The
first meeting
will be the most difficult. After all, nobody really knows what
to expect!
There are no hard and fast rules and the way the group is run
depends on the
members.
What you read and how you run the group is up to your
group
to decide
The group should be led by
one person
– at least at first. The number of members is best limited to
a
maximum of twelve.
Otherwise some people might not get to join in
That time of day will the group meet?
Morning,
evening, afternoon?
Will the meetings be regular or will you
set the date
each time?
Some members may want something quite formal where books are
analysed in detail
and discussed at great length
Others will want an informal discussion over a cup of coffee
or a glass of wine. Most people just want to get together
with other
like-minded people
and discuss the current read.
Belonging to a Reading Group
can be a challenge!
You
will need to agree to differ sometimes. It is important
to listen to and accept differences
People more often than not find themselves reading –
and enjoying-
books they would never normally have considered.
Be quite definite from the start that the Reading Group is for enjoyment
– some people, unfortunately, who think that belonging to a
reading group gives intellectual status. Those you
definitely should not encourage. Reading Groups are fun!
Be very flexible and don't insist that every book must be read
from cover to cover. Lots of
animated discussion
arises from people's reasons for not finishing a book.
Members come and go.
That is inevitable.
You will probably get more people when you start and one or
two might not stay
When the book under discussion has evoked strong feelings for
or against,
discussion can be very lively.
The venue
can be anywhere which is comfortable and convenient. Some
reading groups meet in each other's houses, while others meet
in pubs.
Libraries are an obvious choice;
members feel at ease in the familiar surroundings of the
library - which is probably where they heard about the reading
group in the first place.
It is best to
talk among yourselves
about what you would like to read – as a group. If you have a
list of available books already to hand the choice can be made
from that. It is best not to throw the discussion open to
anything and everything - that way lies disagreement and
chaos! But remember that reading groups are for
listening to and not judging other people's viewpoints!
There are lots of places where you can find
recommendations about
what to read.
Try
New Books Magazine -
ask your librarian about this publication
Or have a look
elsewhere online
by following one these handy links
More links
can be accessed by clicking on the links logo
