Appoint a club memberwhoever selected the book or the person who is hosting. Does any one have ideas for a first student club meeting. Sometimes you might find enough people to start a book club right away. Send an email asking book club members to rsvp their attendance to your meeting. Use our ideas to help you organize your book club activities, hold good discussions, and settle tough issues. Take great notes at meetings and professional development. More teens will be able to participate and once you build a relationship with the group you can pick lesser known books together. I had a few ideas but i was wondering what you guys could spark up here on. Top 10 ideas for a small groups great first meeting. If time remains, the leader should pick a member to share hisher excerpt and to lead a discussion about why that part is important. Some clubs have one member who enjoys leading all discussions. Important questions to ask at your first book discussion. Starting a book club at work can be a great way to enrich your workplace experience, but it can be tricky to get past your first meeting. Set the date at least two weeks in advance in order to allow for people to have time to read the book.
There are so many reasons to be part of a book club. Italianamerican cookbook author lidia bastianich, whos accustomed to cooking for a crowd, says a bubbling casserole of shellshaped pasta stuffed with ricotta is something everyone. Not everyone can finish every book, but nonreaders may still have valuable insights. The band wife raise your hand if youve ever joined a book club, dutifully read the book and showed up to find that 75% of the people hadnt actually read any of the book, there was an obligatory 5 minutes of book discussion and then everyone sat. The first two chapters happen before the time enders game takes place, the third chapter is a quick recap of its second half, and the last is the filler between its ending and the beginning of speaker for the dead.
Book club meeting agenda sample bring to the meeting. This can be as simple as going around the group taking it in turns to introduce yourself and saying what you like to read and what youre looking forward to about the book club if youre new or what you like about the club if youre an established member. Its especially helpful for those who travel or miss a meeting or two. How to start a book club that doesnt suck book riot. After the umpteenth book on the same subject or with the same feel, your members will long for a palate cleanser and may eventhe book club kiss of deathtake a break from reading the books. Our monthly meetings have been a constant in my life. Insist that discussion time be limited to the book. Montague, an occult scholar looking for solid evidence of a haunting. Pages 101116 bring your computer and whatever tools e. Crazy ideas for breaking up dull meetings by loraine lawson in cxo on june 28, 2001, 12. It is a good idea to plan on finishing the book a little earlier than you might otherwise so that you have time to think about it and prepare before your book club meets. These groups typically consist of female genders and meet up regularly to discuss each other thoughts from the books. For those of you who dont know what international relations are, its pretty much countries and the way they communicate, for example meeting new people, traveling, donating money to unicef, etc. Hang book club ornaments from zazzle on your tree this holiday season.
Send out emails a week before the meeting to give people a written reminder. Apr 28, 2014 are you thinking of planing a party or book club meeting for the divergent book series by veronica roth. If you are starting a book club yourself, you may need some ideas for creating a fun group that people will come back to time after time. Some clubs meet online, many meet inperson either in homes or public places such as a library, bookstore or cafe. There are many kinds of book clubs, and the people who come will depend on the kind you choose. Remember to support your opinions with evidence from the text.
Ive only had experience with mine, so ill share how ours is organized and why i believe weve had such endurance. Whether your book club is a few close friends or a larger group, hosting a book club party still takes some amount of planning. Arrive at 7pm meet, chat, eat if food is on offer and discuss any book club issues such as what to read next. Hold a quick organizational meeting to determine the number of chapters the group wants to read each week and to pass out the books. Coordinate with your members to set up a pre book club meeting. Ask around the office, playgroups, your church, or civic organizations. Tips for running a successful, sustainable book club. This will be the most important choice you make, because it will affect everything else about the book club, from where and when you can meet to which book you read. Whether you contact them by phone, email or the web. Just before the book club invitation letters id like to mention a few tips for the benefit of any of my readers who dont know how to start a book club. Email your book club members to inform them of the following. Or if you prefer, the group can decide up front which books to read and then create a schedule.
Club meetings samples differ from routine meetings in that they dont always follow a formal course. Here are some neat ideas for your next meeting see more ideas about book club, starting a book, book club. Alert friends, family, and coworkers that youre starting a club. I thought narrowing the field might help so i brainstormed some monthly book club theme ideas. This is a little more time consuming, but allows everyone to cast their vote anonymously. It is up to the chairperson of a club meeting to decide how formally he wants it to get rolling. Rediscovering america on the appalachian trail by bill bryson. Wrap utensils in napkins for easy pickup to save time in line at the buffet. Select a volunteer to lead the book discussion at this meeting. Searching our site for childrens books will yield even more options, all read and discussed indepth by book riot writers. Lois wyse we were a book club long before oprah started the book club rage. At the first meeting, put everyones name on a slip of paper and put it in a bowl to choose the next host at random. Book, reading journal, bookmarks, and pencils meeting 1 leader. I served on the social committee, welcome committee and created our quarterly newsletter the fun stuff.
