Starting a Book Club

Like reading? Interested in Health? Start a book club!

Step 1: Recruit Members

Before you go out and ask everyone you know to join your book club, think about how many people you want to participate.  The number of people in your book club will likely be limited by the amount of space you have to meet in.  Most people choose to have book clubs in their houses, so generally there's about of 7-10 people.  Keep in mind, though, that small groups sometimes have trouble keeping a discussion going, so don't make it too small! Also keep in mind that not everyone will attend every meeting, so if you recruit a few extras you'll probably still be in good shape.

If you're having trouble finding people to be in your book club, consider putting up flyers in your local library or posting a free ad to Craigslist.  There are lots of people out there interested in joining clubs, and they are a great way to make new friends!  If you are going to open up your book club to new potential friends, it is probably wise to meet at public locations at first.  Many bookstores and libraries have book club rooms available just ask. 

Step 2: Set Up Your Club

Having one person coordinate the club meetings is usually the clearest and easiest way to communicate to members. Try picking a club organizer who will take the responsibility of setting up the days and times of meetings.  They should also send out reminder emails to participants a few days ahead of each meeting that outline the day, time and pages to be read.

Step 3: Hold Your First Meeting!

Your first book club meeting can be a little intimidating, especially if most of your members are strangers, but don't worry! Book clubbers are some of the nicest people on earth, and they are genuinely interested in what you think.  Talk about what you liked and didn't like about the book, what the overarching message or theme was, and any questions you thought of during your reading.  You can also tell personal stories about your own experience with the health care system and what you took away from reading the book.   This reader's guide provides some questions to get the group going.