For Book Lovers

Book Clubs

Book clubs provide a wonderful forum for readers to talk about books and the reading experience and libraries contain many helpful resources for book groups. If you're looking for a book club to join, check with your library. Libraries often provide meeting space for book clubs and many administer their own book discussion groups.

Join a Book Club

Start a Book Club

Lead a Book Club

Structure a Meeting

Facilitate a Discussion

Troubleshoot a Book Club

How to Find Books

Join a Book Club

Diverse group of women talking at a book club meeting

Most people feel inadequate when they first join a book group. After all, the number of books you've read has very little bearing on how well you're able to talk about them. The following tips will help you show grace under fire and become an invaluable member of your book club.

By Neil Hollands

Read the Book and Show up to Meetings

I know this seems obvious, but if you make the commitment to join a book club, find time for the reading and the meetings. People will notice if you consistently fail to finish the book or don't show up. Once they do, it might not matter how brilliant your insights are, since they naturally will pay you less attention. If you can't finish a book, it's very important not to make a fuss. Don't go on about everything that kept you from your reading or ask others to limit their discussion to avoid spoilers. They made sacrifices to read the book, so don’t expect sympathy if you didn’t. Contribute what you can and try to finish next time.

Do Your Homework

Background information always helps discussion. Look up the author’s biography or bibliography online. Read a review or two. If the title is older, find out which other authors were popular at the time. Better yet, print these materials and bring them to the group to pass around.

If you find a biography of the author with pictures, or a deluxe edition of the book, bring them along to share. How about pictures of the book’s setting? Or a related (or surprising) work by the same author? All of these will add depth and fun to your group’s discussion and help make you a popular member.

Create Talking Points

Like many readers, I’m a quiet person and can get tongue-tied in a social setting. If you're like me, you might find it pays to prepare a few comments in advance of your next meeting. I’ve known some folks who even read their comments from a piece of paper. Most groups will be accepting and even appreciative if such comments are brief and well composed. Unless you’re an awful public speaker, though, it isn’t necessary to go that far simply note three aspects of the book you would like to discuss, then find the appropriate moments during the meeting to bring them up. With a little practice and forethought, you’ll find you can make better comments in the moment.

Be Confident but Humble

It’s understandable that you don’t want to come off as a know-it-all, but ‘ve seen many book-group participants take this to the opposite extreme, trying so hard to appear modest or self-effacing they practically erase themselves from the group. If you have the urge to apologize before each remark, to qualify every comment, or to constantly defer to other, “wiser” readers, swallow the self-effacement and just make your point. On the other hand, too-strong opinions can put other readers in an uncomfortable position. You might have hated the book, but to say so categorically isn’t likely to move the discussion forward. Similarly, unqualified praise leaves others with no role to play but that of wet blanket. Be specific and measured instead.

Stay on Topic

Book-group discussion is all about momentum, and nothing will make you unpopular faster than being the person who consistently throws the discussion off the rails. Don't be so anxious to make your own points that you cut off others. Yes, the book might remind you of one of your favorite stories. Yes, someone else’s comment might have been the perfect setup for a joke. But don’t say every word that pops into your head. Instead, think about whether your comment is tangential or will leave others with nothing to say in reply.

Be Specific

Enthusiasm wears thin fast when half a dozen people blandly repeat that a book is “good” or “well-written.” Dig deeper. Talk about how the author handled conflict, or characters, or setting. Talk about pacing, or what you found suspenseful. Consider what you would do if faced with the dilemmas the characters faced. Note which sections you found believable and which you did not. Search for the author’s life experience in the book’s events.

Listen

Sometimes we get so excited to offer our next brilliant comment that we fail to listen. We change subjects prematurely or cut others off. You’ll make better conversation and better friends if you ask follow-up questions (particularly if someone’s point is good but not fully explained), provide examples for generalizations, or try rephrasing their comments. Book groups are a team sport, and often the most valuable player is the one who makes everyone else look good.

Neil Hollands is an adult services librarian, specializing in readers' advisory, at Williamsburg Regional Library (VA).

Start a Book Club

Thinking of starting your own book club?

Learn how to get started and find tips about structuring your meetings, facilitating a great discussion link, and finding the right books.

