 😀
hey Sheila,
Book Clubs are my business so I do enjoy anything reading group and book clubs-related.
I’ve been in a book club since 1995 — in the three different places I’ve lived and all on-site. And, all were very different. It is a challenge to keep everyone engaged. For example, my Colorado group took a weekend trip to the Steamboat Springs Literary Sojourn two years in a row. nice condo, great authors, wine, and the hot springs — good time was had by al!
I love books and like to talk about them. if there is socializing and wine, involved, so much the better.
There are so many different types of groups — library and bookstore-sponsored that usually are more formal and structured, informal groups at people’s homes, women only, men only, co-ed, couples, mother-daughter, teens, etc. Every group is a masterpiece — so varied and unique.
Book clubs have a political and societal factor — we are so lucky to have the chance to read and discuss anything we like. Not all people have that freedom and choice. I know the US has some banned books and that is not good but in relation to other countries, that’s nothing. (I think I take my job a little too seriously!)
Let me know if you start a book club rehabilitation group! I’ve love to join.
My website has tips on starting a group, ice-breakers when starting a new group and some activities to help beat the book club doldrums
thanks for the good question.
Awesome comment here Barbara! And you are a wonderful source for ideas for reviews, shaking things up in the meetings, etc…. I like to put the little extra in the group because the book conversation goes long after the meeting has ended… members talk about our group at home and in their work places – this is why we had to put a freeze on members, people were excited to be a part of a group that talked books and had fun.
Its not always easy, but it is so worth it! 🙂
I just moved to a new city and found a book club! They’ve only had a few meetings, and I’ve only attended once. I like that it’s a small but diverse group, and that, despite all our differences, we have similar enough reading tastes that I’ve yet to really not want to read anything they’ve suggested.
I think it’s amazing that your group has been together for 10 years! How cool!
Erin the smaller groups are fun because you can get so deep into the conversation. We used to just analyze a book to death. Its fun as well to bring new authors in as I remember in the beginning we pretty much all liked the same style of books and authors. As we grew – so did our tastes. I couldn’t choose a favorite author now if I tried. 🙂
I am a lover of the book club concept and have so enjoyed being a developer and participant in different locales. However, I recently reluctantly stepped away from my book club of the last few years and the group folded behind me. Do book clubs have life cycles?
I discussed a bit about book clubs on my blog as well at http://bedsidetablebooks.wordpress.com/2010/08/17/the-book-club/
Susan I think they can have life cycles. We had a couple times through the years that I left a book club meeting thinking we’ll – that’s that. That discussion probably killed the group. Either a discussion became heated or someone felt they were not being heard.
Surprisingly, everyone would show up the next meeting and we would begin anew with a new book. I love that!
The last time I was in a book club, it was in the seventies. We did a gourmet/book club evening once a month. It was a small neighborhood group comprised of people working as activists against a threat to the neighborhood.
We fizzled out when it became obvious that some members were more interested in being competitive than in sharing ideas.
Since then, I’ve gone to other people’s book clubs to talk about my books, after the group had read one of the books. That was a lot of fun.
That does sounds fun Laurel – I wish you lived closer! 😀
How funny that you posted this topic today… I have a pre-scheduled post tomorrow about how to start a book club because I’ve never been in one! I’m going to go through all the comments in a little bit here to see what thoughts everyone has on it. I want to be in a book club but I just don’t know how to go about starting one!
Jenny – you reminded me of a post I wrote in 2008. maybe this will be helpful:
https://bookjourney.wordpress.com/2008/04/17/so-you-want-to-start-a-book-club/
I’m involved in your Word Shakers book club, does that count? lol. I have been trying for a long time to find an in-person book club to be part of but that is hard to find. I was thinking of making my own, but I need to get it organized before making it public you know?
You bet it counts Bookjunkiemom! 😀
If you know a reader or two you don’t need to plan a lot. That first meeting I picked a book a meeting place and a time. That’s it. I did not have anyone in mind for it and really wasn’t sure if anyone would show up.
I hope you are able to connect with a group!
For the last few months I’ve been looking for a book club to join, but haven’t had much luck. A few years ago I had to leave my job due to health issues, and am now on disability. I spend 60% of my time alone, with books & cats; the human contact & conversation would be a blessing!
