Top Ten Tuesday - Reasons to Start a Book Club

Tonight I am going to be spending my Tuesday evening with my girlfriends at Book Club.  We get together about every 6 weeks to 2 months and we take turns hosting and choosing the book to be discussed.

Here's the Top Ten reasons you should start a book club:

1. It's a great way to "force" you to read more.  Let's face it....no one has tons of extra time.  Our lives are crazy these days and only those things with deadlines attached actually gets done.  Book Club meetings are a deadline to get those books read!
2. There are GREAT "book club books" out there so it's easy to find a book to suggest.  Just go to your favorite book website and you will find a "book club" section.   Many sites even have suggested discussion questions.
3. It's "scheduled" time out.  We all want to see our girlfriends more often but it gets pushed to the back burner so easily.  If you have a standing book club date in your calendar, it's easier to stick to it.
4. There are appy's and sometimes....WINE.  All I have to say is...."YUM!"
5. It's a great non-threatening way to meet new people.  Want to broaden your social circle? It's easier to invite someone to book club than to invite them over for dinner.  Since there is a whole group of people, you aren't responsible for carrying the whole conversation.
6. You have an excuse to throw a theme party.  Now don't freak out...you don't HAVE to do this. It is cool, though, to have a theme party when you are reading a book.  Example: Have an Italian feast when reading Under the Tuscan Sun.
7. You get to read great books - Over the last few years we have read AWESOME books such as: The Birth House, The Red Tent, etc.  
8. You read books you would never pick.  Love 'em or hate 'em, it's great to get outside your reading "comfort zone".  No easier way to do that than to read books that someone else picked.
9. You get to gossip with your friends.  What? You thought you only talked about books at Book Club?  NOT!
10. Some Tips: Discuss with your friends and see who is interested.  Talk about what kinds of books everyone likes.  It's best to get an idea of interests before embarking on Book Club because if half of you want to read Classics and half want to read romance novels someone will be upset.

So....are you part of a Book Club?  What do you love/hate about it?

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