Though our friends The Author Enablers are the official advice dispensers for BookPage, occasionally we get a question from a reader that isn’t related to writing. Last week brought one to my inbox. Reader Diana wrote,
We are a group of retired friends that would like to start a book club, or book discussion group. We have no idea where to start. Any suggestions?
Props to Diana for already having a group! Of course, any book club leader needs suggestions beyond the obvious “meet and decide how often to meet/what to read,” and that’s where you come in. To enter this week’s contest, leave your best piece of advice for someone starting a book club in the comments. The prize? Five copies of our January Top Pick for book clubs, Peter Carey’s Parrot & Olivier in America, for the lucky winner to read with their own book club.
So be creative! Is there a strategy for picking books that you’ve found useful? Any ways to ensuring that discussion remains on the book and away from the participants’ personal lives? Is there a brand of wine that all your club members can agree on? A winner will be chosen at random from all who have entered before 5 pm CST on January 14, 2011.
Give questions out in advance with the book that you are reading, to help generate discussion: Like – what was the turning point of the action? or how did the writer set the scene? etc. You can use Oprah’s book selections or Top 10 book selections to choose or take book club members’ ideas and vote.
Be flexible. Each member of our book club bring books we have read or have heard about and want to read to a meeting every four or five months. We then all look through the books and agree on choices going out over the next four or five months. Then each month we rotate to a different house so that one person is hostess and another person is the leader. They come prepared to lead the discussion.
Be sure to carefully select potential book club members that are not rigid in their book tastes … be open to new genres & authors. Encourage members to be curious, read publishers web sites for wonderful suggestions & interviews. Have fun!!
Listen to each member, accept that other’s ideas about a book may not be the same as yours. Accept those differences as part of the joy of discovery! Book clubs have broken up because members have expected consensus, and could not accept the differences.
Try to stay on topic; it’s so easy to stray to side conversations.
Have fun…nobody wants to attend if one person always dominates the discussion. Have an open mind…Mix up the ages a little…Alternate homes and the current month’s host becomes the discussion leader for that book. We try and serve snacks related to the novel’s setting, time period, country etc. makes it fun to see how it fits together.
Have a person “in charge”, to keep it organized!
Check with group members along the way to verify they are reading the book. It’s no fun to get to your meeting and find out that no one read the book.
Turn the last meeting into a sort of Battle of the Books trivia competition. Split into 2 teams at the beginning of the club meetings. Everyone reads the book in a designated time… say 2-3 weeks. Meet back up and hand in 3-5 trivia questions that you make up with answer and page number. Then have someone ask the questions to opposite team and team with most points wins a cool prize. (maybe take up a collection of money to get the final prize or have small grab bag prizes could be fun)
Go into it with the knowledge that not everybody is going to agree about everything all the time, whether it’s the book that is chosen, your opinion about the book, or the date of the meeting, etc. Everyone should agree to host at least one book club a year. It’s not fair if the same people host all the time. Choose people who are not too rigid in their thoughts and opinions and are not willing to agree to disagree. Have fun! Have wine! Laugh and enjoy each other and the books you choose.
Be flexible, if the readers want to stray off the subject matter, it really is not a big deal. Conversation is the best medicine in life!
Choose books of different genres, non fiction as well as fiction. Try not to get “stuck” with the same types of books.
Each book club is unique. I love the fact that our book club has a span of women from their 20s to their 70s. We get excellent and different perspectives from all the members. Sometimes a member poses a challenging question for the next meeting, i.e. bring to the next meeting the first sentence of your autobiography.”
Read a wide variety of books because not everyone has the same preferences. Try not to choose long books. Snacks are great, but the last group I belonged to became more of a meet and eat occasion.
We have a neighborhood book club where the members’ ages span almost 4 decades. We have a faciitator and host for each meeting. The facilitator is responsible for coming up with a discussion agenda and facilitating the discussion. This really helps to make sure that members have read the book and that the discussion stays on track. We meet at our homes, and it has been a great way to share the love of reading as well as get to know our neighbors. We meet 9x/year – we submit book nominations by email, 3 x/year, and we discuss and vote on selections at the meeting.
Each month another individual chooses their choice of book for discussion. They would host the meeting and plan the evening. Trying to stay on topic is important but not vital. A variety of tastes makes the meetings more interesting.
For discussion we practice mutual invitation. one person, usually the one who suggested the book, starts the discussion by sharing their reflections, then invites another person to share, who then chooses the third, and so on. After each person has a turn the discussion may turn into a free for all. This way everyone is ensured a turn to speak and no one has to spend a lot of time in preparing to be the leader.
