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Are you interested in starting or joining a book club? Or are you a long-time member looking for ways to shake things up? I chatted with a few of our experienced book club members and hosts at the library to gather advice for cultivating an excellent book club experience.

• Staff interviewed for this post: 
• Amy Giacomucci, advisory specialist and long-time book club member 
• Aubree Lanman, advisory specialist and host of the Fantasy Book Club
• Paul Kim, advisory specialist and host of Talking Books
• Rummanah Aasi, advisory librarian and host of Lit Lounge

What makes a 'good' book club book?

This is a tricky question, and each of us answered it a bit differently.

Personally, I look for titles that encourage the reader to look at the world in a new way, through the characters, themes, settings, or the way language is used. Amy looks for “something that you keep talking about after you leave the room.” Aubree prefers “books that people can connect with, or books that teach us something new.” 

Rummanah likes to pick books that are out of people's comfort zones and challenge them to read something they wouldn't select on their own. Paul adds distinct settings, clear prose, and different relationship dynamics as qualities to look for.

How do you choose which books to read?

Most groups go one of two ways when selecting books: the leader chooses all of the titles, or the group decides collectively. 

Rummanah and Paul choose the discussion books themselves. To help decide, they read reviews, watch publisher webinars, and browse the shelves in the library for inspiration.

Amy’s book club goes the democratic route and selects by nominations and voting. My book club with friends also votes on books, and then we rotate hosts each month so that one person is responsible for researching and running the discussion. You can also structure choices around a theme, such as books published outside the U.S., local authors, or a different genre each month.

If you’re hosting a book club, how do you prepare to lead the discussion?

We work at a library; of course, we’ll tell you research is key! All of us read reviews on websites such as NoveList and Goodreads to gather information about the book. 

Sometimes we get input from friends and coworkers. Rummanah suggests checking out the author’s website, social media pages, and YouTube interviews. Paul recommends seeking out reading guides provided by the publisher for inspiration. LitLovers.com and ReadingGroupGuides.com are two great additional resources for discussion materials. Of course, we strongly recommend contacting your local librarian for help preparing for your discussion.

If you’re attending as a member, how do you prepare to discuss the book?

As they say in the Boy Scouts: always be prepared. 

Paul emphasizes self-reflection, taking note of certain characters, quotes, or moments in that book that stand out to him. Aubree and Amy recommend chatting about the book with friends, family, or coworkers ahead of time. Amy notes, “It helps me remember what I thought was interesting about the book, or to focus on what I want to hear other people's opinions about.” I like to read online reviews from both professional and casual readers; considering other perspectives helps me to see the book in a new light.

What do you do when the conversation is stuck and people aren’t engaged?

This is a great time to pull out those discussion questions you researched. Paul and Aubree try to find something specific, such as a character or scene in the book, and ask a question about that. Rummanah shared go-to questions that can help move the conversation along:

• If you could change something about the book, what would it be and why? 
• Would you pick up the next book by this author or recommend it to friends? 

If the conversation is quiet because nobody liked the book, it’s fine to acknowledge that! What aspects of the book did people struggle with? How can we look at it from another angle? Why did the author include that terrible cliffhanger that made us all so mad? Shifting the questions may allow the conversation to flow better. 

How do you navigate disagreements and heated conversations?

Part of what makes a book club great is talking through differences of opinion, but it can get uncomfortable when things are tense. Start with listening. 

“I like to try to get more information about where everyone's coming from,” says Amy. “Often disagreements will come down to different interpretations, or to misunderstandings.” Rummanah adds that sometimes there’s a middle ground that both sides can agree on. 

Sometimes directness is key. When necessary, Paul reminds those in attendance that respect toward each other is important. Other times it’s best to move on: “I give it room to breathe and then I try to nudge the conversation in a slightly different direction while still using whatever caused the disagreement,” says Paul. 

And remember that disagreements are part of the process. Rummanah reminds us, “Everyone has a different viewpoint, and that's what makes the discussion interesting. Sometimes your opinion about the book might change at the end of the discussion.”

More Resources

Looking to join one of our library book clubs? See our upcoming book discussions.

Deciding what to read next with your group? See our list of suggested titles for book clubs.

Do you have your own book club and you’re looking for discussion resources, related events, and multiple copy requests? Complete our book club interest form.