How to Select Book Club Books—7 Dos and Don’ts

Choosing books lies at the heart of any book club, but it sometimes leads to hard feelings. Here are seven recommendations—things to do and not to do—when making your book club choices. They’ll make book selection a lot easier and more pleasant for everyone.


      Selecting books—it’s what book clubs do, isn’t it? Books are what you’re all about, so you should be pretty good at choosing them. But let’s be honest—book selection time isn’t always the happiest moment for everyone in your book club.
      Some members come away feeling frustrated, hurt that none of their suggestions were chosen. Maybe some are tired of shelling out $34.95 for the new hardcover. Or maybe the page assignment is too long—800 for the next meeting. (“Hey, pal, I gotta a life.”)
      By following some fairly simple DOs and DON’Ts, you can help make your book selection process run a little more smoothly. These ideas won’t unruffled everyone’s feathers, but they can go a long way to making everyone feel a little less picked on.
      DO consider monthly rotation. Many clubs use the voting method whereby members suggest books, followed by a discussion and then a vote. It’s a good method and a common one. But it can leave people out—shy people, or those unskilled at the art of pitching, the ones who simply aren’t persuasive enough at convincing others that their books should be chosen.
      Try rotating your book selection on a monthly basis so that each member gets one month to choose a book. Okay, so you may end up reading something you would never have chosen for yourself, but isn’t that the point of a book club—to expose you to a variety of reading experiences…i.e., get you of your rut?
      DON’T select favorite books. We all want everyone to love the books we love, to feel the same way we do about our favorite book. But be careful—reading tastes vary widely, and some people will absolutely despise the very thing we adore. So don’t choose someone’s favorite book; it can only lead to hurt feelings (ouch!). To avoid this, some clubs have a rule that no one can recommend a book they’ve already read. That’s going a little far—it’s a bit rigid, I think. The best solution is to stick to books recommended by neutral sources: librarians, book club websites, periodicals and newspapers.
      DO set some limits. If you establish a few practical rules up front, you can avoid problems down the line, particularly when it comes to the cost of books and the length of reading assignments. Some groups choose only books that are issued in paperback, considering hardcovers too expensive. Other clubs limit the page number to around 400 or some to 700. If they decide to choose especially long books, some clubs will break it up into two meetings. No one should feel like the book club is a burden, financially or timewise.
      DON’T choose for the whole year. Many clubs do so, but it can be limiting and inflexible. If a book comes along that’s particularly exciting, it has to wait till the following year. And choosing once a year can be unfair if you have to miss that one meeting.
      DO choose 2 or 3 books at a time. This gives members a chance to read at their own pace. For those out of town for a month or two, it provides the chance to read ahead for the next meeting they’ll be able to attend.
      DON’T read one type of book. Try to vary your selections—not just contemporary fiction, heart-rending stories, or light-hearted ones, romances or mysteries. That can lead to boredom or burnout. Vary your choices— read some lighter fare…or something heavier than normal. Try reading older classics, a short story collection, a play, humor, biography, current events, or history. Variety is the spice of…. well, you get the point.
      DO consider themes. It can be interesting to devote two or three months to a single topic/theme like travel or stories based in India, say Slumdog Millionaire (Swarup) or Midnight’s Children (Rushdie). Maybe you want to compare childhood memoirs, like The Glass Castle (Walls), Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight (Fuller) and The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid (Bryson). Or try reading books by the same author, like Jodi Picoult or Khaled Housseini.
      Book clubs should be a special time and place, where all of us feel wanted, heard, and appreciated—where our ideas count and where we feel we matter. The book selection process sometimes upsets the ideal…but putting in place a few basic guidelines, even those few rough spots can be evened out.

How to Start a Book Club—10 Easy Steps

Starting your own book club takes a little effort, but if you follow a few basic tips, you’ll be off and running. Take some time to decide what type of books you enjoy, which friends can help get you started, when and where to meet, and more….

