C’mon is there really anything cooler than sitting around with some of your best pals and discussing a novel you’ve just read—especially if wine, cheese, and other delicacies are involved?
If you’ve ever been on the fence on whether book club is for you, consider this…
My Favorite Thursday Every Month
It was one of those things I’d always talked about doing but never quite got around to.
Starting a book club should’ve been a no-brainer. After all, I was that kid in English class who couldn’t wait to discuss symbolism in, say, Great Expectations.
While reading itself is a solitary activity, it’s incredibly satisfying to talk about whether a story measured up (or didn’t) and why. And if you combined that with a menu inspired by the storyline, well that sounded like a pretty great way to spend an evening.
I remember discussing the idea with a friend (and fellow reader). “If I started a book club, would you join us?”
“Absolutely.”
That was all the affirmation I needed.
I invited a few friends who (mostly) didn’t know each other, including one who still drives well over an hour in rush hour traffic. Hailey from the gym chose Steven Rowley’s The Celebrants. Then we picked a date. After that, I lived out my fantasy of owning a restaurant (minus all the costs and pressure of manning the line) and designed and cooked a Mediterranean-themed menu because a Greek eatery was mentioned a few times in the story.
Last but not least, I scribbled down a few discussion questions. An icebreaker of sorts to get the conversation started, plus seven inquiries about the plot, the characters, the themes, what star rating we landed on.
Before the festivities had even started, it was fun. And once our motley crew showed up? My joy only multiplied. Here we were, huddled in the living room, laughing, eating, and debating the finer points of a novel. While our opinions varied (and still do), everyone is respectful.
Now twenty (!!!) books and nearly two years in, our group has expanded. Friends have invited other friends; and I’ve gotten to know incredible women I probably wouldn’t have otherwise. The only rule of book club is we stick with fiction.
It can be any genre, any author, current or old-school, and our group has chosen everything from historical fiction to contemporary, romance, suspense, and beyond. Even some titles we didn’t wind up loving made for exciting and particularly animated discussion.
That’s how I always envisioned a really fun book club, but I had no idea I’d get this lucky. The last Thursday of every month has become my favorite. And I’m grateful for every woman who has stepped through my front door for all the fun.
If you ever need any inspiration for your book club, don’t hesitate to reach out.