Seven Secrets to a Successful Book Club

I hosted book club at my house 

last night. Our book club gatherings are a

great escape from my problems

highlight for me each month.

We have more fun than should be allowed by law!

Hunny says we sound like 
"a bunch of cackling hens"

because we laugh so much.

Since I chose the book

A Guide to the Birds of East Africa,

I thought it would be fun to

decorate with birds.

(By the way, this was a clean, fun read.)

 (In following posts, I'll teach you how to make the birds

& we'll talk more about the food I served.)

I've been with our book club for 13 years.

And they were together before I joined!

I thought I'd share a few things that

make our club successful . . . 

1. Great people.

We are fortunate because we enjoy each others company so much. I also think it's a lot easier to choose books if your members share a similar value system. And make sure everyone you invite LOVES to read!

2. Delicious food.

Those of you who know me well are probably astonished that I didn't make this #1--me too! 

We always have a yummy dessert, & sometimes appetizers. Then, at Christmas we enjoy a  whole meal together.

3. Limit the amount of members.

We don't do this to be snobby--it's just that since we only have 11 members, we each get an opportunity to choose a book & host each year. No one ever quits, so there is a joke that someone has to die to open up a space in our book club!

4. Take a month off in the summer.

We usually choose one month each summer when we don't meet since it gets so busy with family vacations, etc. We can also choose a longer book for that two month period--which is always fun.

5. Only one rule--have fun!

Most of the time, everyone gets the book read, but if they don't--they know they're welcome anyway. There's no intellectual snobbery in our club. And since this isn't a college study group, we talk about the book as much or as little as we like. We usually gab & laugh for at least  30 minutes before we start discussing the book. We also do other things to make it fun--like dress up at Halloween . . .

 6. Appoint a "Book Club Queen".

In some circles, this may be called a "secretary", but WHATEVER! A new queen is appointed each year & she gets a tiara & a boa. She helps keep us organized by: keeping track of the books we read during her rein, calling each of us to remind us our turn is coming up, making rosters for us, & remembering birthdays.

7. Do other things together too.

We also meet for lunch on occasion (it is really hard to align our schedules, so whoever can come--comes).  Or sometimes we go to a movie together--especially if it is related with a book we've read. One year we traveled to a Shakespearean festival, stayed overnight, & attended a few plays. Or sometimes in the summer, we invite the hubbys  & have a barbecue (no book discussion necessary!).

Anywho, this is what works for us--

are you in a book club? 

What are your secrets?