Amanda Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 Anyone ever started a book club? How did you select books? What tips do you have on book clubs? I have never been in a book club, but want to be, so I am going to try to start one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supergran71 Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 You could probably get some tips from your local library and I believe they will probably let you meet there. Post a notice on their notice board inviting likeminded people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 Good advice there - libraries are always a good place to start. You might also like to think about a few things before you advertise though: 1. What kind of books will the group be reading? Will it be a specific genre or author? Or will it be something different each time? 2. How often will the group meet? Will it be weeky, fortnightly, monthly or other? 3. Where will the group meet? Will it be at someone's home? At the library? Elsewhere? Will the location be fixed or will it change from meeting to meeting? You might also like to think about how many people would be ideal, for example, if you'll be meeting in each others' homes, a smaller number would most likely be better. Also, a few ground rules might be a good idea - have a few in mind for the first meeting and then ask other members for input too (things like who chooses the books? Do you take turns? Or do you nominate several and take a vote? Do you take turns providing refreshments or does everyone bring/buy their own?). Also, once book groups get past a certain number of members, it can get TOO big. Having 30 people all trying to talk at once about the same book can mean that not everyone hears all the discussion or that several smaller discussions are all going on at once and some of the shyer members can become intiidated. Just a few things to consider there. Best of luck getting your book group off the ground! ETA: You might also find THIS helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 I read somewhere that you should never go over 8 people for a bookgroup or you tend to split into two groups. We have 7 active members in ours, and one who dips in and out! We meet every 4-6 weeks, depending on availability. When we first started, the lady whose idea it was picked the first book and we then met at her house to discuss it - she did nibbles. The person who was picking the second book gave us details of it at the end of our first meeting and we then met at her house to discuss it, where the next person on the list gave out their choice at the end of that evening and so on... Some of us just pick one book - others bring two choices and then we vote. Ours is very informal, but I love it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~V~ Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 I like the sound of your book club Janet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen1 Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 I would love to be a part of a real face to face book club rather than one online which is how I've always previously participated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supergran71 Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 Janet, what kind of books do you discuss? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudyB Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 The library service (in our county) provides sets of books for local reading groups plus provides ideas for discussions. It's certainly worth contacting your library or checking out their website to see what support they can give you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 (edited) I like the sound of your book club Janet. Thanks - it's great. Janet, what kind of books do you discuss? Ooooh loads. A few we've done are... The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini The Secret Life of Bees - Sue Monk Kidd I Capture the Castle - Dodie Smith The Soldier's Return - Melvyn Bragg Casino Royale - Ian Fleming Breathing Lessons - Anne Tyler The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas - John Boyne And loads more. So a good mix! Edited July 1, 2008 by Janet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teddy collector Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 Hi Amanda, Ive never been part of a book club but like you I'd love to set one up but don't know where to start. My friend was part of a club last year with college/work friends and they had a really cool idea. They met for dinner each month at a new restaurant to discuss their books...so as well as getting to discuss their latest read they also got to try out new and exciting places for food!!!!Let us know how you get on. Teddy Collector Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slywaka1 Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 I asked 4 book loving ex-collegues a couple of weeks ago if they'd be interested in a book club. As it was my idea I picked The Book Thief, we're going to meet up in early August to have dinner and talk about it. I was a bit worried that we'd not really have much to say, I don't want us to just all agree that we liked it and then go on to talking about other things, for example!!! If it doesn't really work at our first meeting I will try and find/think of some topics/questions that we can think about for the next one. When we meet one of the others will pick the next book and we'll meet a month later. It'll be nice as not only will we be able to read the same book and discuss it but it will give us a good excuse to meet up-we don't get much opportunity these days! Anna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest radjack Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 I asked 4 book loving ex-collegues a couple of weeks ago if they'd be interested in a book club. As it was my idea I picked The Book Thief, we're going to meet up in early August to have dinner and talk about it. I was a bit worried that we'd not really have much to say, I don't want us to just all agree that we liked it and then go on to talking about other things, for example!!! If it doesn't really work at our first meeting I will try and find/think of some topics/questions that we can think about for the next one. When we meet one of the others will pick the next book and we'll meet a month later. It'll be nice as not only will we be able to read the same book and discuss it but it will give us a good excuse to meet up-we don't get much opportunity these days! Anna you can ask many questions about that book (i'm currently reading it). My suggestions for you are: -favourite character -favourite moment of the book -saddest part of the book -what did you think about the book being... narrated by death -what other titles by Markus Zusak have they read just some simple questions.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 Congrats on starting your own book club! I'd be too scared to take on the responsibility (I'm not a very outgoing person). I think The Book Thief is an excellent book to start off with. There's certainly plenty of material that can be discussed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slywaka1 Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 Thanks! I'll let you all know how it went after we've had our first meeting. I am not an outgoing person naturally, I wouldn't have done this if it wasn't a small group of friends I know pretty well. I'm hoping I won't have to be a sort of chair person and we'll be able to just get on with it as a group..... Thanks for teh ideas of what we can discuss also, that's a very good place to start A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KW Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 I should think the more diverse and controversial the book subject matter, the more peppered the discussions? Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amanda Posted July 2, 2008 Author Share Posted July 2, 2008 These are all great ideas. The club will be with women from work, so I am a little nervous about picking books. I think I will bring suggested reading list and have people pick, or suggest another. I am afraid that if I don't bring some suggestions, I will end up with a chic-lit club: fun, but not what I am looking for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 You could always specify that each month has a theme, that way you ensure that you get something different each time and don't get stuck in a single genre... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amanda Posted July 2, 2008 Author Share Posted July 2, 2008 Okay: I challenge you to make a short list of things that you would want to read in a book club. Remember that these are people of all different age groups and preferences. All women, so far. They all like reading different genre's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 A few that I've read which generated a lot of discussion (either here or elsewhere): The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (already noted) Life of Pi by Yann Martel Atonement by Ian McEwan Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde The Lord of the Flies by William Golding To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee Some other good ones might be: Animal Farm by George Orwell 1984 by George Orwell The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald And you could go for some lighter stuff in between the heavier books by picking some classic children's literature: Peter Pan by JM Barrie Black Beauty by Anna Sewell The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (Peter Pan was recently reviewed on an Australian book club show and everyone loved it - it was the recommended read by a very staid former NSW politician. Surprising, but sweet ) I'm sure everyone else will have a lot more to add. I've only chosen books from what I've read in the past few years. I didn't necessarily love them all but I found they all had plenty of good material for discussion, often because they're controversial books that split people into love/loathe camps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 Some of the books we've read at Posh Club are: Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon My Sister Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunsetgal Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 (edited) HI EVERYONE i'm new here and where i live i will be starting a "true crime book club" anyone have any suggestions, hints, on starting your own book club? can i select all the books to be read? any unique ideas to run this type of book club? thanks sunsetgal Edited December 11, 2008 by Michelle merged with existing thread, as the general principals are the same Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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