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There are lots of ways to choose the books you will read.
(Tip: Remember, not all books are discussible. There needs to be some
controversy or conflicting points in the book to ensure a lively
discussion. That doesn’t mean that your book group cannot read and discuss any
title a member suggests. Some just don’t lend themselves to a great
discussion but you can still have an enjoyable evening.)
You can choose all the titles for each month in advance for the whole year or you can choose them monthly.
You can begin by choosing a title someone has read, really enjoyed, and wouldn’t mind reading again.
Members can vote on titles suggested by other members.
The host/hostess for the particular month can choose the book.
You can rotate choices among members. (I used to suggest two titles to the person whose turn it was to come up with the next read. Some would take them and others would tell me they didn’t want the members debating over which one to read!)
During Black History Month in February, Asian-Pacific Heritage Month in May, Hispanic Heritage Month September 15th through October 15th, and Native American Heritage Month in November, choose a book written by an author with that particular heritage.
You can also choose a holiday book for that time of the year, one that relates to mothers for Mother’s Day, or an Irish themed book for St. Patrick’s Day. You get the idea!
Another popular idea is to choose two books with the same theme. These two titles, one fiction and one non fiction, both deal with Alzheimer's Disease: The Madonnas of Leningrad: A Novel , by Debra Dean and The Family on Beartown Road: A Memoir of Love and Courage , by Elizabeth Cohen work very well together. They could be read and discussed at the same meeting or one after the other.
Some groups choose a prolific author and concentrate on reading many of her/his works.
After you've chosen the book your group will read and discuss, compile a list of "related reads" for your members which will broaden their understanding and/or interest in the theme. For example, if you read The Friday Night Knitting Club , by Kate Jacobs, you can list other books with knitting as a main theme. Titles can be novels, biographies, or even non fiction reads that will appeal to your members.
You have many, many other choices for types of reading:
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