A book club with a difference
A friend and I started a book club in August 2023. As voracious readers, we were kindred spirits who liked to talk about books and floated the idea of starting a local book club. Since we read very different kinds of books, we decided to sidestep the standard book club template wherein a group reads one selected text and discusses it at the next meeting.
Our goal was to have bookish conversations, not prescribe a fixed agenda or reading list. So we set a few minimum expectations. First, it would strictly be an in-person meeting alternately hosted at each of our homes. Second, people could talk about the book they were currently reading or even one they had read previously, in case they were going through a reading slump. Third, the meetup would happen, even if it was just the two of us chatting over a cup of tea.
When we shyly put out the word about our planned monthly book club with the simple tagline of ‘Read what you like, Share what you read’ within our circles, the idea gathered momentum and before we knew it, eight people showed up for the first meeting and in the year and half since then, we have had 15 successful meetups!
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Making grand plans or going with the flow?
As I watched the Olympic Games in Paris this summer, I thought about all the athletes who spend years dreaming, training and preparing for their glorious moment at the games. There is so much pressure, sacrifice and perseverance involved in such an endeavor. No wonder the world watches spellbound, eyes filled with awe as they acknowledge the limits of human effort.
And then I think about those things in life that just come to us, like feathers – ideas, opportunities, or intriguing clues that we can choose to follow or allow to slide away.
Our book club was one such example. From a random idea that was expressed aloud between two people, it didn’t take long for it to take root and germinate and flourish.
Why did that happen?
Was it the timing? Was it because we were able to tap into a critical mass of like-minded people and therefore picked up steam organically? Were we simply lucky?
Perhaps it was a combination of all of the above.
It could also be because we fell into it comfortably. There was ease in our interactions. Even as we made plans and set expectations, we did not aim for membership targets or define a goal post for success.
Creating an empowering vibe
To our surprise, new people kept joining the group mostly through word of mouth. As the numbers grew, we found a local cafe that was happy to host us occasionally. We enjoyed the unpredictable vibe of each meeting that varied with the types of books discussed, the diversity of ages, backgrounds and reading choices as well as the number of readers who showed up.
Smaller groups led to deeper discussions and digressions while larger groups resulted in a large variety of books being covered in a single two-hour meeting. What remained constant was the feedback and palpable excitement of the attendees who said “these meetings are a highlight of the month for me!”
A wide range of books for discussion
A great advantage of this format is the wide range of books that come up in discussion – from historical fiction to popular nonfiction, graphic novels, translations, the Booker (and other) prize winners, trending bestsellers, old classics and more. There is something new for everyone – perhaps a new author or an unfamiliar genre or an obscure retelling. Our group includes library lovers and audiobook aficionados (like me), emotional readers, strictly e-readers, note takers, series bingers and a variety of other types of readers. It’s an eclectic and ever changing group with interesting takes on their reads.
At times we have had rousing debates about books versus their movie adaptations, whether print books are better than their digital counterparts and if a particular author is over-hyped or has “totally lost it” in recent times. While it may seem like such polarizing viewpoints could make for difficult conversations, we all freely express ourselves and feel empowered to voice our opinions in this circle of fellow readers – a good example of civic (and civil) debate.
Tracking actions versus measuring success
As I emphasized in my column about living a metric-less life, I still wonder about the things we do versus what we count as measures of a successful life.
After each meeting, my co-founder compiles and shares a list of books discussed, along with a photograph of the physical copies that are brought along to the meetings. The list is just for the record; we don’t track either the books or the people. Lists cannot capture the camaraderie and vibrancy of the conversations. Yet, they serve as reminders.
What brings us together is our shared love of the written word; what makes us come back every month is how energized we feel at the end of each session. It’s the quality of the interactions, not the quantity that determines success.
A safe space to speak freely, engage with respect
For me, the book club is more than just a monthly highlight for me. I will count it among my successes because I had some part to play in creating a safe space for readers to speak freely, agree or disagree, but always engage with respect.
What did I learn? What did I contribute? What did I achieve?
At the end of the year when I ask myself these questions, I realize that the answers include the deep awareness that when you follow a trail that arises from something you love, there is much to learn from others, there is a niche where you can indeed contribute in your own unique way and the achievement lies in bringing together a new community.