I’m a sophomore student at Uni, and I’m looking to make more friends. I’ve looked at the clubs we have on campus and none of them seem much my style. I’ve been thinking for the last few days about how we don’t have a book club and wouldn’t it be awesome if I started a book club? I would finally have a diverse group of people with similar interests as me who are hopefully more on the introverted side (it’s hard to find introverts to be friends with here) that I would see consistently throughout the year and possibly could be friends with. I’m CERTAIN people would join.
However. I’ve always loved the idea of leading/being in a book club, but at the end of the day it’s usually for the best that I don’t because I’m not a fan of either being told what to read or being limited to a specific book PLUS having a deadline to read it. I like freedom when I choose what to read. I have a list of 800 books I want to read, I don’t want a wrench thrown into my flow. Also, because we are all poor college students, it would be extremely difficult to find enough copies of one specific book for everybody. As the person starting the book club I’m aware it would technically be my responsibility to provide copies, but no way in hell can I afford that. It would be such a waste anyway cause inevitably not everyone would want to keep their copies after they read them. I could leave it up to the individual to get their hands on the book whether it’s at our campus library, the town library, the bookstore, online, etc., but I don’t want this to be a source of stress for them in their already stressful lives. I want it to be a place for them to relax and something for them to look forward to. I already know I wouldn’t have any “rules” like you HAVE to finish the book this week or you can’t participate in the discussion. I would have the group open to anyone and everyone who wants to join, whether they forgot to read the book, only read some of the book, read all the book, or it’s their first meeting with us.
I was just curious, does anyone have any ideas for a book club that isn’t your typical book club? I considered just having it be something where we discuss what we’ve each been reading lately, but it’s hard to find interest in a discussion about a book you haven’t read, plus we wouldn’t be allowed to spoil it so we’d be limited in what we can talk about. It also puts a lot of pressure on an individual to speak in front of everybody when they might not want to. I also considered splitting the group up into little groups every meeting by drawing names out of a hat, and then giving the little groups their own book. That brings me back to the not-liking-being-told-what-to-read thing, but I probably will just have to overcome that if I want to do the book club at all.
Any ideas or advice? All is welcome!
by angryechoesbeware
2 Comments
It sounds like what interests you in a book club is being around other avid readers, not actually anything that forms the structure of a book club. I’ve seen an increase in popularity of “reading clubs” where you just get together to read your own books in a comfy, shared space with the understanding that this is also social so you’ll be open to someone talking to you about whatever book is in your hands. It’s not for that super focused “don’t talk to me” reading time, although I suppose you could let people carry a sign that says “I like to be around people but not talk to them so please let me read in peace”. It’s more introvert friendly in the sense that no one is the center of attention and there’s no pressure but you can still have quality discussions 1:1 or a small group.
> As the person starting the book club I’m aware it would technically be my responsibility to provide copies, but no way in hell can I afford that.
No book club operates like that. It’s always BYOB.
>I want it to be a place for them to relax and something for them to look forward to. I already know I wouldn’t have any “rules” like you HAVE to finish the book this week or you can’t participate in the discussion. I would have the group open to anyone and everyone who wants to join, whether they forgot to read the book, only read some of the book, read all the book, or it’s their first meeting with us.
This is normal for a book club.
Honestly, a book club at college gives me pause. Doesn’t everyone already have more reading than they can handle for class assignments? If you’re certain there would be interest though, you know your campus better than I do.
I’d pick one book per semester, and if there’s enough interest to do it again the next semester take a vote at the last meeting for what you’ll be reading next time.