Book discussion clubs may meet in private homes, libraries, bookstores, online forums, pubs, and cafés, or restaurants, sometimes over meals or drinks.
Though women had formed Bible study groups since the 1600s, it wasn't until the late 1700s that secular reading circles emerged in both America and Europe.
[1] Throughout the 1800s, women’s reading circles expanded, with some becoming outspoken on social issues such as abolition—foreshadowing the club movement of the end of that century.
[1] Sociologist Christy Craig said that women have turned to book clubs to construct social networks and important partnerships, especially in times of upheaval.
[1] A 2018 BookBrowse survey found that 88% of private book clubs are all-women groups, but almost half of public groups—such as those hosted by libraries—include men.
Instead of one member deciding what everyone will read, with all the cost implications of acquiring that title, these clubs usually involve circulating books they already own.
The sequential nature of the process implies that within a short time, three to five people may have read the same title, which is the perfect amount for a worthy conversation.
Participants use a website and a system of unique identification numbers to track released items as they migrate through a worldwide community.
[4] Online book clubs exist in the shape of Internet forums, Yahoo Groups, e-mail mailing lists, dedicated websites, and even telephone conference calls.
A broadcast club is one in which a television, radio, or podcast show features a regular segment that presents a discussion of a book.
The group can either allow interruptions for comments and questions from the members at any time, or agree to allow such input at chapter or section endings.
A given book may continue for several sittings, depending on the pace of reading, frequency of meetings, and the extent of comments and discussion.