In 2012, a new book club format referred to as authorled book clubs was introduced by business book club 12 books. When your club gathers for the first time, youll want consider these questions. Most clubs are held in members homes on a rotating basis. Author led book clubs include the author of the current book as part of the discussion. Depending on the seriousness level of the group, you may want to do a bit of research on the author, time period, etc. When meeting inside the home, just remember, something could always come up last minute to. Apr 10, 2017 students are allotted time every other day to meet in their book clubs and have 28 minutes to discuss and read some more.
How to find a book club in your area pen and the pad. They often have rotating hostduty, where the hostess agrees to set everything up for the group or assigns tasks or dishes to each member in preparation for discussion day. Many groups have memberships that take turns hosting the meeting. Book clubs usually meet in members homes, rotating the hosting duties. If youve been too busy to read, you deserve respite from the cold, cruel world, and a cookie.
If you dont have anywhere to meet in person, you can start a virtual book club using social media or video chatting. You do not have to attend every month to participate. If you are in a book club and have some ideas to share, id love to hear from. Dec 14, 2017 in one of my past book clubs, we literally only read books that included discussion questions at the end of the book because we wanted to be certain wed have a meaningful discussion. Apr 06, 2016 book clubs should be a place where people are the most sympathetic if you havent found time to read. Id so often tried to convince myself that i was too busy for a book club that i did more just so that it was true. Often youll at least recruit some help in completing the rest of the steps. The first thing you should do is figure out who will come to your book club. Ask around the office, playgroups, your church, or civic organizations. Opening the book is a site designed for book professionals and supplies tool packs for book clubs and courses in. Some people work full time, and some are unemployed. A book club is a reading group, usually consisting of a number of people who read and talk about books based on a topic or an agreedupon reading list.
Libraries often provide meeting space for book clubs and many administer their own book discussion groups. Most book clubs meet about once per month, since a monthly meeting gives each member ample time to read each book. A book club sometimes called a reading group or book group is a group of people who get together on a regular basis to discuss books. My current book club group is much more casual, but perhaps too much so. Here are five reasons you should join one immediately. There are lots of book clubs out there now, and theres more than one way to run a successful one. The silent book club, a global meetup for introverts, now. Every now and then, meet at a bar and toast your selection with a literarythemed cocktail like, say, a great gatsby. Many libraries host book clubs and often this can be an excellent first place to begin your search. Heres how to save your book club when no one read the book. Since the beginning of social distancing, the men in my life have been on a slow descent into looking more like their pets than ever before. Youre right, most of the people who go to book clubs are women and at most, you will find a 5050 split especially when its a nonfiction or scifi book.
Do you want your group to primarily discuss fiction. Aug 09, 2017 im in a book club, and every month i look forward to getting together with my friends to drink a copious amount of wine, catch up on our lives, and discuss. Some clubs meet online, many meet inperson either in homes or public places such as a library, bookstore or cafe. Do you want to meet in someones home, in a public space, in an online forum, through a blog or website, etc how often do you want to meet. Oct 30, 2007 most book clubs typically meet once a month and discuss one book per meeting. I like how we talk about what we read and we ask questions. Im starting a book club with a 540 page book that had a lot of interest. Why literature circles are an important part of student. Often at book clubs, we talk more about what weve read about a book than what we thought while reading the book. But there is more to starting a book club than you might think. I searched online, but havent found any advice about this. Looking for a fun way to enjoy books and meet new people. Mar 31, 2020 getting comfortable using zoom will help your book club run smoothly.
Many book clubs are primarily about relationships they create opportunities for friends to meet and discuss topics of. Call your local library and see if they have any book clubs. Apr 10, 2020 a book club for people who dont like book clubs, founded in 2012 in san francisco and now boasting six chapters in l. Literature circles give students the opportunity to talk about books with their peers. It is more often called simply a book club, a term that is also used to describe a book sales club, which can cause confusion. Then, decide on a place for your book club to meet, like your house or a local library. Once a month is the standard, but if you plan on reading longer books you may want to meet every 6 weeks. Tips for running a successful, sustainable book club. What i mostly like about book clubs is when we get in the group we take turns talking about points that are important to us. Book club trouble often has little to do with books the.
To start a book club, start by finding a small group of people who all love to read, like friends, family members, or coworkers. Book club trouble often has little to do with books the new. Its common for book clubs to choose a specific book to read and discuss at the same time. Ideas for how to do better book clubs in middle school. Sometimes you might find enough people to start a book club right away. Most book clubs meet about once per month, since a monthly meeting gives each. While i have told student to try to push their conversations, i have also urged them to keep them under 10 minutes unless they are having a great discussion. How oftenonce a month works best for most clubsalthough some read longer books and stretch their meetings out to every 6 weeks. Fiction or nonfiction, paperback or hardcover, you. Thus, if you want to start a group a great place to begin can be with your friends but dont assume that they share your expectations about the sort of books to read or how the club will run. Online book clubs are growing in popularity, and you can invite friends from around the world to join you. Its so common that the moderating of book clubs has become a paying job. For many book clubs, this means meeting in each others homes.