Distribute several small slips of paper to everyone at the meeting. It helps to include a link to an online purchasing source. Another bonus is that the ideas discussed in those pieces tend to be controversial, which leads to lots of fun, even heated debate. Invite an outside facilitator english teacher or librarian, paid or unpaid. Since our founding in 1992, first book has distributed more than 175 million books and educational resources to programs and. First meetings in enders universe by orson scott card. Over the plain houses by julia franks npr best books 2016. Spend your first day getting to know everyone and come up with a club name. They were reminded to bring their books, readers notebooks, and postit notes with them. For a traditional style book club where everyone reads the same thing start by picking a book that a lot of teens in your community have already read like the hunger games, monster, or if i stay. There are lots of book clubs out there now, and theres more than one way to run a successful one. Aug 24, 2015 how to start a successful book club photo credit and tutorial for painting book covers. One of the first steps to starting your own group is to establish a facebook page for it, where you can invite new. Im usually the only one who gets the book from the library and the book is never available in a month.
Book club meeting agenda for meeting alycia zimmerman. Plan 30 minutes for food, wine and catchingup with friends, an hour to 90 minutes for a structured discussion and the final 30 minutes for more informal discussion and socializing. You could either create a book club entirely around a single theme, or use themes to narrow your focus for each month. How do we make our first meeting fun, compelling, and informative. If youre the host, have a few questions in mind to stimulate conversation. Whether the group is large or small, encourage all book club members to read the book and attend the meetings regularly. In this book, the authors dave gray, sunni brown, and james macanufo have compiled more than 80 games that can be used to make your meetings more engaging, effective, and fun. And theyre reallife, which makes them easier to relate to. Every book club member should have a chance to pick a book, and the parties should rotate between hosts.
Liven up your book club meetings by playing a quick game or two when your members first arrive. Every book club ive attempted to be in selects them at the meeting before. If youre looking for books that may introduce your children to other cultures, some far away, some in different states in the u. Apr 02, 2014 book club aka read between the wines were coming up on the last meeting of the year and i wanted to share some ideas that have kept our book club thriving. Scroll on to find genius ideas thatll make sure your book club party is a story for the ages. If you are in a book club and have some ideas to share, id love to hear from.
Use the special requests to the maitre d section on opentable to let the restaurant know your party is a book club and make personal requests such as a round table or sitting closer than usual. Host a book club party for the books with our planning tips, from creating the club to keeping the conversation flowing. Read the suggestions for super fast and easy book club snacks discussion from the chowhound home cooking, appetizer food community. A great book club member comes prepared, shares their ideas, and listens when others are talking. Or, have a handout with up to five questions that everyone will keep in mind throughout the discussion. Set a regular meeting time an ideal size for a book club is eight to 11 people. During book club meetings there is a fair amount of socializing and having a good time. Its important to make good impression at that first meeting. Rotate members take turns, each choosing a book for a given month.
The faster serving goes, the more time for the star of the nightthe book. Some clubs hold book discussions first and invite social members to join afterward. Book clubs may have a specific theme or include miniature games during their meetups. When meeting inside the home, just remember, something could always come up last minute to pull jane away from her hosting duties, leaving your book club locationless. The most important goal on the first night is to set up the relational feel that you want the group to have and help everyone feel comfortable with each other. If eating dinner during the book discussion is a part of the meeting, make room at the table or pull out. As i get older, the company of these women friends becomes more and more important to me.
A book club sometimes called a reading group or book group is a group of people who get together on a regular basis to discuss books. Divergent series themed book club meeting mama luvs books. I first experienced this approach at my book club in dc. See more ideas about book club books, book club parties and book worms. Mar 06, 2017 in my monthly book club, we often have a hard time selecting our next book because there are so many to choose from. Book clubs exist all across the nation and range in size from a handful to several dozens.
Sometimes a casual chitchat can turn into a heated debate, so stay on your toes and arbitrate when needed. There are also online resources that help book clubs coordinate information and share book ideas. This is particularly important with small groups as it is very discouraging to find barely enough people turn up to form a conversation, or too many have not read the book making it difficult for those few who have to discuss it. The first thing you should do is figure out who will come to your book club. Whether youre looking for a second dose of english class, or a catchup sesh with a dash of literature, you should meet with others who share the same vision for the book club. Vote all members make suggestions, followed by an open discussion, and vote. This may seem obvious, but it is the most important step, so it is worth stating. The host can decide whether to have the book club party at her house or. While this format can certainly work for smaller groups, it presents some very obvious problems for larger, less exclusive groups. Successful groups select good books, have interesting discussions, and foster community.