Jonna a book club will be a wonderful fit for you. Do you have any friends that would be interested in doing this with you? Any groups you are already involved in?
I am in an online bookclub – we meet via Skype. I’m hosting a book club with neighbors in my home this month and I’m hoping it will evolve into a real life book club!
Kathy the neighborhood group sounds like fun! I hope you take pictures and share with us how it goes. 😀
1-3 No, not at present. When our storefront was open we tried to get a group organized, but although there was a lot interest, it never really came together. Since we operate exclusively online now, I’ve tried to come up with an interesting new way of doing one online. We do author events at a local coffee shop & have thought about working a group around that kind of thing, but so far it’s still in the works.
4. I think idea sharing is a wonderful thing.:)
Thanks Simplepleasurebooks for your thoughts here. I was thinking of a way we could connect with ideas to breathe life into our book groups. I am always on line searching ideas and we have had a lot of fun trying them out.
When I review our book club books on line I try to mention the little extras we put into the review to give others ideas as well.
Such a great discussion going on here! I am a book club slacker! After running a book club for two years and I mean running it! Sending out the evites, hosting it every months, picking up the slack when the snack bringer bailed, I had to back out on my responsibilities because it was time for other people to step up. I am much happier now, just dropping in when they pick a book I want to read. For now, the blog brings me the discussion and the back and forth I wanted from a book club that I couldn’t get. Yours however, sounds fabulous!
Thanks Amused! We take turns each month choosing where we will meet next. We usually meet at a restaurant but there are a few of us who will open up their home to meetings as well. When we meet at houses we potluck – usually around the theme of the book.
We vote on the books we read too so really all I do is send out an email a couple times a month – once to let them know how the review went and what is up next, when , and where, and then a reminder email a few days prior to the group meeting. 😀
no, not in a book club. i wish i was though, especially if it’s a romance or a young adult book club. it sounds so much fun to be a part of something like that but none of my friends are big readers.
A YA book club would be fun chelleyreads. Maybe if you planned a fun little group event around a book and invited a few friends it could work. YA is pretty awesome these days and the right book could make a book club. 😀
I am in two book groups which can be overwhelming, but one meets once a month and one is every 6 weeks. We take summers off. One reads mostly fiction while the other reads mostly non-fiction so I feel like I get a great balance.
And the women in my groups are FANTASTIC!
That is a great balance Helen and the groups sound like fun. I like the idea of taking summers off… we have never done that. We have a “free read” in July where we have no designated book, we just meet for a picnic at a park and share about what we did read and what we recommend.
Well, as posted in the previous conversation-I am not in a book club but would love to be involved in one. I participate in online book clubs but would really like to be in an in-person book club. I started and participated in one during my time teaching in a particular school district. As the district dropped teachers over the past few years the club dwindled. When my position was eliminated it just stopped. Sad.
In the next few months my husband may be taking on a new job which will require us to move. I will probaby see if I can find a book club already active or start one when we settle in. I miss the comraderie that a book club brings as well as the heated discussions. They can be so stimulating.
No not in a group. Tried to start one at the library where I worked, but had only two meeting before i had to leave. I don’t think it ever got off the ground. I am looking for a book club now. The other two clubs in that county don’t really discuss books. The clubs are limited to 12 people. They buy 12 different books at the beginning of the year and they are rotated between club members each month, so that at any time everyone is reading a different book. Not until the beginning of the next year will everyone have read them all. What’s the point?
Except for where I used to work, I don’t know anyone to get together with for a book club. I’ll keep looking.
I am in a book club and absolutely love being able to talk to people face-to-face about books. Plus now that we’ve been together for a while, it’s also a great chance to see friends, laugh, talk to some smart ladies and get out of the house.
I’m in a book club, but it’s hard because I move around a lot! My current one I started back in February and we are now at about 5 participants per month. It’s great to get together and talk books! I’m actually considering an online book club too via my Facebook page. Still brainstorming some ideas, so I am definitely interested in more ideas or a place to share ideas!
