Books
With the endless supply of literature both online and in shops, it comes as no surprise that finding the perfect book can be a big challenge — and that's one of the reasons why book clubs are so great. Book clubs have made a resurgence in recent years, with famous faces like Emma Watson, Florence Welch, and even Oprah all having their own popular reading clubs. It looks as though online and physical book clubs are here to stay, but how do you find a book club in the UK?
Not only do book clubs handpick wonderful selections of literature for you to read, but they also provide a platform for socialising with like-minded book lovers too. Reading a book by yourself doesn't allow you to have a good long talk over themes, and your favourite bits of the book, the way a book club does.
But there’s a lot that goes into finding the perfect book club. It’s sorting of like dating. Finding the right one for you can feel a little daunting at first. Factors like location, club size, choice of books, and the people who attend all play a key part in finding the ideal book club for you. So here are four tips on how to find the perfect book club for you:
1
Look Online
Perhaps you don’t live too close to any physical book clubs, or you can’t commit to getting to the same place at the same time every month. Maybe you’re a bit of an introvert and would benefit more from internet book pals. Well, if any of these apply to you, online book clubs could be your next best friend. Poppy Loves Book Club facilitates women from all over the world in reading the same book at the same time. And online directories like Reading Groups For Everyone help you find clubs in your area.
2
Try Before You Buy
You know what they say. Never judge a book club by its cover. And the same goes for book clubs, too.
If you’ve found a number of book clubs that have sparked your interest but you aren’t sure which to attend, have a look at what books they’ve previously read online before showing up and committing yourself. If they look like they align with some of your faves, great. Or maybe they'll push you out of your comfort zone, which would be good fun too.
3
Search For A Specialist Book Club
These days, it seems that there are as many book clubs to choose from as books on Amazon. But this means you can afford to be more specific in your requirements.
Black Girls Book Club, for instance, has created a space for black women while specifically championing the stories of black women too. Oh, and as the club's Twitter points out, it’s also been approved my Mariah Carey.
The bookstore Waterstones has a monthly queer book club, focusing on texts from people in the LGBTQ community.
So, if you know exactly what type of book club would suit your needs, seek it out. It's sure to be out there.
4
Make Your Own
If you can’t find a book club that you love, or perhaps there isn’t anything in your local area, why not fill in the gap start your own one?
BBC offer a great 10-step guide to starting your own reading club. Factors like finding a quiet venue for meet ups, getting people to attend, and the types of books you want to read are all super important when setting up a book club.
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