Submitted by LitLovers.com.

Answer these 10 questions and you're on your way!

What type of group should it be? Decide on an orientation: we suggest targeting somewhere between highly social and seriously academic.
What kind of books should we read? Choose a literary genre or a mix of genres: fiction (current, classic), poetry, drama, mystery, sci-fi, current events, history, or biography.
How many members should we invite? 8 to 16 members are best: enough for a discussion if several are absent, but not so many that discussions become unwieldy.
How often should we meet? Monthly works best for most clubs. Some meet every 6 weeks. Once you choose a schedule, try to stick with it.
When should we meet? Whether weekday evenings or weekends, this will largely depend on the job/childcare schedules of your members.
Where should we meet? Some good meeting places are: homes, clubhouses, public libraries, churches, local Y’s, and restaurants.
What should we call ourselves? Try to give your club an identity so that members will be accountable and engaged. For example: New London Literary Lions, Red Hat Readers, or just the Lakewood Book Club.
How do we keep in touch? Send out monthly meeting reminders. If not everyone in your group uses email, mail postcards instead. When you start the group, distribute a list of phone numbers and addresses.
How can we keep memories? Record your group’s activity with a club journal—this can be as simple as a 3-ring binder to keep track of the books you’ve read; also plot summaries, discussion highlights, and members’ opinions. (This also helps bring new members up to speed.)
How can we give back to our community? Collect dues for a scholarship or annual literacy award at a local school. Purchase books for your local library, or become involved in a tutoring program.

Lead a Book Club

You've elected—or have been elected—to lead a book club. Now what?

By Liz Kirchhoff

Do Your Homework

The best way to quell your nerves before your star turn is to thoroughly familiarize yourself with the material. Read the book and a few reviews as soon as you can. Give yourself as much time as possible to think about questions and themes, as well as which aspects of the book are most likely to interest your members.

Next you need to formulate discussion questions. In the realm of book-club leadership, a little Internet research goes a long way. If you're feeling lazy, you can often simply poach discussion questions already there for the taking: try LitLovers, or search for the book on the publisher's website.

Feeling more ambitious? Look up background information on book's setting and events. Find YouTube videos about the topic at hand, or try a Google image search—a slide show will make you look and feel well prepared.

At the very least, find the author's website or Wikipedia page and read her biography. As a bonus, author websites will often link to interviews, which can be a gold mine for thought-provoking questions.

Once you've got all the information you need, go through it and highlight questions, facts, and observations that seem like they'll keep the discussion moving along. A little work now will help you feel a lot more confident later.

Start Off on the Right Foot

The other members have arrived and everyone has a drink in hand. It's go-time.

One way to start the conversation is to think back to grade school. I always begin meetings of my own book club, which has a revolving membership, by having each person introduce herself and talk about the last book she's read. Some members get really into it and give you a full book report, while others just mention a title. No matter how detailed the response, structured introductions can be a really great icebreaker—after all, most people who've taken the trouble of joining a book club love to talk about books.

Another easy way to start the conversation is with the book at hand. Explain why you chose the title. Did you connect with it emotionally? Were you taken with the story or fascinated by what you learned? Even if you have oodles to say, it's best to keep it short, then open up the floor.

Or you can launch straight into questions. Some leaders like to ask everyone flat-out whether they liked the book. Some leaders ask at the start of the meeting if everyone enjoyed the book, then wrap up by taking a poll on whether anyone has changed her mind. In my club, I usually begin by asking readers not whether they liked the book, but what they thought of it. If you prefer to avoid starting the discussion with judgments, simply ask for general impressions.

Keep It Going

As a book-club leader, it's your job to direct the meeting in a productive way. To do so, you'll need to pay attention to the pace and focus of the conversation. If you notice that it seems stilted or has veered off topic, ask a gentle, pointed question or two to shut down the side chatter that crops up whenever a conversation goes off the rails. Make sure to have the questions you prepared printed out in front of you. As the discussion moves forward, mark them off your list. This will keep you organized and give you an easy way to jump-start a stalled conversation.

