Readers around the world have used Meetup to make their dream book club a reality. The following clubs have gotten creative to build communities that gather regularly to chat about books. Learn how these non-traditional adult book clubs are bending all of the rules:
You don’t have to read the same book in your adult book clubs.
To some, reading a required book feels like an assignment rather than a fun hobby. When Samantha created The “Choose Your Own Book” Book Club in Melbourne, Australia, she gave members the freedom to choose their own books. “It’s a book club without the homework,” Samantha explains. “A choose-your-own-book club allows people to come together to share their passion for stories.”
Sally, co-organizer, adds, “Even though we don’t have a set book, our group never runs out of things to discuss! We don’t mind what you read, we want to hear about it [and] explore the themes it brings up with you.” This style of book club is great for groups who have varying taste in books, but also want to chat about what they’re reading with others!
You can discuss more than just books in your adult book clubs.
Books can certainly teach us about new topics, but you don’t have to limit the conversation books! In Seattle, Social Equity Study Group meets monthly to discuss equity and social justice, but branches out beyond the written word. Incorporating podcasts, documentaries, YouTube videos, and more into their studies, this group’s multimedia approach is engaging, adaptable, and meets people where they are. A mixed media style “book” club is a great way to dive deeper into any topic and learn together.
Take your book club to the trails!
A book club can be adventurous! In Birmingham, Michigan, Hike with Avid Readers, Learners, and Thinkers gathers monthly for a hike to chat about their recent reads while getting some exercise and fresh air. “I enjoy reading and hiking, which both tend to be solitary activities. By combining them in a Meetup group, we turn them into a social activity where we can meet a variety of new people,” Norm, the organizer, explains.
In this group, attendees are expected to arrive ready to discuss what they’ve been reading, but they don’t have to all read the same book. “By sharing what we are reading during the hike, we overcome the awkwardness of starting a conversation with a stranger,” Norm adds. If you love the outdoors, getting active, and one-on-one conversations, this style of book club might be for you.
You don’t have to talk.
An introvert’s dream, the Silent Book Club in NYC, Seattle, and online starts events with introductions, followed by an hour of silent reading. Afterward, attendees are invited to share about what they’re reading if they’d like. This optional discussion is similar to a choose-your-own-book club event, but the low-pressure nature of these Meetup events means that anyone who loves to read can join!
You don’t even have to read the book!
Typically, book club members are supposed to read something in order to participate. In Chicago, the I Haven’t Read the Book Club does away with that expectation. “I was having difficulty finishing the books in time for the adult book clubs that I signed up for. It was hard to consistently commit to the adult book clubs I joined, and consistency is key to developing friendships and feeling like you’re ‘part of the club,’” Tierney, the organizer, explains.
Tierney chooses books that have been turned into movies or books by well-known authors to make it easier for everyone to participate in a discussion. Low-pressure events like these can be great for casual readers looking to build a community around books.
Ready to start your own book club?
There’s no right or wrong way to organize a book club! Organizers of these adult book clubs have tips for anyone thinking about starting one:
Tierney: Figure out exactly what you want to get out of the book club. If you’re trying to attract a certain demographic (e.g., horror novelists, music lovers, biography bingers), theme your book club in a way that will attract them. If you just want to meet like-minded readers, then start with a book you recently read that really stuck with you.
Samantha: Group size and acoustics matter! We cap our meetings to no more than 15 people. You don’t want the group to be too big as it’s hard to have one cohesive discussion, plus it gets hard to hear everyone properly. If your group becomes really popular, introduce a small attendance fee. This encourages people to only RSVP if they are truly planning to attend, and it helps pay for organizer fees.
Norm: Have modest goals for attendance because often the response is small and some people won’t show up. Make sure that you are receiving a net positive benefit from the work that you’ll need to do to organize each event and handle issues as they arise. It needs to be a win-win for you; otherwise, you will burn out. The longer that I run the group, the easier it gets.
Sally: Be open-minded. Some of the perspectives and discussions we’ve had are so thrilling and engaging. I’ve considered things in different ways, learned things, and really listened to experiences and ideas that were new to me.
Share your love of reading with others—start your own book club today.
Last modified on December 12, 2023
