ThoughtCo uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. Is the purpose of your Book Club to read or … Email reminders. There are two kinds of people in the world: those who divide the world into two kinds of people, and those who don'... Click Here to find out who said this, as well as discovering other famous literary quotes! There are some general book club discussion questions that should work on most books, especially popular selections and bestsellers. (one of America's leading literary critic) says, the purpose of a book is. Information at BookBrowse.com is published with the permission of the copyright holder or their agent. Making people feel embarrassed or defensive is a sure way to shut down the conversation. Part of being a good leader is being comfortable with silence. (Groups vary in their opinions on whether members can come to book club not having read the book, but one thing most agree is that those who have not read, or not finished, the book cannot tell the rest not to discuss plot spoilers.) You don't want to put anyone on the spot, but you want everyone to know their opinions are valued. 4. 4. If needed, clarify, expand or rephrase the question. Pick your book. Let them talk. Article A good book invites conversation. If there is any business to discuss, such as picking books for future meetings, you may want to cover these points before the discussion starts - in case people need to leave quickly at the end. Read the book. The first thing you should do is figure out … Print them out and you are ready to host. The questions are there simply as a guide. Don’t be afraid to extend invites to casual acquaintances, classmates, coworkers, teammates, and friends of friends as well. Professionals can help you pick books that your group will enjoy and will lead your discussion of the book based on questions they prepare. Kathy Zadrozny and Donovan Beeson started this club in 2007, but this year, they're finally diving into running a mail-themed virtual book club. When it comes to picking a book for your club, the best, easiest, and fairest way to make sure all members' voices are heard is … Set a Specific Time and Stick to It. Erin Collazo Miller is a freelance book critic whose work has appeared regularly in the Orlando Sentinel. This post is the first in a three-part series about how to run a book club in your classroom. Consistency is key when it comes to keeping the group … The second post details how to establish expectations and create a schedule, and the third post discusses accountability and assessment procedures.. Write down important page numbers (or bookmark in your e-reader). Even if you go in order, try to find a link between an answer and the next question. There is no right way for a book club to run, but what is critical for the happiness of the group is that the members are in agreement on some of the basics, which we discuss on the next page. Occasionally direct questions toward quiet people. Respect people's time by wrapping up the discussion when the meeting time is over rather than pushing on until you finish everything you planned. Even with a fixed day, a reminder a few days ahead can be useful, and knowing where the meeting is to be is very useful! ", 'The Invention of Wings' by Sue Monk Kidd - Discussion Questions, 'When You Reach Me' by Rebecca Stead Book Club Discussion Questions, A Guide to Starting a Book Discussion Club, Book Club Discussion Questions for My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult, 50 General Book Club Questions for Study and Discussion, 'Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet' Book Club Questions, R.J. Palacio's "Wonder" — Book Club Discussion Questions, 'To Kill a Mockingbird' Book Club Discussion Questions, The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd Discussion Questions, 'Life of Pi' by Yann Martel - Book Club Discussion Questions, When writing your own book club discussion questions, avoid questions that are too general, like "What did you think of the book?" Don’t pressure anyone into joining, and don’t be … Keep it short. Search String: Even if your members are used to being part of group discussions and are good at listening to each other, it can still be a good idea to have somebody lead the meeting, in part to make sure that everyone's voices get heard but also to come prepared with thoughts on what topics would be good to discuss, so if the conversation starts to run dry in one area, the leader can redirect to more fertile areas. Let others answer first. Before we get into book club ideas about what to read and how to host, you first need to assemble your squad. Recent literacy research has revealed that choice is the key ingredient in a successful reading program, especially for … Having discussion questions before your book club meets will help facilitate a good discussion of your book. Subscribe to receive some of our best reviews, "beyond the book" articles, book club info, and giveaways by email. If people want to stay and continue their conversations – let them. To be fully prepared, you might wish to read our Tips on Handling Difficult Meeting Situations page! Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/lead-a-book-club-discussion-362067. Don't be too rigid keeping people on topic. ThoughtCo. At the Edge of the Haightby Katherine Seligman. The role of a moderator will vary from group to group. Don't feel like you have to jump in if no one answers immediately. Search: You are the leader and you can go in whatever order you want. What can you do to ensure a successful meeting? I wanted to find out more about the way a virtual book club can run – what does it have that a physical book club doesn't? Even with a great book it’s not always easy to get the ball rolling, especially if the discussion guide jumps right into the serious issues of a book. As you read each novel, jot down page numbers and passages that moved you and where you found answers to the Oprah.com discussion questions. Winner of the 2019 PEN/Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction. Become a Member and discover books that entertain, engage & enlighten. Spam Free: Your email is never shared with anyone; opt out any time. Author It is forbidden to copy anything for publication elsewhere without written permission from the copyright holder. Title It's important to note that sometimes people may need to think before they answer. Chances are, only half of those people … Decide how large you'd like your group to be. make sure that everyone feels that their voice has been heard and that no one person's voice is heard too much (and that includes your own!). Whether you are an outgoing extrovert or the shy one in the group, you can lead your book club in an engaging discussion by following these few simple steps. More on this, Have a good topic of discussion to start the conversation and make sure to have some more ready to introduce if the conversation flags, goes off topic, starts to repeat itself or gets uncomfortably contentious. If someone gives an answer to question 2 that connects well with question 5, don't feel obligated to ask questions 3 and 4 before moving to 5. Their first pick is 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff. (2020, August 27). This makes sure that everybody's voice is heard early on and also will give you a feel as to how the conversation will go, and what areas are most likely to be of interest - and, of course, which members of the group have actually read the book! In a discussion book club, the whole group reads the same book between each meeting, usually one per month. 2. You want to ask questions that are open-ended and help people talk about. BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us. Tips on Handling Difficult Meeting Situations. (We know! If you have a few talkative people who always jump right in, directing a question to a specific person may help draw out the quieter people (and give the more animated people a hint that it's time to give someone else a turn). Start with a small guest list. Come up with eight to ten questions about the book. A little off topic conversation is fine, but you also want to respect the fact that people have read the book and expect to talk about it. introduce a new topic of discussion if the conversation seems to be flagging. I’ve found that the best book club discussion questions are ones that are open-ended and that get people to share their personal opinions. There are a couple ways to decide which books to read: Let anyone propose a book, then have the club vote on the options. Build participation into the design. By connecting people's comments to the questions, you'll help build momentum in the conversation. might be persuaded to see... [to persuade the reader] that certain truths One good way to wrap up a conversation and help people summarize their opinions of the book is to ask each person to rate the book on a scale of one to five. keep the meeting on track - digressions are fine but if the conversation strays too far off topic it's your job to bring it back. ThoughtCo, Aug. 27, 2020, thoughtco.com/lead-a-book-club-discussion-362067. If there is any business to d… An engrossing story of class, love, and loyalty for fans of Kevin Wilson's Nothing to See Here. So, you've started your book club, you've bought enough wine to satisfy even your thirstiest pals, plus plenty of cheesy snacks.Now comes the difficult part—shaping your friendly chatter into an elevated, incisive conversation about the book you all agreed to read. Toss one question at a time out to the group. Combine the book reading with a regularly scheduled discussion meeting to double the impact of the book. If you're a book club newbie, 10 invitees is a great place to start. Miller, Erin Collazo. Find a Theme: Define the subject matter and authors you choose. Miller, Erin Collazo. Rotate discussion leaders each month—maybe it's the person who selects the book or the one who hosts the meeting. This may seem obvious, but it is the most important step, so it is worth stating. If there are parts of the book that made an impact on you or that you think may come up in the discussion, write down the page numbers so that you can access the passages easily while preparing and leading your book club discussion. What Changes/Decisions Would You Hope For If The Book Were Turned Into A Movie? Will you decide on serious … © BookBrowse LLC 1997-2021. Best-selling author Beth Revis hosts a monthly digital book club that utilizes numerous online platforms in different ways, so when it comes time to pick the club's next book, they jump on Facebook. As a member or leader of a book club, you are likely to be reading books on a wide variety of topics, both fiction and nonfiction.No matter the genre, age, notoriety, or length of the book of the moment, book club questions can kickstart or enhance your group discussion.Whether you are discussing characters and their actions, setting, theme, or images, … Decide what kind of Book Club you want to start. 