Book clubs have completely lost the plot.
By @paigeyy · Hot Takes
Back in the day, a book club was for reading the book. Now it feels like a competition to see who can bring the best appetizer and talk about anything *but* the book we were all supposed to read.
The full story
I joined a neighborhood book club a few months ago, hoping to get back into reading and meet some new people. It started out fine, but it's devolved into something else entirely. The first few meetings, we actually discussed the characters and the plot. Now? The book is an afterthought. Last month, the person hosting went all out with a themed dinner based on the book's setting, which was lovely, but it set a new standard. This month, the meeting was basically a two-hour gossip session about local politics and whose kids are getting into which colleges. When I tried to bring the conversation back to the novel, I was met with blank stares. A couple of women admitted they hadn't even finished the first chapter. It's become more of a wine-and-cheese social club where having read the book is optional. I feel like I'm wasting my time reading these books if nobody else is going to put in the effort to have a real discussion. It used to be about sharing a love for literature, not just an excuse to drink Chardonnay on a Tuesday night. Maybe I'm just getting old, but I miss when the books were the main event.
How people voted
- Absolutely Agree — 25% (14 votes)
- Maybe — 58% (33 votes)
- Disagree — 18% (10 votes)
Readers say “Maybe” (58%) — 57 votes and 5 comments so far.
What people are saying
@reeseok — Have you tried suggesting a different book club to the people who also finished the book?
@hadtosay — A commitment is a commitment; if you say you're going to read a book, you read the book.
@fayey — It's so disappointing when something you enjoy turns into something else! Hope you find a real reading group.
@lex — Sounds like it's a social club with a book-themed cover charge, you're not getting what you signed up for.
@ivyee — Sounds soft.
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