Why I Love Book Clubs

I haven’t had a chance yet to check out the new movie “Book Club” with Diane Keaton and Jane Fonda, but being in a book club is one of my favorite experiences.

As an avid reader, I enjoy the chance to discuss books with others, to see what they think about the characters or events and what they may have learned or taken away from the book.

I enjoy my Stephen King Book Club because it is interesting to be in a club with other people who are avid fans of Stephen King. Often, we are re-reading the books, talking about the first time we read them, how old we were and how we connected to the characters.

Also, the leader often listens to podcasts and does research about the individual books and themes for additional insight.

For example, with “It,” I was in high school when I first read it, so reading it again as an adult is a different experience. You focus in on different details, and see relationships change between the characters, who are portrayed as adults and children during flashbacks in the book.

Reading a series, such as the Dark Tower, also becomes more in-depth, as you consider the myriad of connections between the main series and the other connected books and characters. Reading them multiple times you find different clues, or Easter Eggs, that King leaves for avid readers.

We also go see movies together, such as “The Dark Tower” and “It,” and compare the books to the movie experience.

Expand your views

I am in another book club as well, where we read a variety of books. Gaining insight from someone else who may have enjoyed a book you didn’t like or liked a character you didn’t, can make you think about the book in a different way.

A book club also is a great way to learn about historical events or read authors with different life experiences, such as Trevor Noah’s “Born A Crime” about his upbringing in South Africa, or “Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet,” by Jamie Ford, about the Japanese internment and the Japanese American experience during World War II.

Especially now, I think it is important to read books by marginalized voices and open your mind to others to understand everyone better. Reading about what other people, different than yourself, have gone through can expand your worldview and understanding of not only the past but the world today.

For some people, it is hard to dedicate the time to reading a book, but I read almost every day, and I am often reading a couple books at once. With one book club, the struggle sometimes is making sure to get the book from the library in time to finish it.

Whether it is a few minutes before bed, or a break during lunch in the middle of the day, reading is essential to my mental health and helps reduce stress.

A book club can be tailored how the group likes it, whether it is more serious and sticks to the topic at hand, or more rambling. With the Stephen King club, we rate the book, talk about a favorite character, and pick a favorite line from the books, as well as talk about related movies or other books. With the other club, we are more informal, sometimes we use readers’ guides to ask questions about the themes or characters, but often we just discuss generally what we like or don’t like about the book, or something new we learned.

A book club can be a great way to connect with others while learning new things, or even a social event. Whether you want to read more challenging books for an intense discussion, or just want to get together with friends to talk about the latest thriller, book clubs are a great option.