Fun with Book Club Running

November 18th, 2011

This probably should come as absolutely no shock to anyone whose spent even one millisecond on this blog, but I co-run a book club through the Houston Great Books Council, dubbed "Young Thinkers." It launched back in June with The Hunger Games, and since then we've covered a pretty diverse range of dense subjects and themes, including medical ethics, the Holocaust, and (this month) intersexuality. My experiences co-leading this group have proven extremely enjoyable so far, and I've both made friends and made better friends of some I already had. I'm still learning quite a bit as we sally forth. By no means should anyone think me any sort of expert on gathering together bibliophiles (or any sort of expert on anything in particular aside from, perhaps, why A Confederacy of Dunces is the greatest book that ever has been and ever will be written in this universe and any parallel ones that may or may not exist). But I figured I'd share a few points culled from my own observations for anyone curious about starting or refining a book club of their own. I might dip back into the subject occasionally; for now, though, these five pointers should hopefully suffice.

• Have some sort of core. Pretty much every HGBC group sports its own theme. The Young Thinkers, for example, targets high school and college students as well as new professionals and picks out reads focusing on social, political, religious and ethical issues (among others). At some point, we hope to coordinate volunteer projects promoting literacy and social justice in the city. Other HGBC book clubs focus on biographies, speculative fiction, political philosophy and more, although plenty of more general ones exist as well. Running a quick search reveals a bevy of groups around the world emphasizing one particular genre or theme. Although not a requirement by any means, I've personally found that sticking to a few core goals and values helps keep everything organized. It makes the selection process much smoother and questions much easier to formulate.
  
• Don't force anyone to speak. Even book clubs whose members hold similar interests still end up with a variety of comfort levels and discussion styles represented. While I am all about inclusion and letting everyone with something to say have a turn, I've learned the more unfortunate way that some participants prefer absorbing to sharing. Let conversations flow naturally – whomever wants to speak up should be allowed to speak up, and whomever wants to stay quiet should be allowed to stay quiet. Try to avoid putting shy members on the spot. If you want to make sure they know their input is always welcome, ask a question and look around asking "anyone" for their opinion. Toss them a warm smile or make (VERY) quick eye contact and just leave it at that.
• Consider everyone's opinions. At the same time, though, you can't just let one member dominate the conversation. One thing I'm proud of when it comes to the Young Thinkers is that we boast several VERY opinionated individuals, but they take turns instead of commandeering the entire meeting for themselves. What makes book clubs so much fun is looking at the selections from as many angles as possible. Listening to only one person compromises the ostensible goal of getting together and talking literature in the first place! There's no shame in cutting someone off when he and/or she grows too verbose and inquiring about alternate (even dissenting) interpretations. Just try not to force anything on the quieter folks.
  
• Don't always follow the provided book club questions. Whether rolling with a publisher's provisions, downloads or your own personal book club questions, don't let them constrain the conversation. The best discussions unfold organically, not obligated to any rubric. It's probably a good idea to stay on topic, of course, but strive to stay beholden to the book instead. Any questions you have available are great for ending any lulls and – obviously – starting the talks in the first place. Since the main idea is to bring together a diverse array of perspectives, going with the flow opens participants up to them better than a more rigid structure.
• RELAX! Seriously. This isn't English class. Nobody's grading or judging (and if they are, then seriously…that says far more about them than you) or expecting 8-page essays on reversing ALL THE BINARIES. The best book chats are ones resembling the very same conversations you'd be having outside a more "formalized" meeting. Choose a location facilitating such an atmosphere. Young Thinkers, for example, convene at a local tea house popular for its casual comfort. Some rather brave ones I know about hit local bars. Finding the right place to unwind and clear your head for a great talk is key to creating a relaxing environment welcoming to both old-timers and newcomers alike.
  

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