A family, 20292047 by lionel shriver npr best books 2016. Apr 07, 2010 april 16 i am having the first meeting of the international relations club at my school. First book is a nonprofit social enterprise that provides new books, learning materials, and other essentials to children in need. Meetings have a reputation for being boring, but this does not have to be the case. This can be as simple as going around the group taking it in turns to introduce yourself and saying what you like to read and what youre looking forward to about the book club if youre new or what you like about the club if youre an established. August book club meeting, alternative meeting meetup. Decide whether you would prefer to focus on one genre or have an freeforall, and set the tone, too. You want to make sure youre going to have a good time with your book club members. Here are some neat ideas for your next meeting see more ideas about book club, starting a book, book club books. Be sure and refer to the abcs of a great start for your connection group for important tips on making sure your group members come to the meeting.
After youve gathered information from the poll, set a time, date, and location for your first club meeting. Oklahoma city events designer lindsay gibson shares her ideas for a book club table setting. Avoid veering off topic by meeting at the restaurants bar for a drink beforehand. Often youll at least recruit some help in completing the rest of the steps. Book club aka read between the wines were coming up on the last meeting of the year and i wanted to share some ideas that have kept our book club thriving. Prepare discussion questions andor book related activities confirm the meeting location send out a reminder notification to all members of the meeting time and place preparebuy snacks if you want to munch on snacks during your discussion. Go alphabetically, by birthdays, or by whatever order you decide. At your first book club meeting, or whenever new people join your reading group, its good to spend a bit of time getting to know each other. So, here are a few helpful tips, decide what kind of book club. Send an email reminding the group about the title of the book. Whoevers turn it is selects the next book to be read. How to host a fall book club gathering williamssonoma taste. At the first meeting, pass around a piece of paper and have people write down their contact information clearly then type it up and email a copy to each member after the meeting. To serve dinner, set up a buffet in the kitchen and let the girls serve themselves.
You cant be sending out those book club invitation letters without having a strategy first. With your kids input and posts from book riot, you can select anything from childrens books for the resistance to books for the inbetween years when middle grades and ya are both not quite right. Or, check out more club and group gathering invitations. I feel like its a book that can start a great conversation at a first book club meeting. Crazy ideas for breaking up dull meetings techrepublic. Dec 11, 2015 we have a book club notebook that we pass around every meeting so that if they have opinions they dont feel comfortable voicing they have a place to share them. Balance colors by using containers with tiny blooms and greenery first. As host, theres a lot you can do to make the monthly meeting a success. Alternatively, the discussion leader could write down a different question on multiple cards and give each member a card. Use everything you know about an awesome grand conversation. Jun 01, 2019 hosting a book club is a fun and rewarding experience. About four years ago i was a member of our hoa board. After reading the book summary of gamestorming, i immediately borrowed it from the library. First, decide on the basics like when and where the meeting will be, and what book your club will be reading.
Literary book decor, a surprising theme, cocktails of course, and even a book swap or a donation bin celebrate the true spirit of the month. Monthly meetings work well because it gives everyone a chance to get hold of the book, or find it in the library, and to read it, no matter how slow a reader. I love reading and i love getting together with my friends to discuss books. Running a book club at your workplace can be an incredibly fulfilling and refreshing experience. Get started 2 min sit in a circle, facetoface, where you can talk quietly and still hear each other.
Of course, you will also discuss the latest book you are reading, but if that is all you do your meetings will soon become boring. Start a new holiday tradition with thousands of festive designs to choose from. A good friend is a connection to life a tie to the past, a road to the future, the key to sanity in a totally insane world. Its also your job to prevent people from talking over each other. It is the story of four seekers who arrive at a notoriously unfriendly pile called hill house.
How to start a successful book club everyday reading. They guide the members in making book selections and other decisions about the club. Games to break the ice at book discussion groups and other. Heese gave her students a very short amount of time to get into their clubs. Book club parties are a good way to get friends together and have great discussion over appetizers, drinks, or brunch. Once a month we will meet to discuss one book and create the opportunity to learn from, support, and encourage each other. Whether you contact them by phone, email or the web, let them know when and where the first meeting will be held.
Oct 03, 2011 introduce the book at the book club meeting prior to the one youre hosting. I refuse to pay for a book im going to read one time, so im usually unable to participate in book clubs. Your non club colleagues will definitely appreciate it. Start a club based on something that takes only 45 minutes to readthe oldfashioned indepth magazine article. Invite members to the first meeting at least two weeks before the date youve selected. Mar 11, 2020 any time youre starting a new small group, a great first meeting is very important. They are knowledgeable about our standards of practice and have learned strategies for engaging readers of all levels, including those who cannot read at all. If we are reading a book that touches on a difficult topic such as just listen by sarah dessen or its kind of a funny story by ned vizinni i will make them packets of information. Have small bites and foods that are easy to consume while discussing a book. Select a volunteer to lead the relevance discussion, too. The discussion leader could ask one question at a time to the group. Before the first meeting finish reading your book mark any interesting passages you might want to discuss. Coming up with a handful of fun meeting ideas adds a touch of humor and laughter to your gatherings, whether the subject matter of the meeting is related to business, school, community or any other area.
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