HELP! Any Tips for Revitalising our Bookclub.

[tjtheminx]

Our bookclub is essentially a spin off of a mum's group/playgroup that I'm in.
When I first joined it was fab- always 5 or 6 turned up, good lively discussion, lashings of wine etc.
In the past 6 months or so things have gotten a but lacklustre.Usually only 2 or three people turn up. Maybe one or two has read the book. It's just going down the tubes and I've been given the job of reviving it and not sure where to start.

1. Obviously the choice of books must be an issue. We allow the host to choose the book each month. I think this may be intimidating people as they are afraid we will criticise the book chosen ( I know I always apologise in advance for my choice) How does you bookclub choose the book? Do you have a shortlist of books to be read in the future?

Any types of book you definitely rule in/rule out?

1. Time and place: we host in one or other of our homes once a month mid week at 7pm. (Personally later would suit me but most are SAHMs so 7pm is the set time) Any suggestions on a better set up? Once every two months? Later/earlier/weekend?

1. Most people who join the playgroup say that they are interested in the bookclub but although there are about 40 members of the playgroup, as I said a bare handful turn up.

We are welcoming to kids and babies ( maybe we shouldn't be!!)

Any suggestions at all would be welcome!
P.S. we're in the US, if that makes a difference..

Hi TJ have you asked the previous people why their no longer coming?

Our book group has a list of books available from the local library - so we can either choose one of those or choose one of our own. This seems to work reasonably well - takes the pressure of those who don't want to be responsible for choosing a stinker!

We don't start our club until 8pm - It's always too hard for me to get there until then. But I know Americans always seem to go out super early and come home early so if 7pm suits then stick with it. We meet about every 6 wks which seems to be about right for us all to get the book read. We have 8 members so if someone doesn't turn up for a while we kick 'em out and get someone new in. But we've had our core 6 or so members for over 3 yrs now.

We meet in our homes, rotating so you get one visit a year and our final meeting is in a restuarant for an Xmas feast.

I think it's hard when you have v young children to have much time free to read the books - maybe expand your membership to include some school mums?

hmmm I was going to say, make sure you have enough people in the group so that a good number turn up each month but I see you have (potentially) 40 ! Maybe this could be the issue ? A lack of a formal group ?? Ours has 12 at full capacity but anything from 3- (on the v. rare occasion) 12 can turn up. Maybe people aren't sure if they're ok to turn up - I know I would feel that way if its just a blanket invitation to a playgroup IYSWIM and also with so many people, people probably don't feel an obligation to turn up (not that they should be obliged but you know how it can be sometimes 'can't be arsed to go out').

Also, I would have thought 7pm was quite a restrictive time for people with young children - I know I tend to get at least dd2 in to bed before going AND DH would really struggle to be home in time for me to get anywhere by 7. FWIW, ours starts at 7.30 but people turn up whenever they are able.

Otherwise, ours is similar to yours - meeting once a month (always the first thurs of the month so everyone knows when it will be each month and, more importantly, DH can block those evenings out in his work calendar), take it in turn to host, host chooses the NEXT book. No rules on choice other than under 500 pages. Also, some years we have a theme (this yr we are doing 'decades' so the first one of the year came from the noughties, second one from nineties, working backwards...which gives some structure).

Also I should add - there's no pressure in ours to have read the book. Although we discuss it and score it on the night, people can add scores whenever they finish it with a prize at the end of the yr for the winner (worked out as a percentage in case only a few read it). People come along who have read the book/ read part of the book/ not even bought the book.

But then, we're not particularly serious but we have a good time .

Thinking about it, if I were you, I'd disband the current one and start again with the hardcore and mix in some other interested people up to say 12 or so.

Thanks all, good suggestions.
Going to send a blanket email asking why people not so interested in turning up recently.

I agree that 7pm is too early ( too early for me) and I will ask in the email but the vibes I'm getting is that they would prefer earlier rather than later

About 1/4 of our group are academics at an Ivy League university so I wonder if some of the mums are intimidated ( they shouldn't be... the books we read are far from brainy.. but it definitely is an atmosphere in this town)

Good idea about the lists from the library. Maybe could pick and chose a few lists from local library's book clubs and email around as a kind of a "database"

Maybe you are right, we should disband and reform with a core group.

My bookclub operate a 'hat' system where everyone puts five choices into a hat and then one is drawn out at random each month. Well, actually two are drawn out in case the first belongs to the same member as has just had one read, iyswim. Anything goes re. fiction/non-fiction/poetry etc.

Meetings are always held in a nice winebar, once a month. That way there's no territory issues although obviously it might not work for everyone.

Good idea cyteen, might suggest it.

I have suggested a night out/ meeting in a social venue a number of times but no takers. Americans! My Irish sensibilities find this extremely strange

I have sent a communal email to the entire group this morning. Hope they don't vote for earlier meetings or daytimes cos that'll count me out. I work full time while most of the group are SAHMs.

at our club the host does a short list of 3 and we have a vote. Occasionally someone picks 3 books about the same thing and we read whichever we want so can have a discussion on the topic rather than just the book.

At least if you have a vote you can't blame the host alone if it's rubbish!