Books on the “100 Best Books” list of a major periodical are good choices, as are current bestsellers. Consider both fiction and nonfiction when choosing a book.
If you plan on hosting at a library, be sure to reserve a conference room well in advance of the book club meeting. You might not be able to get one at the last minute.
There are many ways to let club members know when the next meeting will be. You could, for instance, call each of them with the information. You could also send a mass email containing the date and time. If you prefer a more personal touch, you could mail out an invitation with the relevant information.
The book club’s host often doubles as the conversation leader. You could also choose to invite a subject matter expert to lead the meeting. For instance, if you’re reading a book about the French Revolution, you might invite a local professor of French history to lead the conversation. Alternately, your book club might decide to choose a single leader who runs every book club meeting. English teachers, librarians, or authors often make good book club leaders.
If your book club is reading a well-known book, you’ll probably be able to find some study guides with questions in them online (or in book stores). For instance, if you’re reading 1984, you might run a search like “1984 study questions” through your preferred search engine. If you’re reading a book that doesn’t have questions available for it online, read the book carefully and come up with some open-ended questions that can elicit thoughtful reactions from club members.
Having book club participants write their thoughts on index cards can allow club members who are less outgoing to share their thoughts, too. This is also a useful method for facilitating conversation on controversial books.
If a club member is talking excessively and wandering off-topic, help them refocus their attention on the book with gentle but firm directions. For instance, if someone is talking about their weekend plans instead of about what they think of the book, transition back to the conversation by saying “Let’s talk about the third chapter. Was anyone surprised by the protagonist’s decision?”
For instance, if you’re reading Alice in Wonderland you could purchase some themed items (including coasters, candles, or decorative art) that refer to Alice and her adventures around the meeting space. Don’t forget to offer some beverages to help wash down the snacks. Wine, water, coffee, tea, and soda are the easiest options.
Some book clubs are happy without snacks of any kind. Others leave it to each group member to bring their own snacks. Still others leave it to the host to prepare snacks or hors d’oeuvres. When hosting a book club, be sure to ask about food allergies and dietary preferences before preparing a snack.
For instance, you might be able to obtain pillow covers or pillows embroidered with images of books. You could place some bookish art (such as art printed on book pages or paintings of people reading) around the meeting space.