Try something unique, such as coming to each meeting prepared to summarize and comment upon three books one has read during the previous month. A synopsis of each book suggested can then be sent by the group’s leader to all of the members. Each quarter members state which of the books discussed they have decided to read also. Using this protocol (our club does) eliminates disagreement over one book that everyone must read, yet identifies books that members may not have known about, and now wish to read.
Allow input from all members regarding the selection of books to be read. You might want to rotate the discussion leader among each member of the group, and have a particular month’s discussion leader submit in advance the titles of 5 or 6 books he or she would like to discuss and then all the members vote on it. Don’t make the group too large. Make sure everyone shares the same commitment to reading. Decide if the group will be open (accept new participants at any time) or closed (once you start, that’s your membership). And if you go to an open format, how do you determine which “new” people get accepted or get invited.
Have each member come with a question about the book.
One monthly meeting a year we all bring 4-5 books we want the group to read. You tell about your books, everyone drinks tea, discusses pros-cons & then each person votes for 11 books. Top vote getters are our choices. Each month someone volunteers to prepare a presentation on author, critical review & moderate the discussion.
My daughter’s book club meets at someone’s home & has a meal based on book choice (middle Eastern for Three Cups of Tea; any food that is red for Twilight, etc.)
I would suggest meeting every other month. It definitely helps to have a list of questions either from a publisher’s website or some you come up with yourself as it keeps the conversation flowing.
My next door neighbor and I started our book club in 2003. We meet the first Monday of every month in a set rotation that is flexible enough to switch when necessary. Each member is assigned a month to select a book which we all MUST read. We are very careful in regard to new members – they must be voracious readers who are willing to expand their horizons and be open to almost any genre. We try hard to go around and individually comment on the month’s selection without too much interruption (we can get off topic very easily if this isn’t followed closely), and we usually succeed. The person sho has selected the book goes last and usually ties up any loose ends and the discussion is then open to the floor…it really is very loose throughout but these are our general practices. There are 7 of us that have been meeting since 2003 regularly – with one nomadic member that joins us every summer. I think a larger group would get out of hand. One thing to remember is that there Must be wine and cheese! We’ve become incredibly close and all of us would love to meet weekly – however unmanageable that would become!
Have members suggest books thay would like to read. Make sure the leader is able to keep the group on topic and not stray off. Keep the group small enough so everyone gets to speak. Try to have some fun with it and make sure there are enough snacks to go around.
Each member must participate in the discussion to keep the club active.
Our monthly club rotates the selection from fiction, non-fiction and classic. This has expanded our knowledge and even our taste in books. We choose the books for 3-4 months at a time so this allows for choosing newer releases as well. Another thing we do is keep a journal on the book selection, who attends and our overall thoughts on the book.
Don’t be too rigid about a genre or specific list. People are more likely to participate when they have in put into what is read. Bust most importantly, listen to and respect everyone’s opinion. Disagree, but politely.
Choose books that are accessible from the library. Economics shouldn’t keep avid readers from participating!
Enlist help from your local library. At my book club , Madison Murder Ink., we have a web site through our library, where we also meet. We have a theme of unusual noir and hard boiled crime novels. We also post flyers at several other branches to attract new members. Our selections are sometimes very unusual, we range from international authors to off the wall noir such as “Wicked Little Vein” by Warren Ellis and the “Little Sleep” about a narcoleptic detective. Memebers often joke that dismemberment of body parts is old hat to us. You might think that we only have a certain member profile, but we have members from 20 to 80 years old. The best advise that I have is to make the meetings fun!I have read many books that I normally would not have picked out myself that have opened my reading horizons. I mean Godzilla-philes and Bento Box killers, WoW…
One important thing you need with a big group is someone who keeps everyone informed. I’m in a book club that has been meeting for more than 10 years, but nearly dwindled to nothing. I am the email person, so I keep track of what books are upcoming and email everyone about a week and a half before the meeting to remind them. We have an open group, so I also follow up on inquiries and keep the list up to date. We also have a facebook page and members can add websites of interest regarding what we are reading as well as their own recommendations.
Our group keeps a genre list that we try to cycle through every two years–it keeps us from falling back into our favorite literary ruts and introduces us to some great reads in the process!
Have someone be a designated discussion leader. This can change each month. This person will be in charge of keeping the conversation moving & on track.
Also, start each discussion by having each person say something positive about the book. Sometimes, not everyone in the group is going to like that month’s selection. Often the negative things that are said can overpower the positive comments.
Our book club devotes 45 min. to 1 hour to the discussion of the book. Afterwards is time devoted to our feelings for the book. Each member has a list of questions or thoughts on the book.
Try to select a book that you know you will be able to access! Picking something out of print, or there are only a few copies at the library, automatically sets your discussion up for failure. My biggest pet peeve at a book discussion is, “I didn’t read it because I couldn’t find a copy.” That includes trying to select something in paperback, so members aren’t forced to make a more expensive purchase. Finally — REFRESHMENTS!! Because, after the discussion is over, it’s really all about the food!
