A New Year Can Bring New (and fun!) Ideas
Add some extra fun to your book club discussions this year by introducing creative and playful spins to your book club approach.
Character Study
Dress up as your favorite characters! You can keep it simple by limiting costumes to just one item—a mask for The Queen of The Night or Old West hats for Lady Cop Makes Trouble. You might also want to open the evening with an impersonation game to see what book club member best embodies the book’s protagonist.
Literary Potluck
If you’re reading a regional or historical book, explore the cuisine of the locale or time period with a potluck inspired by your book. Think stuffed grape leaves and moussaka to accompany A Room in Athens. Bring breakfast food for Pancakes in Paris. Order in from your local Indian restaurant and nibble on naan while discussing The Golden Son.
A Breath of Fresh Air
Discuss your books outside whenever the weather is nice—in a park, in your garden, on the beach, or at a nature preserve. The outdoor setting can even match the settings in your books. The Hidden Life of Trees and Raising Wild are pretty perfect fits, and don’t forget your picnic basket!
Movie Night
If your club has selected a book that’s been turned into a movie, such as Hidden Figures or The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (coming later this year!), offer a showing of the film the same night you discuss the book. Popcorn and Milk Duds are also a must. With both the book and movie to discuss, this could make for an epic—and interesting—evening.
Nerd Out
Book readings, often offered at bookstores and on college and university campuses, are wonderful opportunities to hear an author tell their story in their own words, ask questions, and delve deeper into both the story of the book you’re reading as well as the author’s creative process. Take a field trip to a reading or, even better, invite the author herself to your club if you happen to be reading a book by a local. If you’re fascinated by the subject matter of the book, consider inviting an expert to come, or find a professor who specializes in the author’s work or subject matter to swing by. You can always check our RGC event dates too to see if we’ll be in your area!
Creative Variations on a Theme
Is your book club partial to coming-of-age sagas? International thrillers? Mesmerizing memoirs? If so, get creative and select a theme that incorporates several books and months of discussion. Perhaps summer is reserved for “getaway books” that focus on exotic locales. You might also consider having each member read a different book under the same theme, and then coming together to discuss all the different stories, approaches, and points of view. You can search by subjects on our Search Page for specific ideas!