Wrap It Up

It's helpful to have†a few closing questions in your back pocket when you reach the end of your discussion. I use these standbys:

Is there anything we haven't discussed yet that you'd like to talk about?
Would you recommend this to someone else? Who?

At this point, you can relinquish the reins to the person who chose the book for your next meeting, who can close things out with a short introduction of their selection. Take a sip of wine. Eat a cookie. You've earned it.

Liz Kirchhoff is an adult services librarian at the Barrington Area Library in the Chicago suburbs. She is a longtime book reviewer, has read for the American Library Association's Notable Books Council, and was a member of the 2017 Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction Selection Committee.

How to Structure a Meeting

Large group of Black teens seated at a long table with books in front of them

Basic Ground Rules

Basic Ground Rules

Members who haven’t read the book. Come anyway. Not everyone can finish every book, but non-readers may still have valuable insights.
Disagreements about the book. Be gracious! There is no one way to experience or interpret a book. In fact, differing opinions are good.
Members who prefer to socialize. Be gentle but firm. Insist that discussion time be limited to the book. Some clubs hold book discussions first and invite "social members" to join afterward.
Dominating personalities. Never easy. “Let’s hear from some others” is one approach. Some clubs pass an object around the room; you talk only when you hold the object. If the person continues to dominate, a friendly phone call (no e-mail) might work. If all fails, well...sometimes they've just got to go—for the good of the club.

Meeting Format

Holding the Discussion

With a leader

Appoint a club member—whoever selected the book or the person who is hosting. Some clubs have one member who enjoys leading all discussions.
Invite an outside facilitator (English teacher or librarian), paid or unpaid.

Without a leader

Take turns going around the room, allowing each member to talk about his or her experience reading the book.
Hand out index cards. Ask everyone to write a question or observation; then select one or more to discuss.

How to Select Books

Vote -- All members make suggestions, followed by an open discussion, and vote.
Rotate -- Members take turns, each choosing a book for a given month.

Some Do's & Don'ts

Don't read favorites. Reading a book someone "just loves" can lead to hurt feelings—like inviting people into your living room to critique your decor. Ouch. Best to stay on neutral territory.
Do mix genres. A steady diet of one thing can be dull, dull, dull. Try interspersing fiction—current and classic—with nonfiction: poetry, history, or biography.
Do explore themes. Focus on a specific author, travel journals, childhood memoirs, books on food, or a literary issue (family, loss, working of fate). Don't do it for the whole year (see #2 above), maybe just 3 or 4 months.
Don't choose for the whole year. It ties you into a rigid year-long schedule with no flexibility to add exciting new works you might learn about. And it's unfair for those who miss that one meeting.
Do choose 2 or 3 at a time. This allows members to read at their own pace. It's especially helpful for those who travel or miss a meeting or two.

Submitted by LitLovers.com.

Facilitate a Book Discussion

Choose one question at a time and toss it out to the group. (See Generic Discussion Questions below.)
Select a number of questions, write each on an index card, and distribute. Each member (or a team of 2-3) takes a card and answers the question.
Use a prop (or object) related to the story, such as maps, photos, paintings, food, or audio. This can help stimulate members' thinking about some aspect of the story.
Pick out a specific passage from the book description, an idea, a line of dialogue—and ask members to comment. For instance: “How does the passage reflect a character or the work's central meaning?”

Choose a primary character and ask members to comment on him or her. Consider things like: Character traits, motivations, how he/she affects the story's events and characters.
Play a literary game. Use an “icebreaker” activity to loosen you up and get your discussion off to an enthusiastic start.
Distribute handouts to everyone in order to refresh memories or use as talking points. Identify the primary characters and summarize the plot.

Submitted by LitLovers.com.

Avoid the words "like" and “dislike.” They aren’t helpful in moving discussions forward, and can make others feel defensive. Instead, talk about your experience; how you felt as you read the book.
Support your views. Use specific passages from the book as evidence for your ideas. This is a literary analysis technique called “close reading.”
Take notes as you read. Jot down particularly interesting passages: something that strikes you or, that you don't understand. Take your notes to the meeting.

Groupf of four wthnically diverse women at book club.