      So you want to start your own book club? Terrific! Book discussion groups are great ways to make new friends, keep in touch with old ones, discover new books, and have meaty conversations. To help you get organized, simply follow these 10 steps and you’ll be on your way!
1.  Decide what kind of a club you want to be—do you want to be seriously academic with a heavy emphasis on book discussion and minimal social chat? Or do you enjoy the social bonding aspect of a book club—food, wine, personal sharing—and want to keep discussions shorter, light and fun? Probably, it’s somewhere in between the two.
2.  Decide what kind of books you want to read—do you enjoy reading the older classics or contemporary novels? Challenging works or somewhat lighter? Perhaps poetry, plays, or nonfiction—history, biographies, travel stories, current events. What about specific genres—detective/mystery, romance, inspirational, science fiction or fantasy? Perhaps you’re eclectic—you like a variety of genres.
3.  Choose three friends who share similar reading tastes and ways of approaching book discussions—that’s important. You all want to be on the same page, so to speak. Each one of the three should ask one or two others, for a total of 7-10 members. It doesn’t matter if you don’t all know each other; in fact, it’s more fun if you don’t. And start small—you can always add new members when you want, though it’s good to stop at 16, a maximum number for most book clubs.
4.  Choose when and where to meet. Once you all get together, pick a day and time of the month that works with everyone’s schedule. Some clubs meet in the evenings, after work; others on weekends. Those who are at home with children, or retired, find midmornings or lunchtime best. The most important thing is to establish a schedule and try to stick to it.
      Then, of course, decide where you want to meet. Most clubs meet in each others’ homes or restaurants. Others find rooms in local libraries, Y’s, or other more public places. Or you may decide to become a library-sponsored group, in which case you will always have a good source of fresh new members.
5.  Decide about food. There will be food, right? Of course. Do you want just appetizers or desserts…or do you want full meals? And who prepares the food—does every member bring a dish…or does each member cook once a during the year? Maybe it’s brown bag lunch or a potluck supper.
      Think, too, about having themed food to match your book—feature food from Afghanistan when you read A Thousand Splendid Suns. Look for Book Club Recipes on the web to give you ideas.
6.  Decide how to select your books. Most clubs use one of two basic methods—voting or rotation. The voting begins with members making book suggestions, followed by discussion, and then a vote. The process can be as formal or informal as you want. The rotation system means that every member gets a month to choose a book. Both methods have their strong suits…and their drawbacks.
      Choose two or three books at a time so members can read at their own pace. Many clubs choose all their books for the year at one meeting, but that ties clubs into a rigid schedule…and it’s unfair to members who had to miss the one meeting.
7.  Give yourselves a name. And be creative: some of my favorites are The Happy Bookers…or First, the Food Book Club…or The Brooksville Book Babes.
8. Send out monthly reminders for every meeting. Don’t rely on peoples’ memories. Use email, phone or postcards, so make sure you keep an up-to-date contact list.
9.  Keep a journal. It’s a nice way to keep track of all the books you’ve read and what you thought of them. You might include photo highlights of special meetings or trips to hear an author speaker.
10.  Give back to the community. Collect dues and donate books to your local library, or sponsor a scholarship for youngster in a literacy program. Schedule reading times for nursing homes patients.
      Starting book clubs takes some initial work up front to get them off the ground. But once up and running, you’ll be surprised at how they take on a life of their own. Good luck…and happy reading!

New In Town? Find a Book Club—Then Join a Book Club

When you’re new in town, a book club is one of the best ways to make new friends. But how to find existing clubs isn’t always easy. Here are five places to begin search for people who love to read and talk about books…and who are open to new faces and ideas.

      You’ve just moved in, unpacked the boxes, and put everything neatly away (or maybe not). Everything’s new and unfamiliar—the house, stores, school, work…everything. You’ve left your old friends behind but haven’t made new ones yet. In a word: you’re lonely. Realistically, you know it can take months to begin to feel like this is “home,” but in the meantime... what can you do?
      Why not join a book club? There are few better places to meet new people than a book discussion group. Book clubs offer an intimate environment where friendships develop and flourish. You’ll find fellow travelers—like-minded people who love to read and discuss books.
      The terrific thing about book clubs is that you don’t have to struggle to start up a conversation with strangers: book club members have built in conversation starters—their books! If you tend to be on the shy side, no one will push you to talk—others are plenty happy to do so on your behalf. And if you’re gregarious, then there’s plenty to talk about—wonderful, meaty conversations about a subject everyone in the room has in common: the book.
      The problem is, of course, finding an existing book club—one willing to take in newcomers—and that’s not always easy. Many clubs meet in private homes. You need an established network of friends to find one—and since you’re new in town, that’s exactly what you don’t have!
So where do you go, how do you even begin to search? Below are five good places to start looking. Try any one—or all—of these ideas, and chances are you’ll find a club.
      Public libraries are the first place to start. They’re huge sponsors of local book discussion groups. Many sponsor one, two or more groups to accommodate different schedules—clubs that meet midmornings, during lunch hours, evenings, on weekdays or weekends. Some even offer “specialty” book groups according to reading genre: mystery, romance, biography, history, mystery or sci-fi book clubs. Library sponsored groups are open to all comers.
      Local Y’s are another place to check. Many have book clubs, although you may need to pony up a membership fee and join the Y before you can join a group.
      Bookstores love book clubs, for obvious reasons. Small independent stores or large chains often sponsor their own book clubs…or advise them when new books come on the market. Either way, bookstores frequently keep lists and may be able to put you in touch with a book group.
      Churches frequently have book clubs. If you already attend one, great! Check it out. But even if you’re not a churchgoer, or you belong to a different denomination, it may not be a problem: not all church book groups require affiliation. Some church groups read books of a religious nature; others read widely on any subject. It’s worth checking into.
      Newcomers Club is national organization with chapters in hundreds of cities and small towns. They’re a great way for new residents to make friends, and many chapters sponsor book clubs as one of their monthly activities. Check the organization’s online directory to see if there’s one near you—and give them a call. Even if the group in your area doesn’t have a book club, you have a ready-made group of newcomers to start one.
      Finally, of course, draw on the knowledge of your new acquaintances. Just ask around—neighbors, colleagues at work, parents of your children’s friends, and even their teachers (teachers are big book clubbers). What you’ll find, most likely, are small, private clubs that meet in homes—groups that require an invitation to join…and invitations depend on whether the group wants to add new members or not. Still, get your name out there—and let whatever groups you find out about know that you’re ready, willing, and available.
      If you don’t find a book group right away, stick with it. Try not to get discouraged. It may take a little while, but think of this: no one knows precisely, but estimates put the number of book club members in the U.S. somewhere around 10 million—which means you can’t throw a stick without your Golden…or a book club member—somewhere—catching it.

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