Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Reading Groups vs. Book Clubs - Please help me out!

I would love to get YOUR feedback from both authors and readers about book clubs and reading groups.

Is there a difference? What are the differences?
Who decides on which book will be read?
Does everyone read the same book or a different book?
Do you belong to a book club or reading group?
What do you love about your group?
What do you dislike about your group?
For the next week please leave your comments to the questions above.
Please share anything you would like to your book club.
If you would like to have any of the authors I interview who live in your area come to visit your book club and make their books personally available, let me know and I'll see what I can do.  Most of the "big name" authors won't be able to but those who aren't as well known are usually delighted to do so at no charge simply for the opportunity to getting their books into your club's hands!

Thanks and looking forward to your feedback!
Mary

8 comments:

  1. I think the group should decide as a whole as to whicch book is chosen to be read.It would be best i they read the same book. I am in a reading group.The group just started but what I love about it is that we all share the interest of reading.I am disliking at the present time that some people aren't being very agreeable on certain issues within the group.

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  2. We have just started a reading group and really have no idea on how to proceed with it. I think we can agree that in order to be able to talk about the book that we choose to read we all have to read the same book. The only problem is finances among the group are very low so selecting a book that has readily available copies at a reasonable price may be a problem. Like anything else we have lots of issues to iron out as well as trying to increase membership volume. I for one enjoy reading and want this group to succeed and continue to grow in volume.

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  4. I have never been in a book club or reading group. We talked about making one at work but haven't. I just don't have extra time to go meet with people to discuss a book.

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  5. You'd be surprised what you can do with Skype and conference calls, and who might come and who might not, depending on their schedule. Angela Hunt is very gracious. I'm not a big name, but I love to visit book clubs, and my own clubs have been kind enough to read me. I also very much enjoy visiting with other groups. And libraries almost always love to help out book clubs. Just register with your local library and give the librarian your book list. If they have a federation or agreement, they borrow books from other libraries in the area. Also, authors are often willing to sell at a discount, as will local book stores if you register and give them your book list.

    Lunch time at work is a great time to discuss a book once a month. TBCN.com is a great group to join with many different book clubs on line. There are reading guides often available at the end of a book or at goodreads or readinggroupguides.com or often the publisher web site. I have them at my web site. I belong to two groups locally and each is different: we take turns hosting, bringing theme snacks, and being the facilitator to ask the questions and keep the conversation going. It's a great way to meet people. And did I say I love to visit your group?

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  6. At one of my book clubs, we bring suggestions, but one person chooses the books we read between Sept. and May. They are all kinds of books, some I like and some I dont. I usually go the discussions even if I haven't read or didn't finish or like the book because it's interesting to hear other people's take. One time in a group we each read a different Diane Mott Davidson and analyzed it just for fun. I think, for all practical purposes, reading groups and discussion groups are pretty much the same. The point is to have a group experience and discussion, and to do that in a reasonable manner, you have to have something similar to discuss. Having a facilitator to lead the group, usually on a rotating basis, doesn't mean that person has the answers - that person just asks the questions for the group to answer.

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  7. Im not and Avid reader but have really been enjoying a new book that I just picked up,because if this blog by a good friend..

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  8. Like Lisa, I both belong to a book club and am an author who loves visiting book clubs - in person or via Skype/phone.

    My book club rotates hosting, and the hostess picks the book. The nice thing about this is we get exposed to authors and genres we might not have explored on our own. Since we don't vote, it doesn't end up as the "best-sellers-book-club," which I appreciate. We rarely all agree on whether we liked the book, but we have wonderful, deep, hysterical discussions that never get heated (we're all good friends too). Just this weekend it was my turn to host, and I picked Carla Stewart's "Broken Wings." Carla met with us via Skype - and she was utterly charming. By the way, we ALL loved "Broken Wings." :)

    I love, love, love meeting with book clubs as an author. It fascinates me to hear their questions and how the books affected them as readers. Plus, I've gotten to e-meet people all over the country :)

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