Dedicated members are very important. You need people that will read the book each month no matter what genre it is and show up at the meeting! A good discussion needs opinions from many people. In our group 7-9 is a good number.
Having worked as a bookstore manager, I’m familiar with the ‘deer in the headlights’ look, when someone comes into the store in panic mode because it’s ‘their turn to choose for book club’. Therefore, my personal book club has a way of choosing books that puts no one on the spot really if the book is not popular. When it’s your turn, you come to the meeting with 3 titles that you have NOT read. Then we all proceed to vote on our top 2 favorites of those 3. That will eliminate 1. Then we vote again on our favorite of the 2 that are left, and that’s the ONE! So, even though it may have been your turn, if the book is just awful, you can always say, “Well, YOU guys voted on it!”. We all also have an understanding that it’s a gamble every month since these are all titles that no one has read. Makes for a great discussion every time. And that’s the whole idea, right?
Variety in genres; check for discussion questions already available either via local library or publisher’s website; realistic time frame to read a book (take into consideration its complexity, pages, and people with full-time jobs); simple snacks and beverages (cheese, crackers, wine work for us) so that it doesn’t turn into a food tasting more than a book discussion.
Main requirement is that the person who suggested the book must have read it. We choose fiction and non-fiction and we always try to find a reading guide for the book to bring to our meeting. An hour goes by fast and sometimes proves not to be enough time for our discussion.
Honesty from members must be key to the success of any reading group. As we all know, everyone’s tastes for different genres of reading material can vary greatly. Therefore, honest input from members as to the genre they really like or really hate must play a large part in the selection of books to be read. A reasonable timeframe in which to read the book should be alloted to allow members with varying schedules to have time to read the book. Members should feel comfortable enough to voice their honest opinions. I’ve heard too many people say they don’t want to let the group down but they are strapped for time to read or have feelings of boredom with certain books. Bottom line, members, be honest and enjoy the group because that’s what it’s all about!
Flexibility is very important. Not everyone is going to want to read everything that is suggested. Even if the majority wants to read something that one or two persons don’t, the other two should not be required to read it.
Our book club is very lax. We meet once a month and discuss the book but also enjoy each other’s company!! Our main focus besides the current selection is “themeing” our foods! We always try to pair the food with the book. We always have a potluck style meeting where we each bring a dish, side dish or dessert (and wine!) We’re having our one-year anniversary next month and I have to say it’s one of the funnest book clubs I’ve been a part of!!
Make sure you know what type/genre of books you would prefer to read, and invite people you think enjoy that particular genre. Keep the group fairly small, especially if the meetings are to be time-framed, so everyone will have a chance to comment.
after many years of being in a book group, I would say
*don’t take long breaks, schedule the next mtg at the current one
*try and have had at least one person have read the book, to avoid some awful choices
*allow everyone to take a turn in choosing
*get some background info on the author and novel prior to group..
I started a book club in my neighborhood 2 years ago with only 4 people interested. We now have 18 women of all ages & backgrounds that meet monthly. I’m happy to share what we have learned:
1. Pick a monthly meeting day & time & stick to it
2. Have one person willing to send email reminders the week before the meeting with an RSVP to let the hostess of the month know how many to plan for. That person is me & I keep track of our members as some leave & new ones join. I also keep track of the monthly meeting dates & books to be discussed.
3.Have yearly calendar for a hostessing sign up sheet…I pass one around early in the year so everyone has a turn to hostess. The hostess provides light refreshments & drinks for everyone. We have open house for the first hour to catch up with each other & the second hour is devoted to the book discussion.
4. We choose books a few times a year by having members bring a book they would like the group to read to a specified meeting. We vote on the books & if a members’ book is chosen they are responsible for leading the discussion on it.
Realize that not everyone will read the book so make the review interesting without revealing too much. Entice them to read the book. Also realize that not everyone is going to have the same tastes . Sometimes go for the ones that don’t appear on the best seller list. Some of the best books I’ve read are ones that I’ve read the review in Book Pages.
My book club takes turns each month choosing the book. The person of the month is responsible for planning a related activity, dinner, etc. We often have games with prizes too. It is important to establish rules VERY early on (ex: no kids, must read book, etc.) or it can get out of hand.
best idea is to be open to all books , possibly limiting groups to only political, or religious , or current bestsellers and those older high school classics….great to include all age levels for different points of view
Congrats, Pat — you won! I’ll be in touch by email soon.
Give each member an opportunity to choose a book for discussion. This enables other members to read someting that is perhaps out of their normal reading zone.
