The idea of joining or starting a book club always sounds warm and idyllic, but creating one that thrives is no easy task. Clubs need to decide on members, pick books, have great meetings and discussions, keep everyone motivated – no wonder the failure rate is high! To help book lovers out, authors Suzanne Colley and Kathleen Marsan decided to share some advice from their decades-old book club by writing “Beyond the Book: How to Start or Jumpstart a Book Club.” This guidebook can be used by adults, teens and even children with adult guidance, and includes lots of specifics, real-life success stories and planning worksheets. Some key take-aways:
- Set rules and expectations (and stick to them).
- Insist each member recommends multiple books to add to the reading list (include some classics).
- Meet at a member’s home, or at a tea or coffeehouse, library or town park.
- Prepare meeting themes, possibly with costumes or special menus.
- Consider road trips to a place connected to the book (such as a zoo or winery).
- Be respectful of different opinions.
- Don’t let a “conversation hog” take over!
