by Pat Timko
Childrens Librarian
Marysville Library

From the No-Name Book Club to the Radical Readers, book discussion groups have sprung up all across the country and there appears to be no end in sight to the relatively recent trend that began in earnest when the Oprah Winfrey Book Club first sprouted wings in 1996.
Kathleen Rooney, author of Reading with Oprah: the Book Club that Changed America, provides a simple and somewhat elegant explanation for why so many readers have jumped onto the book club bandwagon:
… there are, in fact, large and largely untapped portions of the population who are willing and eager to interact with literary texts, and through those texts, with each other. And as a culture, we want and need to engage with literature in order to learn, a well as to entertain and enrich ourselves.
But if you think that book discussion groups are only for the adult reader, or that in these gatherings only lofty, literary ideals are put forth, think again. Some groups choose only books with food as a major element of the story and each gathering includes yummy things to eat. Other groups read only those books whose stories take place long ago and the participants arrive in the costume of the period.
Book clubs for kids abound and are most often enhanced with edibles and activities related to the reading. Mother-daughter book clubs give participants an opportunity to come together to talk, laugh and learn through their love of reading. And large numbers of Teens have formed their own reading groups in an effort to bring actual face time to a world otherwise dominated by online community interactions.
Because of the enormous popularity of book clubs, an entire industry has sprung up around the notion and practice of discussing books. The Internet is a goldmine of information for those getting started, as well as for the seasoned veteran; and there is no dearth of print material available for forming a book group, finding books to read or ideas for keeping your discussions lively and provocative.
Regardless of where you fall on the book club continuum, there are many helpful books at your disposal. Here are just a few that can be found through your local Sno-Isle library.
For kids The Kids Book Club Book by Judy Gelman and Vicki Levy Krup includes reading ideas, recipes, activities and smart tips for organizing terrific book clubs for kids. Talk about Books by Elizabeth Knowles and Martha Smith promotes reading and fosters literary discussion and was written for adults who are interested in starting a book club for grades 4-8.
The Mother-Daughter Book Club by Shireen Dodson includes tips for starting a club of your own, reading lists from your favorite authors and a selection of discussion guides. And for those interested in getting beginning readers interested in talking about books, theres The Book Bunch by Laura Smith. This selection features 27 programs developed and tested by childrens librarians. Each program includes a reading of the story, a theme-related craft or activity, and a list of lively, thought-provoking discussion questions.
For teens The Teen-Centered Book Club by Bonnie Kunzel and Constance Hardesty and Teen Book Discussion Groups at the Library by Constance B. Dickerson were both written with the young adult librarian in mind, but each volume contains a wealth of information for adults helping teens start their own discussion group or for teens interested in self-direction.
For adults Good Books Lately: the One-Stop Resource for Book Groups and Other Greedy Readers by Ellen Moore and Kira Stevens might very well be the single, most useful resource for readers who belong, or want to belong to book groups. Beginning with a brief history of book groups in the United States, this titles subsequent chapters advise the reader on ways to analytically read a book, provide ideas for creating a one-of-a kind book club, offer suggestions for energizing the group with creative, crafty activities, with a final chapter that includes a list of favorite books.
The Book Club Cookbook by Judy Gelman features recipes and background information on the roles that food plays in 100 popular book club selections and shows readers how to prepare culinary masterpieces that tie in with their clubs choices.
Read it and Eat: A Month-by-Month Guide to Scintillating Book Club Selections and Mouthwatering Menus by Sarah Gardner features fiction as well as nonfiction reading selections, mouth-watering recipes and everything else you need to help you create book club get-togethers with flair, sparkle, and delicious food and drink.
The Book Club Companion: a Comprehensive Guide to the Reading Group Experience by Diane Loevy is chock full of innovative ideas to help you share your love of books. Fun and witty suggestions include childhood favorites worth revisiting, tips for establishing club rules, ways to encourage discussion and debate, theme gatherings, food and drink recipes, crafts and more.
Reading with Oprah: the Book Club that Changed America by Kathleen Rooney gives interested readers an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at the book club from its inception and early years of focus on contemporary literature to its timely, but temporary demise; culminating with a rebirth of a club whose emphasis now rests solidly on the classics, spirit and self, mind and body.
Once a book group has been formed and the titles of choice have been decided upon, next comes the task of finding copies for everyone. But not to worry, getting books for your book club couldnt be easier when you use the Book Discussion Kit reservation feature available on the Sno-Isle Web site. And with more than 120 titles to choose from, theres a good chance your choices are available to reserve. Just go to www.sno-isle.org and under the Books, Music, Movies tab, click on Books and then click on Book Discussions. From this location, you can reserve a kit, find out about other book groups that meet in Sno-Isle libraries, join the online Dear Reader Book Club, and locate reviews, articles and recommended Web sites for books and book clubs.
But if you would rather read about the inner workings and interactions that take place in a book club than actually participate in one, youre in luck. A handful of authors have penned some rather intriguing and quite unique tales centered around groups of readers that get together to discuss books.
The Wish Club by Kim Strickland carries a caution to be careful what you wish for, as its members dabble in casting spells following the reading of one of their groups monthly literary selections.
A Novel Idea by Aimee Friedman is a light read for teens and reinforces the notion that a book group can lead you not only to new reads and new friends it might also lead you to love.
Filled with sly wit and quirky characters, The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler reveals the myriad ways in which five women and one enigmatic man resemble Austens book characters as this group of Californians meet on a monthly basis to discuss the novels of Jane Austen, one at a time.
Portrayal of upper crust life in the Hamptons doesnt get any juicier than award-winning author Hilma Wolitzers Summer Reading: a Novel. With a Hamptons summer book club as their common thread, the lives of three characters are woven together in the quintessential summer novel about friendship, romance, longing, and especially, the love of good books. Six women discover their lives enriched and transformed by their shared passion for books in Gloria Goldreichs Dinner with Anna Karenina, a delightful tribute to friendship.
Book discussion groups provide readers with countless opportunities to express and expand their own personal viewpoints, to form friendships, to explore new genres and new recipes! And with so many book group resources available, reading for intellectual stimulation and the pure delight of being in the company of other book-loving people has never been easier or more fun.
So what are you waiting for? Whether youre looking for a discussion group to join, thinking of starting your own book club, or if youre simply in need of an engaging new author, youll want to contact your nearest Sno-Isle library the one-stop shopping place for all of your book-reading needs.