Jeanette Winterson

I want to talk about book clubs.  I’ve been involved with several over the years and have found them to be deeply rewarding—each in their own ways.  There are a few dangerous pitfalls that book clubs have to strive to avoid, though.  In no particular order, here they are:
1) The book club becomes a wine club
2) The book club becomes a whine club
3) Not everyone reads the book
4) One individual (who typically has not read the entire book) dominates discussion
5) The same person selects titles each month

As a readers’ advisory librarian, I normally don’t push books I’ve read onto others who might not share my reading interests and preferences. Normally. But, I’m not immune to book evangelism—the need to convince others that the book that has changed your life will undoubtedly change theirs, too.