*If you are new, please make sure you post in the Welcome forum*

Basic Ground Rules

1. Members who haven’t read the book.
Come anyway. Not everyone can finish every book, but non-readers may still have valuable insights.
2. Disagreements about the book.
Be gracious! There is no one way to experience or interpret a book. In fact, differing opinions are good.
3. Members who prefer to socialize.
Be gentle but firm. Insist that discussion time be limited to the book. Some clubs hold book discussions first and invite "social members" to join afterward.
4. Dominating personalities.
Never easy. “Let’s hear from some others” is one approach. Some clubs pass an object around the room; you talk only when you hold the object. If the person continues to dominate, a friendly phone call (no e-mail) might work. If all fails, well...sometimes they've just got to go—for the good of the club.

How to Select Books

Some Do's & Don'ts

1. DON'T read favorites.
Reading a book someone "just loves" can lead to hurt feelings—like inviting people into your living room to critique your decor. Ouch. Best to stay on neutral territory.
2. DO mix genres.
A steady diet of one thing can be dull, dull, dull. Try interspersing fiction—current and classic—with nonfiction: poetry, history, or biography.
3. DO explore themes.
Focus on a specific author, travel journals, childhood memoirs, books on food, or a literary issue (family, loss, working of fate). Don't do it for the whole year (see #2 above), maybe just 3 or 4 months.
4. DON'T choose for the whole year.
It ties you into a rigid year-long schedule with no flexibility to add exciting new works you might learn about. And it's unfair for those who miss that one meeting.
5. DO choose 2 or 3 at a time.
This allows members to read at their own pace. It's especially helpful for those who travel or miss a meeting or two.

How to participate in a discussion

1. Watch your language!
Try to avoid words like "awful" or "idiotic"—even "like" and "dislike." They don't help move discussions forward and can put others on the defensive. Instead, talk about your experience—how you felt as you read the book. See our Read-Think-Talk guide for helpful ideas.

2. Don't be dismissive.
If you disagree with someone else, don't refer to her as an ignoramus. Just say, "I'm not sure I see it that way. Here's what I think." Much, much nicer.

3. Support your views.
Use specific passages from the book as evidence for your ideas. This is a literary analysis technique called "close reading." (LitCourse 3 has a good discussion of close reading.)

4. Read with a pencil.
Take notes or mark passages that strike you—passages you find significant, funny, or insightful. Think about—and bring up in your book club discussion—the reasons for marking those passages.

Please feel free to mail me if you have any question. And remember--invite your friends!