Apparently there are wrong ways to do book club. I have been running one incorrectly since the summer of 2022, and everyone seems fine.
Rewind to around three months ago, and I spotted a social media post from a very well known Hollywood-based book club owner, highlighting apparent red flags from book club members.
I'm not going to go into what those red flags were, but all I have to say is that I have been running my book club wrong, and I am not even a single bit sorry...!
This is what book club is about to ME
1. For me, book club is about finishing a book.
But, it is also about not finishing a book if you absolutely hate it, or just can't get through it.
I'm honestly a big believer that life is too short to force yourself to read something you are not enjoying, even slightly. I know that sometimes books are difficult, for a variety of reasons, and completing them can have huge benefits. However, there are so many books that are not worth that stress. I think it is more about recognising when a book is worth your time, and when your time is just far too precious to waste.
Sometimes, not finishing a book is a huge talking point, because there is normally a reason and it is okay to talk about that too. Book clubs should be about conversations, not everyone agreeing with each other, because let's be honest, that makes everything slightly boring.
2. It's okay to come for the coffee, the cake or just to be social.
Let me get this absolutely clear: if book club is the reason that someone left their house today, and they have been surrounded by people who love them being there...that is all that matters to me.
If you want to come along, and haven't even tried to read the book, that's okay too. Maybe it will inspire you to finish it.
Of course this comes with caveats...yes, non-readers will have to accept they will hear spoilers and conversations will generally stay with books we've read, however I'm lucky enough to have an amazing group that are great at keeping the topic mostly on books.
This is my book club, and I wouldn't change a single thing about it.