Be open-minded about the books. Explore other genres. Give each person a chance to pick a book. Use the library so those who cannot afford to buy new books can participate. Don’t be bound by the bestseller lists-there are so many good reads that never make it near bestseller status. Respect each person’s voice. Have fun!
Allow members nomination of books then vote twice a year for five-six months. Overtime, you might want to consider certain restrictions such as no nominations until books become trade paperback, limited the number of books nominated per author, etc.
At first, it’s important to make sure that everyone understands what everyone expects. I belong to two book groups. One is a little more rule-based but still fun–they like to read more brainy books and bring lists of questions that we devour before moving on to chit-chat. They also have a rule that whoever hosts chooses the next book. I’ve read genres I’d never explore on my own, so that’s interesting. The other group likes to read ‘fluffier’ books, we only read a book for every other meeting–the alternating meetings are at a wine bar or movie theater or just in someone’s living room, but no book talk. Also, anyone can bring a book suggestion and we all decide together. The point is that both groups are fun, but they both know what they are. Have fun!
Meet in a restaurant! Vary the meeting days. This is important!
Discuss the book when the entree is being served. Be very careful whom you invite to join. Some people are just natural conversation hogs and it gets tedious to listen to one person ramble on and on with their amazing “insights.” If your newest person is unfortunately one of those hogs, you can always change the restaurant location and the time and you can tell that person the book club “broke up due to lack of interest.”
Tell EVERYONE!!!
Keep it fun! Don’t stress if the topic of discussion gets a litle off track. When the group first began we had some members that wanted a very structured meeting and that is not what the majority agreed upon. Those folks left our group pretty quickly and the rest of us have been together almost 10 years now.
Be open to other people’s suggestions of books. That way you’ll find books you love that you would otherwise never thought of reading.
Be careful who is invited to participate (operative word!). You want to avoid monopolizers who prevent shyer ones from feeling left out. Everyone should have an opportunity to discuss.
We have read a wide variety of books together, but the ones we end up enjoying the most are the ones that have a movie coming out soon. We read the book, meet at the theater to see the movie, then go for dinner and drinks after the movie to discuss both!
Keep it short,to the point and easy to understand,Choose a list of rules and all add to or vote.so you know up front,enjoy and have fun.
Make sure you all agree to diagree once in awhile,let all have a say so in books to read and rules..good to have fun and remember it is voluntary
To disagree”oops
Our library has a book discussion club that meets in the conference room. But, I like someone else’s idea to meet in a restaurant. Wherever you meet relax and enjoy yourself. If you can find a few people who love to read you are very fortunate.
This piece of advice will depend on the make-up of your group. Some members in my group cannot afford to buy a hardback book every month, so we try to pick books that are out in paperback. It also helps if the public library has some available.
Meet in a library branch. Space is expandable and you can catch new members, get suggestions from the librarian, help getting enough copies of the chosen book/books and not have to worry what others will think of what you did or did not get done in your home leving more time for book discussions.
I can’t remember how we started with the first book, but whoever is hosting the book club chooses the next book. It is a great way to find new authors that you might not have tried. We don’t always meet at someone’s house but sometimes meet in a restaurant or wine bar. We keep it fun. I did read an idea from another entry that I think we will try, were you read a book that will be coming out as a movie and then go see the movie together. Sounds like fun.
Our book club loves new authors and we choose many books that don’t make the best sellers list and come with little recommendations except for newsletters like Book Page and Bookmarks magazine.
Because our book group is about conviviality as well as books, we meet twice each month: once for catching up with one another, once to discuss the book. To keep discussions on track, it helps to have one person assigned to pose questions and steer the discussion. Usually it’s the person who suggested that month’s book.
My book club will not choose a book unless a member or a reliable friend of the club has read it. Also we often wait for a book to come out in paperback before we read it. Before summer vacation time, we gather a large list for “summer reading”. When we meet in September, we make the list for up coming months based on the summer reading and other suggestions. Sometimes we will bring in a movie made out of the book we are reading.
Laura Beyer
Bridgewater, NJ
My book club used to choose our monthly selections by group consensus. This took up a lot of discussion time each meeting. Now the hostess for the next month (we meet in each others homes) chooses the book. This has worked really well and added to the variety we are reading. Make sure you book club has enough members (around 8-10) that if one or two cannot attend a meeting, the group can still get together. If you get too small, you can have a lot of cancellations. We are all serious readers who like to discuss selections, but also enjoy each others company. Sometimes the hostess will theme refreshments based on what we have just read. Keep it fun!
Our book review group members are all writers of children’s literature. We meet monthly in homes of the book review group participants. Our leader recommends a Middle Reader or YA book, and receives the approval or other suggestions from the group. We record our coments after reading the selected book. In addition we look for book reviews of the respective book on the web. We share each member’s personal comments and the book reviews we have obtained from the web at the meetings.