I have always been an avid reader. I remember sneaking a flashlight under my pillow to stay up late and sneak a few extra pages as a child. Now, as an adult, I don’t need the flashlight because there is a backlight on my Kindle, and lately, most nights, I can’t keep my eyes open after 8 p.m.
After the birth of my oldest son, I ‘thought’ I was a very busy working mommy and had no time to enjoy anything for myself. {Little did I know twins were in my future}. The book I had started the month my son was born was still on my nightstand six months later. I remember meeting my BFF at our usual spot, chugging caffeine, and attempting to maintain a normal conversation.
And then it hit me! I needed to start a book club. I needed a reason to carve out time for reading and an excuse to see my friends and family and engage in adult conversation.
We have been meeting for three years and have read about 30 books. Even with three children, three years and under, I’m never too busy to read. Here are a few tips that helped me get started.
Choose Your Members
When I first presented the idea of starting a book club to my sisters, they thought I was crazy. They assured me that no one would have the time. In fear of being turned down by anyone, I invited everyone. I emailed about 25 of my friends and family. Surprisingly, at our first meeting, 15 people showed up. Now, we have 12 consistent members ranging in age from 25-85, which leads to some very interesting conversations. A few additional members attend on occasion to mix things up.
Schedule a Date and Time
We meet about every five weeks on Tuesday nights at 7 p.m. The meetings are always held at my house due to convenience. Even my kiddos look forward to book club night, and get to stay up a little later to say hello to everyone before bed.
Pick a Book
Picking the right book is the biggest challenge. We usually bring suggestions and discuss other recommendations that we’ve heard from friends or People Magazine! It’s tough to pick a book that everyone will enjoy. Lately, our group has been writing down their top choice, and then we randomly select from a “hat.”
We also have read several books written by authors we all seem to like (Liane Moriarty and Diane Chamberlain). I also use Goodreads.com to help log the books we have read and books I want to read. The reviews are very helpful and offer recommendations based on the books you like to read. My top three favorite books we’ve read are The House at Riverton, Gone Girl, and Looking for Jane.
Bring Discussion Questions
Our book club is guilty of getting off-topic quite often. Having each member bring at least one discussion question is a great idea. This helps guide our conversation and allows all members to get the opportunity to share. Readinggroupguides.com is another great resource. They also have monthly contests and giveaways.
Snacks, Snacks, and More Snacks
All successful gatherings are centered on the food. We tend to stick with yummy dips, appetizers, desserts, and, of course, wine! Every member brings something each time for the group to share. My favorite go-to snacks to make are chips with onion dip (My son all-time favorite treat – I even named our club “Chips and Dip” in his honor), a simple Mexican dip (layering cream cheese, refried beans, salsa, shredded Mexican cheese and baking for 20 minutes), or a simple veggie platter.
Don’t Be Too Serious
As I stated before, the book club not only forces me to read more, but it’s also an excuse to hang out with friends and family. Several of our dedicated members don’t even read the books; we still have tons of fun and laughs!
If you still think you are too busy to start a book club, there are many clubs in our area looking for members. Try hooking up on meetup.com or check with your local library.
