Book clubs: is the trend of literary gatherings dying out?

[AgentPete]

Was quoted in this piece:

Book clubs: is the trend of literary gatherings dying out? - How To Be Books

What is the fate of book clubs? We asked experts are they losing steam or evolving in a post-pandemic Booktok world?

howtobe247.com

Our own perfectly-formed BC certainly isn't endangered
BTW, if you're not joining us this Saturday... you're missing out!
However, I'm not sure about "generalist" book clubs as a whole. I think somewhere in that piece it says they only have an average lifespan of 2.5 years... which strikes me as short... and publishers really do need to step up more and support book clubs, imho... what do you think?

 

[Hannah Faoileán]

Interesting. In my locality, face-to-face book clubs tend to be populated by increasingly older people. They tend to have vey annoying ring-leaders who are more fond of their own voice than others' opinions, especially if those opinions differ from their own. Younger "visitors" tend to find them off-putting. On-line book clubs allow the opportunity for busy people to dip in and out more easily, and appear to be more inclusive. They are also easier to find for today's booktok etc generation. Big celebrities such a Dua Lipa will draw their fans, and that's got to be a good thing.

 

[Nikky Lee]

I've been part of a local SFF bookclub since I moved to Auckland over 7 years ago. It's been a great way to meet people in a new city and I look forward to our catchups every month. It has quite a span of age ranges too from late 20s/early 30s through to 60s. I think the big thing for us is that we don't mind if people don't read the book. Most of us do, but we understand that sometimes life gets in the way or that we won't always vibe with every book we select to read. IMO part of why my bookclub has lasted so long is it is not just a book club but a social catch up for a group of SFF fans who will happily discuss whatever book/TV/movie/comic thing has captured our fancy in the last month. The discussion frequently wanders off course, gets lost, gets found and then finds a new tangent to follow, and we're totally okay with that because it means everyone can participate.

 

[RK Wallis]

I've been part of a local SFF bookclub since I moved to Auckland over 7 years ago. It's been a great way to meet people in a new city and I look forward to our catchups every month. It has quite a span of age ranges too from late 20s/early 30s through to 60s. I think the big thing for us is that we don't mind if people don't read the book. Most of us do, but we understand that sometimes life gets in the way or that we won't always vibe with every book we select to read. IMO part of why my bookclub has lasted so long is it is not just a book club but a social catch up for a group of SFF fans who will happily discuss whatever book/TV/movie/comic thing has captured our fancy in the last month. The discussion frequently wanders off course, gets lost, gets found and then finds a new tangent to follow, and we're totally okay with that because it means everyone can participate.

That sounds like so much fun!

I hear you @Hannah F. I shy away from the dominating personalities, so I'd be the last one to join a book club. I just don't need that in my life. Life is hard enough without having to deal with that.

 

[Jan L]

I'm part of a zoom bookclub with ten childhood friends. We'd all been very close until our twenties and then drifted apart. Now we're in our 50s. We started the club during the pandemic. It's monthly and we usually read the book and chat about it. I have to say that it's been a great way for us to reconnect and most conversations branch out from the book into life stories.

 

[AgentPete]

How brilliant, @Jan L !
How does one find a "nice" book club, i.e. avoid the ghastly experience of @Hannah F's club? is there a national register / searchable website?

 

[MattScho]

Book clubs are not part of our DNA, but sharing stories is. It's fundamental to how the species survived and thrived. We read, hear, see something that grabs us and we have to share the experience. Book Clubs facilitate that need.
A quick plug for the Litopia Book Club. As it's by and for writers, we may look at a work differently than other book clubs. How did the author accomplish that, what can we learn, apply (steal) from their approach, etc. We also tend to talk in general about the book, but there's a purpose to most discussions. Next up (November) is Project Hail Mary!

 

[PCFrontier]

Hi all,
There is a book club in Dorchester, Dorset. I have been told that the membership is all women and one member told my wife that drinking wine together was more important and more fun than reading the actual books.

My sister joined a book club in mid Kent this year. That club only attracted women as well. Each member was charged several pounds per month and the organiser chose and gave out one new book per month. My sister thought these were remainder type books which publishers wanted to offload. No wine was offered. My sister left the group quite quickly.

From this small sample, the secret to book club success might be - let them drink wine!
Paul
PCFrontier

 

[LJ Beck]

It has quite a span of age ranges too from late 20s/early 30s through to 60s.

No, 60s? Surely not that old, Nikky Lee?!

 

[LJ Beck]

I've never been part of a book club before joining Litopia's Book Club! I didn't want to have to read stuff that didn't appeal. Well, am I ever glad I joined this group. We read all sorts, and everyone is, of course, very respectful of each other's views. I've read stuff I never would have otherwise, that I've really enjoyed, and enjoyed discussing even more.

