Seeking your tribe: Starting your own book club

If there is a constant in society, it is the need for a tribe — the incessant desire to belong to something bigger than yourself. Tribes come in many forms, bound by common interests, circumstance or similar perspectives. They are as numerous as the stars in the sky. You see them wear the labels of writing clubs, yoga chapters, photography forums, even new mommy support groups. Regardless, they are venues for sharing, for learning and many times for teaching. 

For those of you who love the written word, why not start your own book club? What could be more productive than spending an afternoon imbibing the “Wisdom of the Ages” or discussing the thoughts of many a literary master or the mistakes of many a fictional fool? Too boring you think? Perhaps not.

A while back, I was fortunate enough to have been invited as a guest to a book club of lovely women. Their group had been together for over a decade and had bonded as both friends and colleagues. Each month saw the staging of an interesting piece of work, against a backdrop that was often thematic and “atmospheric” in nature. This group of ladies sought to transport each reader into the pages of every story so that you could feel every character’s plight and each author’s insight. Needless to say, it was an amazing experience.

 Yet even more impressive was the system that they created for themselves. They were organized, interesting, and consistent. And although each group is different as is each tribe, this one found what worked for them. This is perhaps the first step in creating your club of story seekers, understand your group, and figure out what will work for you. 

Before embarking on this endeavor, here are some suggestions from the quintessential reader Oprah Winfrey and insights from enjoyable websites such as litlovers.com.

No one likes to start something with a very short shelf life. So before you pick up that first book and begin summoning the posse, ask yourself and your group some questions: why start a book club? What are your expectations? Are your members willing to take on certain responsibilities/tasks such as: acting as a moderator, a host, a scribe or even a treasurer? What if there are financial costs involved? Are they willing to contribute? As part of the discovery process, why not do research on certain reading guides to see if this type of tribe is really for you.

The following may help you: www.harpercollins.com/hc/readers/fiction.asp, www.randomhouse.com, www.penguinputnam.com, www.twbookmark.com/books/reading_guides.html. Once you’re completely decided on creating this group of word-weavers, there are additional details to consider. What kind of book club would you like to start?

Some people would prefer that their clubs be a venue for socialization while others may treat this meeting as an academic exercise. However, most people find themselves somewhere in between. Once you decide on the answer to this question, it will be easier to determine the type of books and what kind of system you would like to put into place and perhaps most importantly, the type of people you would like to join you.

Another question might be: what kind of books would you like to feature/focus on?

Questions as to the type of genre you would like to tackle, the level of literary difficulty, the style of writing, and even the length of each book need to be asked. Will you focus only on fiction? Or will you delve into biographies or even self-help books?  Will you invite a guest speaker on occasion? 

Then, of course, there is the question of the number of members to allow into your group. Eight to 16 members should work well for a discussion despite absentees. Beyond this, may be too difficult to handle. Starting with three or four original members and asking them to invite one friend each should be a great way to start a program. As in any new group, you need not know everyone right off the bat. Part of the joy of joining a club is meeting new people and learning from them precisely because they may be different from you. Words of caution though, these differences must not be too divergent. Choose members who, although have varying interests, all share something in common — whether their preferred book genres, their openness to the new or even the sense adventure that comes with the unknown.

You may also wonder as to when and how often you should meet as a group. Deciding this may be a challenge since people have various schedules. Getting together every four to six weeks may be an option for many. You may want take a break during holidays since most people spend time with their family. Also, take into account the length and depth of the featured piece since some books may require more time to read than others. 

What about where to meet? Homes, clubhouses, cafes and restaurants seem to always be common favorites. As long as ambient noise can be managed, lighting is good and no restaurant staff motions to kick you out after four hours of food and conversation, public arenas are always enjoyable and convenient places to meet.

Not to be missed in all this, is the need for documentation. It is something that is often overlooked. Taking down notes, assigning a rotating scribe, taking pictures and sometimes videos is just as important as the spontaneity of each discussion. For a book club that especially aims not only to enjoy each other’s insights but also to share knowledge and experiences — the ability to look back at lessons learned is paramount. You may want to take note of the following aspects of each book: plot summaries, discussion highlights, member insights and even an over-all rating. They will help you maximize the value of every encounter.

However, regardless of all these tools that can help create the newest club clique or social tribe clothed in erudition, understand that at its most basic… sharing knowledge, building a community with positive thoughts, individual growth and worthwhile insights can constitute the beginnings of real wisdom and time well-spent among genuine friends. So go ahead, seek your tribe.

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E-mail tcbautista@arkeology.org.