Questions to consider (Fiction)

How did you experience the book? Were you immediately drawn into the story—or did it take a while? Did the book intrigue, amuse, disturb, alienate, irritate, or frighten you?
Do you find the characters convincing? Are they believable? Are they fully developed as complex human beings—or were they one-dimensional?
Which characters do you particularly admire or dislike? What are their primary characteristics?
What motivates different character’s actions? Do you think those actions are justified or ethical?
Do any characters grow or change during the course of the novel? If so, in what way?
Who in the book would you like to meet? What would you ask,or say?
If you could insert yourself as a character in the book, what role would you play?
Is the plot well developed? Is it believable? Do you feel manipulated along the way, or do plot events unfold naturally, organically?
Is the story plot or character driven? Do events unfold quickly or is more time spent developing characters' inner lives? Does it make a difference to your enjoyment?
Consider the ending. Did you expect it or were you surprised? Was it manipulative or forced? Was it neatly wrapped up—maybe too neatly? Or was the story unresolved, ending on an ambiguous note?
Can you pick out a passage that strikes you as particularly profound or interesting?
Does the book remind you of your own life? An event? A person—like a friend, family member, boss, co-worker?
If you were to talk with the author, what would you want to know? (Many authors enjoy talking with book clubs. Contact the publisher to see if you can set up a phone or Skype chat.)
Have you read the author’s other books? Can you discern a similarity—in theme, writing style—between them? Or are they completely different?

Questions to Consider (for Non-Fiction)

If your book is a cultural portrait of life in another country, or different region of your own country, start with these questions:

Troubleshoot a Book Club

Is your book club not running smoothly? Does it need a tune-up? In my years of moderating book clubs, I've learned that digression is the most prevalent problem. Interruptions can destroy the flow of discussion, create ill will between readers, and distract the group. Fear not: I've developed effective, tactful ways for book-group leaders to identify the source of interruptions and harness them for good.

By Neil Hollands

Know Your Group

Groups employing themes often welcome digressions; groups reading a common book may be less amenable to wandering. Groups that acknowledge a social purpose to meetings expect time for other subjects, while groups that want serious book talk will frown on interruptions. If your group has never discussed its goals and intentions, and members are pulling in different directions, perhaps it is time for a friendly discussion about your collective expectations.

Go with the Flow

Clarify Your Interests

Reevaluate Your Methods

Build in More Social Time

Learn to Signpost

Consider dividing your discussions into major categories of literary analysis such as characters, plot, major themes, pacing, setting, style, and so on. Try to actively declare certain topics open and closed: follow up the first comment on a new subject by saying “X has introduced an interesting topic. Let’s explore that,” and signal an end to the topic by asking “Does anyone have anything else to say on the subject of Y?”

Take the Reins

Talk It Out

Get Formal

If interruptions are a chronic problem, consider a more formal discussion model that prevents them entirely. This might mean passing around an object to clearly identify which speaker has the floor, or it might mean giving each participant five minutes at the start of the meeting to say what he or she wants about the book before any discussion begins. It might even mean raising hands or formally moving through an agenda of questions or topics. This can make things a bit stiff, but when a book group has broken down, it’s better than the alternative.

Neil Hollands is an adult services librarian, specializing in readers' advisory, at Williamsburg Regional Library (VA).

How to Find Books

By Kaite Stover

There's a question I always ask whenever I visit a book club: "What's the best book you've ever discussed?"

This is a surefire way to start a lively discussion, one that always begins with the books the group has enjoyed and inevitably transitions to those they haven't. Eventually, the group will conclude that the best books are those they never would have chosen for themselves. And as soon I hear a member say some variation of "This isn't a book I would have found on my own — I'm so glad I read it," I know I've found a title†I can recommend without hesitation.

After I've read a new title, I task myself with answering the following five questions before I present it as a potential book club selection:

What's this book about? What's it really about? I come up with a quick plot summary that includes the larger issues and themes the story addresses.
Which character changes the most? Why did he or she change, and what did she do to achieve that change?
What motivates this character? Did the author present her motivations in a way a reader can understand?
Does the story's time and place impact the way the characters behave? How does this setting affect their values and beliefs?
How does the book end? Is the ending satisfying? (Note: a satisfying ending is not the same as a happy one.) Did the author leave any loose ends? Did she do so deliberately? What do any lingering questions tell the reader about the characters or the author's intentions?

