How I did it: I was a member of a social group and noticed a bookclub activity on the noticeboard. I had wanted to be part of a bookclub for ages, but couldn't quite figure out how to join one without a group of strangers coming to my home.

The first meeting I went to was held in a restaurant. The group was quite big, about 20 people, which meant that we were spread over two adjoining tables and if you were seated at one end, you couldn't hear what was going on at the other end.

I spoke to two other friends in the social club about this and they told me they had just set up another bookclub in a different suburb closer to where we live. Because it wasn't in the city, it was smaller - about 6 people on average, which was a good number. I feel 6-10 is a good number, I don't like very large groups. And you can hear everyone when they speak!

We became regulars and met on the last Monday of every month. We picked a quiet restaurant with decent affordable food. Monday night is usually quiet for most restaurants which is important if you want to hear everyone :-) and most people don't have regular plans for Monday (as opposed to Friday and Saturday for example).

I'd been going for a couple of years regularly, only missing a couple of meets. We had a few newbies, some of whom became regulars, and some never to be seen again (not sure why, we were always friendly!) Without the bookclub, I don't think I would have made time to read books, plus discussing the books makes it more social - as opposed to reading which is usually done alone.

I met my current boyfriend in this bookclub. I was a regular for a couple of years, and he walked in one day as a newbie. I didn't know it then, but I ended up leaving my job of 12 years and a city I never thought I'd leave to move interstate with him, to his hometown. I knew I had to get out of my rut but that was a pretty drastic change especially for someone like me! It's now two years later and we're happy. I think it's really funny that I only wanted to join a bookclub to have an excuse to read - meeting a life partner was an unexpected bonus!

Lessons & tips: To find a bookclub in your area, you might try checking out online social groups (I'm thinking Meetup or similar)  or your local public library. You may have to try a couple of bookclubs before you find one you really like.

Find a quiet venue. We picked a restaurant and held the bookclub on Monday nights once a month. We sat in the back. No one else was ever there except on one occasion over a two year period. For security reasons I would not recommend having one in your home. A quiet restaurant is ideal - they take care of the food!

Select the book well in advance so everyone has a chance to read it. We made a group selection a couple of months in advance.

We usually picked a book that could be borrowed from a public library by all the members so we didn't have to spend a lot of money buying a new book for the bookclub. It can get expensive buying books every month. Plus it helps not to be stuck with a book you don't like. :-) It happens.

You never know, it could change your life - it happened to me :-)

Resources: Check out the Book Movement and Goodreads websites for suggestions of books. There are many other bookclub sites online to peruse for ideas.

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Apr 26, 2012, 05:12AM PDT | 0 comments | 16 cheers