STUFF

A book discussion club is a group of people who meet to discuss a book or books that they have read and express their opinions, likes, dislikes, anything that they want. It is more often called simply a book club, a term that is also used to describe a book sales club, which can cause confusion. Other frequently used terms to describe a book discussion club include reading group, book group, and book discussion group. Book discussion clubs may meet in private homes, libraries, bookstores, online forums, pubs, and in cafes or restaurants over meals or drinks.

A single-title club is one in which people discuss a particular title that every person in the group has read at the same time. Clearly, the club must somehow decide ahead of time what that title will be. Most often, that title will be a new release, and it is expected that each member buy a personal copy. If it is a book discussion club that meets at a library, the title may be a new release or an older title. If they choose, each member may borrow a copy of the book from the library.

One of the problems with these clubs is that some members regard them as opportunities for social contact and conversation veering off onto a wide variety of non-literary topics, while others hope to engage in serious literary analysis focused on the book in question and related works. Still others suggest a book not because they are interested in it from a literary point-of-view but because they think it will offer them an opportunity to make points of personal interest to them. Different expectations and education/skill levels may lead to conflicts and disappointments in clubs of this kind.