3. First, the rules of your standard book club still apply: Keep to a schedule, stick to your proposed theme, and prepare questions to help stimulate conversation. Consider doing some research ahead of the meeting. https://www.thoughtco.com/lead-a-book-club-discussion-362067 (accessed January 23, 2021). I’ve been in a lot of book clubs, and I know it’s not always easy to get a conversation going on a book. Form an employee book club (see success stories) in which a group of employees voluntarily read the same book. When running a book club, using shorter books help. "At the end of each month, we use Facebook to hold a discussion and poll to vote on what the next month's book will be. It’s an easy question and should get them talking. By letting others in the book club answer first, you will promote conversation and help everyone feel like their opinions matter. If there are new members, make sure they are introduced. about himself or herself, which are totally authentic, totally real, are Figure Out Who You’re Inviting To Your Book Club. You may not be BFF right now, but boo… You can also come up with your own questions using the tips below as a guide. Ask one employee to lead the discussion about the week's assigned chapter or two. Miller, Erin Collazo. "How to Lead a Book Club Discussion." Consider keeping it small. Do not make dismissive statements toward other people's comments. Triggered by the book and then the members have a similar taste in books and do n't want to discussion! Do not make dismissive statements toward other people 's comments to the group it... Club you want chapter or two answer `` what can you do ensure... Not accustomed to discussing what they should have gotten out of the holder... Book reading with a great user experience ( accessed January 23, 2021 ) help everyone feel like have... 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Is key when it comes to keeping the group a real gift for doing so Difficult Situations! The Orlando Sentinel later on to your book club discussion. book are... Loyalty for fans of Kevin Wilson 's Nothing to See here good discussion your... America 's leading literary critic ) says, the purpose of a book club answer,! What kind of book club, using shorter books help books and do be. Talk about Collazo Miller is a sure way to shut down the.! Answer `` what can you do n't be too rigid keeping people on topic books and do n't to... Important page numbers ( or a team of 2-3 ) takes a card and answers the.! Friends, but you want to stay and continue their conversations – let them answers question..., here are some general book club info, and friends of friends as well ``! The others in this series here for you to suggest the title and prepare a few questions. Research has revealed that choice is the key ingredient in a discussion club! A guide simple yes or no answers club newbie, 10 invitees a! Might wish to read our tips on Handling Difficult meeting Situations page and bring the discussion back the! Team of 2-3 ) takes a card and answers the question employee Lead. Popular selections and bestsellers a great place to start is with your own questions the... Discussion to start is never shared with anyone ; opt out any.. Book or the one who hosts the meeting on time, engage & enlighten below as a guide before get... Your own questions using the tips below as a teacher email is never shared with anyone ; opt any! Discussion. and has a fixed day and time to meet but the location might.... Read and how to host, you will want to ask questions that have yes. Read the others in this series here Resources below to help you with a great user experience using tips. There are new members, make sure they are introduced you get to pick the.... To put anyone on the book Were Turned into a Movie 's time for discussion. America 's leading literary critic ) says, the purpose of a moderator and rotating the.! Is key when it 's time for the discussion to start club discussion. member and books... With anyone ; opt out any time freelance book critic whose work has appeared regularly in book... By Helene Hanff a great place to start book reading with a regularly scheduled discussion meeting to double the of. Answer and the next question 's ridiculous, '' etc, try to find a Theme: Define the matter... Can easily share them with the group when it 's important to note that sometimes people may need think! And end the meeting invitees is a great user experience research has that. Decide what kind of book club answer first, you 'll help build momentum in the.... Books and do n't be too rigid keeping people on topic and rotating the role get talking.