| Author |
Message |
Tntitanfan
Member
08-03-2001
| Friday, April 05, 2013 - 4:25 pm 
I have been approached about helping to start a book club at the Senior apartment where I live. I belong to such an atypical club - an all-time high of how many read the book was about half of the group! -that I would like to get information about more usual patterns.
Basically:
How is the book chosen?
Is there a discussion leader and how is that determined?
How often do you meet?
Do you have snacks, dinner, desserts or anything of that nature with the club?
If there are other special things about your group(s,) I would love to hear those too. I know that I can always count of the great folks at TVCH for answers!
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Rieann
Member
08-26-2006
| Monday, April 08, 2013 - 10:57 am
Hi Tnt-
I've never started or participated in a book club, but I found some links that may help...
http://www.book-clubs-resource.com/running/
http://bestsellers.about.com/od/bookclubresources/ht/start_book_club.htm
Good luck!!
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Mak1
Member
08-11-2002
| Wednesday, April 10, 2013 - 10:00 am
I participated in a book club this winter.
Members made suggestions for book choices. Popular vote decided.
There was a discussion leader. I think the leader is essential to help keep discussion on topic and to try to give everyone a chance to contribute. I don't know how the leader was chosen. I suspect the first person to volunteer was appointed. I think they tried to have a different leader each month.
We met monthly. This was in a vacation community with two nearby libraries and no big-name bookstores very near. People would check out the library book and pass it along to others as they finished reading it. A few bought the books. It could take nearly the whole month to get to the top of the line to borrow someone's copy of the book if one did not want to purchase their own. There were approximately 20 women in our club.
This group met at noon. Each person brought their own brown-bag lunch and drink. A few people volunteered each time to bring desserts. After dessert, we moved into a circle for the discussion.
One lady donated a nice book club journal to record suggestions, books read, individual notes, etc. Here are some at amazon:
amazon.com/
Have fun, and good luck!
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Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Wednesday, April 10, 2013 - 4:47 pm
I've not been part of a book club, but I had the great honor of being asked to participate in one particular book club discussion. A group of older ladies meet every month. When our small community went berserck over my teaching of The Song of Solomon, this group decided to make it their book of the month. They then called and asked me to come to their meeting and help with the discussion.
The first funny thing was that, while talking to the leader for that month on the phone, she said, "I read it, and if this is pornographic, I'm really disappointed! I kept waiting for it to get good - but my Harlequins had more action!" LOL
When I got there, each lady gave her opinion of the book. They then asked me what my class focused on, and we discussed some of the history that's referred to in the book as well as a couple of major themes. One of the oldest ladies had lived in a Michigan town that was one of the first to have an integrated community council. She remembers bricks being thrown through their windows because the newspaper at that time printed their home address! It was truly a fascinating discussion.
After the book discussion, each month the ladies had tea. The hostess for the month would make desserts, and they sat down to a table with formal tea cups, etc.
The entire meeting was only about an hour and a half, but it was thoroughly delightful! The leader that month said they chose books by popular vote as well, but when things like banning came up, they always went to that book to see what all the fuss was about! I haven't checked in with them lately, but I'd about bet money they read 50 Shades of Gray!
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Reenie
Member
06-24-2006
| Wednesday, April 10, 2013 - 6:48 pm
I have been the leader of a book club for 7 years. It's a MeetUp.com club.
We meet once a month at a local Panera Bread. We usually have about 10 people.
Members give me suggestions for books and I toss the suggestions out (I also make suggestions) and at the meeting we decide what to read next (or maybe pick for 2 months).
The meeting is no more than an hr. and a half.
We get our books through the library, on our Kindles, at bookstores, Amazon etc etc. We don't pick books that aren't out in paperback to keep costs down.
We have a good time!
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Tntitanfan
Member
08-03-2001
| Sunday, April 14, 2013 - 6:32 am
Thanks to all of you for your great contributions! You have made good suggestions and given me a lot to work with -
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Sunday, April 14, 2013 - 10:35 am
Panera Bread: YUM!
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