If—and only if—my answers to these questions confirm a book's suitability for sustained discussion, it goes on the list. But self-reflection and polling book groups aren't the only ways to find titles that will provoke thoughtful conversation. Literary prizes, reading group guides, and web resources are just some of the myriad ways to find a great book. Here are some road-tested places where you can find titles sure to vanquish any future dull discussions.

By Kaite Stover

Websites

Check out these websites where librarians who advise book club readers and leaders turn when they need potential titles.

Booklist Online and The Booklist Reader
Booklist, a review journal published by the American Library Association, offers more than 180,000 book reviews on its website, as well as top 10 lists, author interviews, and much, much more. Its companion blog, The Booklist Reader, offers a vast variety of supplemental materials, from themed lists and author Q&As to book-club advice and reviews tied to the news of the day.

Goodreads
Wondering which books are trending in book groups? Goodreads has a page devoted to that. Some people love the users reviews on this site and others hate them, but there's no denying they provide a valuable snapshot of readers' response to†a mind-boggling array of titles.

IndieNext
The Indie Next List compiles the books independent booksellers are most excited about. The IndieNext Top Ten Reading Group Suggestions offers a great mix of nonfiction, essays, short stories, and poetry.

LibraryReads
This site provides an incredibly useful list, chosen by public librarians across the country, of the top-ten books published in a given month—great for book groups drawn to contemporary, popular selections.

LitLovers
Created by a former college English instructor with experience in speech writing and public relations, this site provides excellent resources for new book group readers and leaders. Don't skip the LitFood page if your book club likes to eat. (And seriously, whose book club doesn't?)

Reading Group Choices
Established in 1994 as a partnership between publishers, independent booksellers, libraries, and authors, this site's section on favorite books is sure to inspire those starting a new group.

Reading Group Guides
Since 2000 ReadingGroupGuides.com has been the go-to website for book groups and features more than 4,350 discussion guides, contests, a “What’s Your Book Group Reading” feature, advice and ideas on starting and sustaining a group, reading suggestions, as well as newsletters and blogs on topics of interest to book groups. Content is updated twice a month.

Book Awards

The American Library Association’s many awards, honors, and lists provide a rich hunting ground for book groups. Winning, short-listed, and nominated titles for the following awards—both ALA and non-ALA—are particularly useful.

Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction
Since its establishment in 2012, the Carnegie medalists and finalists have been meaty books with layered characters, complex plots, and relevant themes.

Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards
This prestigious prize, established in 2015, will alert travelogue lovers to many worthy titles.

National Book Awards
Perhaps the most prestigious U.S. book awards; the National Book Foundation's archives offer a great place to find hotly debated fiction and accomplished narrative nonfiction about a variety of intriguing subjects.

PEN/Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction
This is perhaps my favorite book award of all. Founded by Barbara Kingsolver, the Bellwether Prize goes to a manuscript of literary merit that addresses a social issue. Each title prompts a thoughtful examination of a timely societal concern.

PEN/Jacqueline Bograd Well Award for Biography
Biography lovers, this one's for you!

The Royal Society Science Book Prize
This is the only major international prize given to popular science writing. Be sure to check out the Young People's Book Prize, too.

Kaite Stover is the Director of Readers Services for Kansas City Public Library. To date, she provides book club support to 60 book groups in the Kansas City area. If you need more, find fun facts here.

Book-Club Organizations

Association of Book Group Readers and Leaders (AGBRL) is also known as the Association of Professional Book Club Facilitators, and is an information clearinghouse for readers, individuals and book groups. P.O. Box 885 Highland Park, IL 60035. Rachel Jacobsohn, Founder/Director (E-mail: rachelj@interaccess.com).

Great Books Foundation is an organization designed to help booklovers begin their own discussion groups in schools, libraries, community centers, and private homes.

Library of Congress Center for the Book has a mission to sponsor programs that highlight their area’s literary heritage and promote the importance of literacy and libraries.

National Reading Group Month supports reading groups by promoting the love of reading and literature through nationwide events, and providing tips for enhancing book discussions.

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