| Selecting books-it’s what book clubs do, | | | | practical rules up front, you can avoid problems down |
| isn’t it? Books are what you’re all about, | | | | the line, particularly when it comes to the cost of |
| so you should be pretty good at choosing them. | | | | books and the length of reading assignments. Some |
| But let’s be honest-book selection time isn’t | | | | groups choose only books that are issued in |
| always the happiest moment for everyone in your | | | | paperback, considering hardcovers too expensive. |
| book club. | | | | Other clubs limit the page number to around 400 or |
| Some members come away feeling | | | | some to 700. If they decide to choose especially |
| frustrated, hurt that none of their suggestions were | | | | long books, some clubs will break it up into two |
| chosen. Maybe some are tired of shelling out $34.95 | | | | meetings. No one should feel like the book club is a |
| for the new hardcover. Or maybe the page | | | | burden, financially or timewise. |
| assignment is too long-800 for the next meeting. | | | | DON’T choose for the whole year. Many |
| (“Hey, pal, I gotta a life.”) | | | | clubs do so, but it can be limiting and inflexible. If a |
| By following some fairly simple DOs and | | | | book comes along that’s particularly exciting, it |
| DON’Ts, you can help make your book selection | | | | has to wait till the following year. And choosing once |
| process run a little more smoothly. These ideas | | | | a year can be unfair if you have to miss that one |
| won’t unruffled everyone’s feathers, but | | | | meeting. |
| they can go a long way to making everyone feel a | | | | DO choose 2 or 3 books at a time. This |
| little less picked on. | | | | gives members a chance to read at their own pace. |
| DO consider monthly rotation. Many clubs use | | | | For those out of town for a month or two, it |
| the voting method whereby members suggest | | | | provides the chance to read ahead for the next |
| books, followed by a discussion and then a vote. | | | | meeting they’ll be able to attend. |
| It’s a good method and a common one. But it | | | | DON’T read one type of book. Try to |
| can leave people out-shy people, or those unskilled at | | | | vary your selections—not just contemporary |
| the art of pitching, the ones who simply aren’t | | | | fiction, heart-rending stories, or light-hearted ones, |
| persuasive enough at convincing others that their | | | | romances or mysteries. That can lead to boredom |
| books should be chosen. | | | | or burnout. Vary your choices- read some lighter |
| Try rotating your book selection on a monthly | | | | fare…or something heavier than normal. Try reading |
| basis so that each member gets one month to | | | | older classics, a short story collection, a play, humor, |
| choose a book. Okay, so you may end up reading | | | | biography, current events, or history. Variety is the |
| something you would never have chosen for | | | | spice of…. well, you get the point. |
| yourself, but isn’t that the point of a book | | | | DO consider themes. It can be interesting |
| club-to expose you to a variety of reading | | | | to devote two or three months to a single topic |
| experiences…i.e., get you of your rut? | | | | theme like travel or stories based in India, say |
| DON’T select favorite books. We all want | | | | Slumdog Millionaire (Swarup) or Midnight’s Children |
| everyone to love the books we love, to feel the | | | | (Rushdie). Maybe you want to compare childhood |
| same way we do about our favorite book. But be | | | | memoirs, like The Glass Castle (Walls), Don’t |
| careful-reading tastes vary widely, and some people | | | | Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight (Fuller) and The |
| will absolutely despise the very thing we adore. So | | | | Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid (Bryson). Or |
| don’t choose someone’s favorite book; it | | | | try reading books by the same author, like Jodi |
| can only lead to hurt feelings (ouch!). To avoid this, | | | | Picoult or Khaled Housseini. |
| some clubs have a rule that no one can recommend | | | | Book clubs should be a special time and |
| a book they’ve already read. That’s going a | | | | place, where all of us feel wanted, heard, and |
| little far-it’s a bit rigid, I think. The best solution | | | | appreciated-where our ideas count and where we |
| is to stick to books recommended by neutral | | | | feel we matter. The book selection process |
| sources: librarians, book club websites, periodicals and | | | | sometimes upsets the ideal…but putting in place a |
| newspapers. | | | | few basic guidelines, even those few rough spots |
| DO set some limits. If you establish a few | | | | can be evened out. |