Guess I'm late to the book club party, but long may it continue. There's so many ways to partake in a book club now. And books are so accessible. Seems like book clubs should be thriving! What's better than reading (or listening to) a good book, and then talking about it with friends? Nothing that's what.

 

[Barbara]

One thing which stops me from joining book clubs is that my TBR list is ... well, I havent measured it but lets just say the pile will soon touch the ceiling. I don't want more books to read. I do. But I don't. But I sooo do. But I really can't.

Also I'm a slow reader and I'd probably never finish the suggested book in time for a meeting.

I ought to read what I have.

 

[Jonny]

No, 60s? Surely not that old, Nikky Lee?!

I hope to be still eligible when I turn 60.

 

[AgentPete]

One thing which stops me from joining book clubs is that my TBR list is ... well, I havent measured it but lets just say the pile will soon touch the ceiling. I don't want more books to read. I do. But I don't. But I sooo do. But I really can't.

Also I'm a slow reader and I'd probably never finish the suggested book in time for a meeting.

I ought to read what I have.

There shouldn’t be any pressure to actually read the book concerned… if there is (e.g. disapproval!) then it’s not being run correctly. For example, it’s no secret that mostly I haven’t read the selected book in our own Book Club. However, after the event, I may well do so (e.g. Jasper Fforde… on my list now). For me, it’s simply the pleasure of enjoying pleasant company with the added bonus of maybe discovering a writer I might like….

 

[Pamela Jo]

There shouldn’t be any pressure to actually read the book concerned… if there is (e.g. disapproval!) then it’s not being run correctly. For example, it’s no secret that mostly I haven’t read the selected book in our own Book Club. However, after the event, I may well do so (e.g. Jasper Fforde… on my list now). For me, it’s simply the pleasure of enjoying pleasant company with the added bonus of maybe discovering a writer I might like….

I went to the last one because Matt convinced me to read Jacob Fforde. This was the only book of his I'd read. I'm not sure I will read another, but it certainly stretched my understanding of what readers want. What can have a fanatical fan base. I think after rejections we tend to narrow our views to what it seems the market wants. Fforde reminded me that there is NO way of telling that. Agents and publishers may be looking for something that sold before, but truth to tell readers and zeitgeist confound them all the time. You can be batshit or deep or whatever- IF you can transport the reader to your world without dropping them.

 

[MattScho]

There shouldn’t be any pressure to actually read the book concerned… if there is (e.g. disapproval!) then it’s not being run correctly. For example, it’s no secret that mostly I haven’t read the selected book in our own Book Club. However, after the event, I may well do so (e.g. Jasper Fforde… on my list now). For me, it’s simply the pleasure of enjoying pleasant company with the added bonus of maybe discovering a writer I might like….

I think the pressure to read is often internal, though. It feels a bit naughty not to read. Now me, I like a bit of naughty...
Also a tip i picked up from Jonny: Audio books are great.

 

[Pamela Jo]

I am shocked, SHOCKED the shit-faced meth owl likes naughty. No wonder he's a Constant Rabbit fan.

 

[LJ Beck]

I realized yesterday that I have 4 books on the go. One on audible.ca on my phone for the car. One on audible.com on my computer for work. One on my Kindle for relaxing with, and a for-reals paperback for night time, before bed. What the... how did that happen?

 

[Jonny]

I currently have 3 on the go.

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell (Susanna Clarke Audible). Knots & Crosses (Ian Rankin Spotify) & The Detective Up Late (Adrian McKinty Audible).

In my Audible library I have as yet unread about another 20-30 books picked up at silly member prices (£2.99 etc). Two of which are the Entire Collection of Sherlock Holmes and The Entire Collection of George Orwell.

I may never get to the bottom of my pile.

 

[Pamela Jo]

I currently have 3 on the go.

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell (Susanna Clarke Audible). Knots & Crosses (Ian Rankin Spotify) & The Detective Up Late (Adrian McKinty Audible).

In my Audible library I have as yet unread about another 20-30 books picked up at silly member prices (£2.99 etc). Two of which are the Entire Collection of Sherlock Holmes and The Entire Collection of George Orwell.

I may never get to the bottom of my pile.

Like me you're saving up for old age. There will be time then right.

 

[Jonny]

Like me you're saving up for old age. There will be time then right.

Yes there will come a time when I'll have to admit to myself that I might not be quite as young as I used to be.

Thankfully, that's still a long way off. And if I can only hold on until someone builds a time machine... then I'll be (to use an Oirishism) On da pig's back.

 

[Hannah Faoileán]

I can only read one book at a time. Otherwise my dreams give me severe headaches.

 

[LJ Beck]

I can only read one book at a time. Otherwise my dreams give me severe headaches.

Hum, come to think of it, my dreams have been pretty messy jumbles of chaos lately..... You might be onto something.

 

[Barbara]

..... the added bonus of maybe discovering a writer I might like….

Good point. I hadn't thought of it from that angle.