According to the New York Times reports, about five million people belong to a book club in the United States.
A book club is a group of people who share their love of reading. They read the same book on a timeline they have established and then meet to discuss various aspects of the book, share their thoughts and their insights. Book clubs are in person or virtual. Frequently, a group of friends form a book club. Libraries, bookstores, community centers, websites, and celebrities are a source for book clubs.
Jenna Bush Hager started the Read with Jenna book club in 2019.
Oprah Winfrey established Oprah’s Book Club in 1996.
Before Oprah, in 1927, Harry Sherman established the Book of the Month Club.
A book club of sorts became controversial in 1634 when Anne Hutchinson organized a women’s group to discuss sermons that were given each week.
The informal book clubs usually meet on a rotation basis at one of the member’s homes. Refreshments usually accompany a casual environment where long-term friendships can develop. It is fertile ground for discovering new genres, authors, and friends. Typically, this type of book club has a membership of five to ten, but can be as large as 20 or more.
As was the case when I was invited to speak at the book club meeting hosted by Joanne Tashjian. I was welcomed by 21 enthusiastic readers eager to ask questions after reading Taxi to America. They showered me with praise and compliments.
Are you a member of a book club? What made you join the club? Are you thinking of joining one?
Drop me a line and let me know.
STELLA
How do you find a book club to join?
You will find information on how to join a book club, how to organize your book club, book suggestions to read, and more by clicking on the following links:
https://bookclubs.com/
https://reedsy.com/discovery/blog/book-clubs
https://bookriot.com/a-history-of-book-clubs
https://www.today.com/shop/read-jenna-book-club-list-today-s-jenna-bush-hager-t164652