No, alas! I am not in a book club but want to be!! I see so many other responses here from others who are longing to be in a book club, too! I’m in Minneapolis, can we all meet somewhere? 🙂
I have been in book clubs in the past and enjoyed them, when we talked about the book. I used to write a newsletter for a book club I was in, called Aunt Edna’s, after Edna St. Vincent Millay. I also used to run a poetry book club for Hungry Mind Books in St. Paul, back before it died. That was tough, because some people would come regularly, and NEVER read the book, yet have LOUD opinions about the author and/or book. To tell the truth, I wanted to smack them. They had no idea what they were talking about! But I digress…
I really want to be in a book club again. I am the mommy of a 3-yr old and so I’ve dropped out of a lot of activities in the past four years, since I got preggers and sick and then had superbaby (a premie 10 weeks early who is doing absolutely perfect now). I write book reviews for a couple publications and I really love doing that, but I miss discussing books with people, especially in person. I’ll try your online book club because I just met you at the book fest in Mnpls (waving hi! I was at the panel pressing you and esp. Tim for specifics on how to find great review sources, and then I spoke to you later when I was volunteering at the info table) and I think you’re great.
I think I will ask a couple friends to start a book club, maybe after the holidays. I think what you said was really valuable, about just starting with a couple people and letting it grow by word of mouth. I guess you don’t really have to have a dozen people to start it.
To keep people engaged in the book discussion, I always loved going beyond the book to bring things in to the book discussion. I remember bringing in pics of artwork that a particular poet was referring to, and then looking up references to obscure things the writer mentioned. I LOVED doing that, and sharing these details with the group. I am really a reference book junkie.
Yes, I would be interested in a group sharing book club ideas. I know big publishers have their own book group guidelines for some of their books, usually bestsellers, but most of the time I’m not interested in reading bestsellers. I’d rather hear from readers in the trenches, as it were.
Thanks for this discussion!
Carrie, Minneapolis! We could have met this past weekend at the Twin Cities Book festival! Actually check out Books and Bars, I linked to them on my weekend post about the future of publishing. I want to check them out more but it sounds fascinating and they are in Minneapolis!
I love my book groups!!
They’ve really broadened my reading habits. My first was started by a friend. Her mom had been in the same book group for 30 years, and she wanted to start the same tradition. Two other close friends joined it, too. The three of us loved it! But the woman who started it was sort of controlling – she hosted every meeting. After a year or so, she abruptly stopped the group – it’s a shame she insisted on doing it all herself because everyone seemed to be enjoying it.
Around the same time, the Unitarian Church one of my friends (one of the ones in the other group) belonged to started a book group. I’m not a member, but the Unitarians are very welcoming! I started going with their second meeting and haven’t missed one since (that was about 6 years ago!). My same two friends joined after a few meetings, too.
Shortly after that, I found out my neighborhood had a book group and joined that one, too. It’s funny because there are a lot of older couples in my neighborhood, so I’m about 20 years younger than the rest of the members! But they’re my neighbors, and I get along great with them. One of my close friends joined, too. I’ve been in that group for about 4 or 5 years now. They recently celebrated their 100th book!
I also occasionally go to a book discussion at my library, too, when I can squeeze it in.
I love reading such a broad range of books and I love discussing what I’ve read. My book groups have really enriched my life!
Sue
Sue that is so awesome and a 30 year book club! WOW! I thought we were pretty cool going on 10 years! 🙂
Book clubs are amazing!
I’m in a book club at my parish. We read fiction, non-fiction, biography and autobiography, and this summer read Dante’s Divine Comedy, but all our reading connects in some way with our Catholic faith. We’ve been going for almost two years now, meeting monthly, and it’s a great group. I recently started a blog for the club, to provide a place for discussion and expansion of topics or issues, but I hear from the other members that it will take them a while to get used to using it. That’s okay–I feel it will prove its value and in the meantime I’m learning too.
Anyway, great to hear about your book club and your various activities!
I like the sounds of your group and a blog is a lot of fun to share your book sand your thoughts. My book club too has a few that read my reviews and thoughts and a few that do not.
I agree with you – it is a super way to connect with fellow readers as well as provide an online journal for your reading records 🙂