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Original poster

IS ANYONE HERE IN A BOOK CLUB/ READING GROUP?

30 replies

ForeverReading · 27/04/2019 16:01

Not shouting just asking.

I recently went to a reading group and came away feeling it wasn't what I expected. Nice friendly people, ,meeting in a cafe round a big table, some people ate and drank.

The main reason is they allow a choice of books each month, which means out of the group not everyone has read the same book.

Equally, the group founder doesn't have any agenda - ie questions- so it becomes a general chit-chat with the people sitting nearest to you. (So it's a bit hit and miss who has read what and how much they want to discuss the book.)

I had imagined everyone would read the same book and there would be a more 'formal' chat where we discussed the book.

Not quite sure if it's my thing, so are some reading groups run differently?

OP posts:
mamaduckbone · 27/04/2019 21:01

My book group is a group of existing friends so sometimes it does veer more into a general catch up, but we do all read the same book and discuss it, and the rule is that whoever hosts (we take it in turns to go to each other's houses) chooses the next book and everyone has to at least attempt to read it.

VictoriaBun · 27/04/2019 16:35

I run one. There are usually around 10 of us at any one time. At the beginning of the year we meet up and discuss which books we will read. We meet up monthly and for a couple of hours. The first 15-20 minutes is a general chit chat and a catch up . We then discuss the book, what we enjoyed/ didn't enjoy, the author, the era, the characters etc . I will often have checked out the author to see if they have wrote any other titles that I think we may enjoy and will pass on details. I feel I am there to ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity to discuss the title as with any group you have ' stronger ' personalitiesConfused. We have been going at least five years so it works for us.

Original poster
ForeverReading · 27/04/2019 16:23

Thanks

I felt what was missing was the group founder controlling the meeting. It was a big group of around 15 and a lot of people were talking about personal interests etc rather than the book.

I imagined there'd be some of that but more of 'Right everyone, should we discuss this book, who liked it, who didn't, plot, characters etc'.

OP posts:
RelaisBlu · 27/04/2019 16:10

In my experience it's more usual for one book to be read by everyone and then discussed in the next session. In the ones I have been part of, people generally take it in turns to choose the book. My favourite was a "Fiction Into Film" group where we discussed books and their screen adaptations. All the groups I have been part of took place in people's houses, not in a cafe

Usuallyinthemiddle · 27/04/2019 16:07

We discuss one book. Chosen on Rota. We also discuss lots of other things! But many years in we've become good friends.
I do like the idea of simply discussing what you've all been reading separately too though. Sounds interesting.