Do you like to keep up with the latest hot books? Want to read books you wouldn’t normally pick up? Have some friends who enjoy discussing books (maybe over wine and snacks)? Consider starting (or joining!) a book club!
Starting your book club.
- Start with inviting anyone you know who might be interested in a kick-off organizational meeting. You’ll talk about when and how often to meet, who will lead the meetings, what sort of books you’ll discuss and how the books will be chosen.
- Will you meet monthly, all year round or will you skip summers or holiday months? Will you rotate through members houses, or will you meet at a coffee shop or restaurant? Is there a leader or will facilitators rotate? Will the books be chosen by consensus several meetings in advance or will the discussion leaders for upcoming meetings choose the books?
- Long lasting book clubs generally have between 5 and 15 members; any more members and not everyone has a chance to share. Decide if you’ll cap the number of members, then invite friends and family to join.
- Wondering how to find books to read? Once you’ve decided whether you’re mad for mysteries, fascinated by fiction in general, inspired by biographies and memoirs or looking for the “real stories” in non-fiction, you’ll find various ways to come up with titles.
- Check out what other book clubs are reading by browsing staff picks for inspiration, newest book club lists, or fill out a personalized recommendations, opens a new window form. Browse Goodreads' Popular Book Clubs Books, opens a new window also to find the most popular book club titles.
- Finally, as the facilitator, you’ll want to come to the discussion prepared to keep the conversation moving. Check out these helpful sites:
- LitLovers.com, opens a new window has resources for all things book club, including ideas and help, featured book clubs and hot new books.
- ReadingGroupGuides, opens a new window is my other go-to site for discussion questions, author information, and contests! You can win several copies of books for your group—who can resist freebies?
Join a book club.
Not ready to start your own book club? Join a monthly book club at Arapahoe Libraries.
Happy reading and discussing!
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