Book clubs are usually portrayed as something that middle-aged women do with their friends – dinner at one of their houses, wine bottles are uncorked immediately, and the male love interest is discussed in great detail, complete with gasps and swoons.
. . . . . .
No…? Just me? LOL. I know this is a stereotypical image, if not a satirical one, but it’s the first one that comes to mind for me, and I’m sure I’m not the only one. The next image that comes to mind for me is akin to Dead Poets Society. A book club where the conversation is intellectually stimulating, the book itself serious and cerebral, and the discussions are had in passionate tones and loaded vocabularies.
Don’t let these images discourage you! Neither of these stereotypes are necessary to create a book club of your own. In fact, a book club that you set up can be as formal or as casual as you and your friends please. But, before you get nervous or overwhelmed, let me share with you the benefits of starting a book club with your friends. 🙂
You’ll get to read whatever books you’re all interested in
Starting your own book club means that you get to choose what you’ll read. You and your friends may choose fantasy, Star Wars novels, or vampire-fantasy-romance stories or anything else you want! You could all take a vote, make a list, take turns picking, or set up your own fun system of deciding the next story to plunge into together. Local libraries tend to have some sort of reading club already established or suggestions for getting one started.
You get to decide where the conversation goes and what topics you’ll explore together
In common read groups, school book clubs, and other similar setups, you and your friends may not (more like probably won’t) get to discuss the themes you’ve interpreted from the story, how the story inspired you personally, or the character development that finally happened in your favorite secondary character. Once you start your own, one meeting can be focused on characters, next time on relationships and love interests, another on setting – again, the sky’s the limit. 😉
Your friend group will grow closer together
Reading and discussing things that you’re mutually interested in will excite you all for sure, but it will also build the camaraderie that’s already there. Delving into a book series and enjoying it can be really enriching and strengthening.
Sometimes personal admiration for a character or difference of opinion on the story’s themes can get things pretty heated. Just make sure to remember that you’re all there because you love the story and one another. 🙂
You’ll learn so much together
Reading fiction (or nonfiction or whatever you’re into) can seem like just a pastime with no academic benefits, but I assure you that even reading fiction will expand your vocabulary, enhance your empathy and sympathy, and increase your awareness of the world around you. Add to that amazing process your beloved group of friends? Well, you’ve got a mix to become a strong, caring, and intellectually advanced group of unstoppable buddies! Or, something like that LOL.
You’ll have the time of your life!
Reading books is just plain fun. Reading books with friends? That’s fun times fun! (Don’t check me on my math xD )
Starting your own book club with your friends has loads of benefits, but don’t do it for all those reasons. Do it for your own enjoyment. You’ll make many wonderful memories that you’ll cherish for a long time. So, grab a book, gather a few friends, and chat the night away!
Do you think I covered everything? Is there some significant factor that I missed? Let me know in the comments!
A Word from Me . . .
If you’re working with a budget, ThriftBooks is an easy-to-use and affordable option! Find multiple copies of the same book at the fraction of the retail price! Use my link to get a FREE CREDIT when you spend $30 or more. (For the cheap prices, $30 at ThriftBooks buys way more books than it does at Barnes & Noble.) https://www.thriftbooks.com/share/?code=3RzwAY203zlZCGetHohqJw%253d%253d
A Word from You . . .
What do you think about my list of reasons? Do you have any suggestions or things you think I missed in creating this list?
Have you started your own book club? Has this encouraged you to take the leap and finally start one? Or have you never thought about this before?
Let me know your thoughts in the comments below! 🙂
*BONUS*
From now until July 31 (2023), you are eligible for a chance to win an ALL EXPENSES PAID trip to Boston, MA when you buy or preorder the new Tuttle Twins History Books!! This is a wonderful opportunity to invest in some quality educational material for your children AND possibly win a trip to Boston, Massachusetts — a beautiful city full of American history. From Benjamin Franklin to the American Civil War, Boston is full of museums bursting with historical artifacts, many of the same streets that the first Patriots would’ve actually walked, and some of the oldest architecture in America! It’s a win-win kind of purchase 😉
When you order from my link, you are entered into the drawing for this spectacular trip for 4! https://tuttletwins.com/history/ref/MyjasThoughts