Again, since every club had to meet with me i had to do it on different days meaning i didnt have much time to pull other small groups. But ive been to a few that had only one or two men and we the women love having them there. So rather than getting hung up on the tiny detail that none of you read the book, here are some things to do in your book club meeting that will. Be sure to set a consistent time and place for meetings, so that you do not have to go through the process of scheduling each meeting. Book clubs help you talk about your questions and what you read. Groups bring in paid facilitators often retired professors or librarians to assist with everything from selecting titles. Ive only had experience with mine, so ill share how ours is organized and why i believe weve had such endurance. Im in a book club, and every month i look forward to getting together with my friends to drink a copious amount of wine, catch up on our lives, and discuss. Book clubs should be a place where people are the most sympathetic if you havent found time to read. Youll want to give people an idea of what to expect. We always meet once a month, generally on a saturday evening from about 6. How to plan a zoom book club from the comfort of your cozy couch.
How to plan a zoom book club from the comfort of your cozy. If you want your book club to be a little closer knit, you can also meet on a weekly or biweekly basis to discuss each book as you read it. You get to read books and bond with others through them. Seriously, ive been on the lookout for good advice on how to start a book club and havent found anything remotely as good as yours. This depends on the size of your group and the atmosphere you want e. You need to allow readers enough time to read the book but you also want to keep the momentum going, so once a fortnight, or once a month may be frequent enough. We are starting a book club with my close group of friends and i appreciate. Book club basics getting started leader norms san rafael. Your goal should be between 5 and 15 people, so everyone gets a chance to speak. How many books should we try to read and how often should we meet. There are so many reasons to be part of a book club.
Formal book clubs meet on a regular basis at a set location. Most people feel inadequate when they first join a book group. A book club for people who dont like book clubs, founded in 2012 in san francisco and now boasting six chapters in l. Dec 07, 2008 the trouble with book clubs often has little to do with books, or oprah. I thought i should determine the exact book because i knew best. Hosting your book club online makes meeting easy and convenient for members. Deciding on exactly what type of books youd like to read will help you choose the book club to join.
How to start a book club that doesnt suck book riot. Reading book clubs a what to do and what not to do. Getting comfortable using zoom will help your book club run smoothly. Important questions to ask at your first book discussion. To join brown bag book group, visit the circulation desk, add your name to the book group list and check out a copy of the book. Moving forward, every member should have a voice, with the group. The brown bag book group is an informal book discussion group designed for adults. Sometimes there is a rambler in the group, whose opinion far outlasts the.
For the first meeting, it makes sense for you to suggest the title and prepare a few discussion questions. Once a month seems to work for most groups since it gives plenty of time to read even the most difficult book. Ideas for how to do better book clubs in middle school april 10, 2017 april 10, 2017 pernille ripp in 2015, i wrote a post discussing how i was doing book clubs with my 7th graders and how their ideas had shaped our process to be more powerful. May 04, 2017 often at book clubs, we talk more about what weve read about a book than what we thought while reading the book.
Book clubs are where book lovers can exchange their views on what books they prefer. Often, everyone brings a dish to share or a bottle of wine to drink. Other frequently used terms to describe a book discussion club include reading group, book group, and book discussion group. Other groups choose their next book at the end of each meeting, or go for a middle. As an member, you can start your own discussion thread anytime. Set a regular meeting time an ideal size for a book club is eight to 11 people. A book discussion club is a group of people who meet to discuss a book or books that they have read and express their opinions, likes, dislikes, etc. To help you make sure your book club is on point, here is a short guide about how to start a book club to help you make yours perfect. One of the best pairings with our wine is a good book club. But too many dogs ruin the heartbreak and joy were after. Coordinating a time and a place to meet is one of the largest challenges for many book clubs. Coordinate with your members to set up a pre book club meeting. Most book clubs typically meet once a month and discuss one book per meeting. Apr 09, 2020 book clubs are increasing in popularity, as they provide a fun way to meet new people and learn in a relaxed, social environment.
Postal and internet reading groups dont have to worry about where they meet, of course. Choosing the right books or movies is important because people may like a diversified genre. I plan to meet every other week for discussion, but how many pages should we read between meetings. Decide on a process for choosing the books you will read. You never have to worry about a meeting space, appetizers or. Coordinate with your members to set up a prebook club meeting. Email your book club members to inform them of the following. Select the time that fits most of the group and stick with this once chosen e. Students are allotted time every other day to meet in their book clubs and have 28 minutes to discuss and read some more. Learn how to get started and find tips about structuring your meetings, facilitating a great discussion link, and finding the right books. Many book clubs start when a few friends get together and decide that theyd like to meet to discuss books on a regular basis. Theres nothing like sipping on chardonnay, enjoying small bites, and discussing the summers hot read with friends, new and old. You never have to worry about a meeting space, appetizers or cleaning upand your favorite people can drop in anytime.
Meet kindred book lovers in a local meetup book club. Many smaller, more intimate book groups choose to meet inside members homes. The trouble with book clubs often has little to do with books, or oprah. Most book clubs have some type of theme or specific type of book that they read.