Books are a gift. Some of the best minds who ever lived wrote down their thoughts in the form of books, and you can often find them available for less than a tenner. When you stop and think about it, that’s incredible.
Book clubs, though, are underrated.
For nine years, I’ve had a roughly monthly book club with my friend Andy Henson, and others have joined us on and off. We’ve now read and discussed over 90 books, covering all sorts of subjects: Stoicism, mythology, psychology, history, music, science, memoir, and some fiction too.
I also have an occasional book club with my family. It’s hard to find the time, but it’s always worth it when we do.
Here are a few things I’ve enjoyed about book clubs.
It’s a forcing function for finishing books
I’m sure many of you have an insanely long list of books you’d love to read. Starting (and finishing) them can be a challenge. Book clubs really help here.
There are many books I’d never have finished without a book club, especially the more esoteric and challenging ones. Knowing we’d be discussing them, and not wanting to let the group down, kept me going.
To be honest, there are a few I still didn’t finish. But far fewer than if I’d been reading alone.
You read differently
When I’m reading a book with the intention of discussing it, I read more actively. I take better notes, and if a thought occurs to me while I’m reading, I try to capture it. Before each call, I’ll review my notes and pull together my favourite quotes and a few talking points. I absorb far more as a result.
You discover books you’d never find yourself
When other people nominate books to read, I’m exposed to books I haven’t heard of or wouldn’t normally read. It’s a great way to break out of my normal reading habits.
You see the book through other people’s eyes
I always find it fascinating to hear what others thought of a book. The same words can be read in so many different ways. Listening to people talk about what they liked or disliked, and how they interpreted it, often gives me a deeper appreciation for the book.
A note on nominating books
You can feel some pressure when nominating a book, so it’s tempting to play it safe and pick something you think everyone will enjoy.
But some of my favourite discussions have been about books we disliked. Digging into why we didn’t like a book can be more interesting than discussing books we loved. You can dislike an author’s style and still get a lot from their ideas.
So now, when I nominate a book, I’m looking for something different. Something outside my comfort zone that will challenge us.