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Book Clubs: The future of reading

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October 29, 2024

In September 2022, by being avid readers, my colleagues and I decided to found our own book club, transforming our personal passion into a collective experience. Some time later, after my arrival in Poland, I searched for group activities in English and I stumbled upon a feminist book club organized by the Łódź Multicultural Centre. This soon became my favourite space, where I could share my ideas with like-minded people, as it encouraged conversation and debate among fellow book club members. 

Book Club Renaissance

With the number of readers slowly increasing in many countries, such as Italy and Poland, and the rise of social media, book clubs are expanding and showing up in new formats and places. Digital platforms allow people from different parts of the world to connect and discuss the plot of their favourite books. For example, Heloola, a growing Italian female-led start-up in the publishing industry, is transforming the purchase and reading of a novel into a collective experience of entertainment and sharing. 

Reasons to join a book club

But what are the specific benefits of book clubs? First of all, with a little peer pressure, they force you to actually find time to read books and they push you to explore genres that are usually not your cup of tea. Secondly, in these spaces you can find other book lovers and build a network. In fact, reading together can help you feel a sense of community, friendship and belonging. Finally, through book clubs you can improve some fundamental soft cognitive skills, such as critical thinking and public speaking, while also gaining new perspectives. 

Tips to improve your book club

However, in order to make the experience of book clubs enjoyable for everyone, there are some simple tips that you should follow:

  • Establish some ground rules. Although book clubs are meant to be informal and fun, you still need to think about some basic rules and principles. For example, you should determine the types of books that are allowed (any length? Any genre? Are re-reads accepted?) and the frequency of your meetings. Also, you need to think about who is going to choose the book: is it a collective or individual decision?
  • Give an original name to your club. This will help your group form a stronger identity. 
  • Use the internet. If your friends don’t like to read or if you are new in town and want to meet new people, you should look for book clubs online. In particular, Facebook is the best way to find local opportunities and events. 
  • Determine how the discussions should look like. You could either decide to hold free discussions where everyone can share what they want or you can host more structured meetings and ask specific questions. 
  • Food is your ally. The best way to make your book club meeting more fun is to bring some food (especially if it is homemade). You could also decide to meet in a cafè or a restaurant and to try out new places. 
  • Make it fun! Book clubs should be safe spaces where you can have fun and relax. Avoid judging other people’s opinions if they differ from your own. 

 

Now you have all the information you need to establish your own book club and to make it work. Are you ready to start this new challenge and finally shorten your Goodreads reading list?

Editor: Anna Jazdon

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