A Good Book and Lively Conversation

I’ve been a member of many a book club and the two I’ve enjoyed the most turned the simple pleasure of reading into an occasion to remember. Anyone who’s been in a book club long enough knows it’s not just the books that keep bringing us together—it’s the lively discussions, the good company, and oftentimes the delicious food and tasty libations.

I joined my first book club in New York City. We were a band of intellectually curious new mothers, and some of us had given up careers to raise our children. We craved adult company, mental stimulation, and a little fun. At first, we read a lot of Russian literature, but after Dostoyevsky’s Crime & Punishment we all agreed some lighter reading was in order. The Red Tent, by Anita Diamant, was our light read. Set in biblical times, the story details how Jacob acquired four wives and how they all came to love the arrangement, savoring their time together in the red tent where they would talk and celebrate their life-giving abilities.

It was my turn to host and I chose to invite my friends to a Middle Eastern restaurant. It was exotic, sensual and perfect for a Red Tent book club gathering. We were seated at a table under a sumptuous tent where we dined on authentic Middle Eastern cuisine, and the fragrance of orange blossoms wafted in and out when the servers entered. As we dined, curvy belly dancers provocatively shimmied around our tent and, after our meal, a veiled dancer appeared, offering us an intricately designed Hookah filled with a deliciously fragrant Turkish shisha. We felt a bit like Jacob’s wives in our tent, where feminine vibes prevailed and we savored our time together. Transported to another place and era through the magic of food, décor and dance, it was an unforgettable gathering filled with lively discussion and hearty laughter.

Years and many book clubs later, I was invited to join a group of fabulously bright, vibrant women in Palm Beach. This club celebrated a book’s theme with food and wine, too, but without the rich culinary scene of New York we were tasked with creating these gatherings in our homes. An actress led our club and began the custom of dressing according to the book’s theme when she hosted—all the members arrived in costume and makeup! It certainly added to the fun.

The last party I hosted for this club, known as the Book Babes, was a New Orleans–themed gathering in honor of Zeitoun, Dave Egger’s account of the city post-Katrina. The story is quite heart-wrenching but I went for a light, celebratory Mardi-Gras theme. Guests were greeted with a traditional welcome drink, The Hurricane, and were wrapped in boas and draped in colorful beads as they arrived. We feasted on a Louisiana-inspired menu and ended our meal with hot, warm beignets and an authentic King Cake shipped directly from the Big Easy. The guest who found the baby in her slice of cake would host our next gathering, so everyone was obliged to have a piece. We were transported to the streets of New Orleans, sharing an evening of laughter, lively discussion and sisterhood.

Tips for Creating a Successful Book Club

1.      Choose Your Members

Invite friends who may not know one another, but have something in common. In both of my clubs, we were all devoted mothers with children around the same age. We all loved to read, but had wildly different careers that included lawyers, magazine editors, actresses, brokers, teachers, writers and stay-at-home moms.

2.      Choose Your Book

Prior to the very first meeting, ask each member to be prepared to recommend two books and give a short presentation on why they may be interesting to the group. Everyone votes and the book with most votes wins! Need ideas? Check out a few bestseller lists.

At subsequent meetings, you can allow the hostess to choose the next book or reserve time at the end of the gathering to discuss recommendations and vote again.

 3.      Choose the Book Club Host

If all members agree to take turns hosting, put everyone’s name on a slip of paper and toss them into a bowl to choose the next host at random; the person drawn will host the next meeting and can decide whether to have the party at home or a restaurant.

At subsequent meetings, members can volunteer to host based on their schedule and ability to plan the gathering.

 4.      Choose the Date for your Next Gathering

Agreeing to a standing date works best. For both of my clubs we met bimonthly, the first Wednesday of every other month. If it happened to be a holiday or school break we shifted the date in advance so there was no confusion.

 5.      The Hostess Prepares for the Gathering

• Research and Remind: Research the book you’ve all chosen and create discussion questions. Sometimes, the book publisher includes them at the end of the book or has a link to resources online. You can also email your club members a few weeks in advance to ask that everyone come up with at least one or two talking points for the gathering. This is a great opportunity to confirm the book and date and details of the meeting.
• Create the Theme: Now that you know more about the book you can create your theme, decide on a convenient venue, and perhaps add a fun, new element to the evening.
  • A Fine Balance, Rohinton Mistry’s sweeping novel of India in the 1970s, inspired my club members to dress up in saris and our hostess to serve a wonderful Indian feast. She also arranged to have a henna artist on hand to tattoo all the guests.
  • The Book Thief, a moving tale of books stolen and shared in Nazi Germany by Marcus Zusak, added an element of social good to one of our gatherings. Each member was asked to bring a children’s book, and we arranged them in a basket. Our hostess presented the collection to a local charity (in this case it was for the young mothers and children of CHS).
• Send out invitations: They can be digital creations or more elaborate pieces sent in the mail or hand delivered. This is where I usually visit Pinterest for a little inspiration.
  • Stieg Larsson’s The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo inspired one hostess to send a custom-made temporary tattoo to her invitees, including the date, time and place of our gathering.
• Plan your menu, from the welcome drink to dessert: Be inspired by your book’s theme or location, and keep any dietary needs in mind.
  • The Oracle, by D.J. Niko, motivated me to create a custom drink I called Apollo’s Nectar to greet my guests.
• Set the scene: Create a fun tablescape, visit the party store for a few props to add to the ambiance, or ask guests to dress up.
  • When I hosted my friends for our Zeitoun discussion I found Mardi Gras beads and boas online; and used frog place card holders to display guest’s names. Also in the place card holders were our discussion questions, so that each guest could read a question to the group. It engaged everyone—including that one guest who didn’t finish the book (there’s always one!).
• Confirm your next gathering: Set aside time at the end of the evening to confirm your book and hostess for the next gathering.
• Repeat!