A book club is a community of reading enthusiasts. It can be compared to a gambling community. Only in the first case, people are united by their love of literature, and in the second – by online casino https://onlinecasinozonder.com/. Almost everyone can join such a club. This is a great opportunity to find like-minded people, so that together with them to arrange a review of their favorite books. And also tell the whole world about the works you like. Communities like this are of great benefit to book lovers.
What are book clubs?
Book clubs refer to communities of readers. They gather to discuss old and new works. In the West, such clubs are more common.
Book clubs are visited primarily for the opportunity to discuss works. Good books can cause a flurry of emotions, and you want to understand why this happens, and what other people think about it. Sometimes discussion makes you change your mind about a particular work. Discussions are started in order to identify the connection between literary techniques and the emotions of readers.
A book club website usually contains detailed information about the terms of membership. In such a community, you can find not only like-minded people, but also opponents. Spend time among interesting interlocutors, voice your thoughts on the books you read, and form a new list. Book communities are the perfect place to learn from the experiences of others.
Discussions can involve not only ordinary people, but also opinion leaders, we are talking about authors, literary reviewers, experts in various fields. This is a good chance to learn more about the work itself, to better understand what is written.
Book clubs are created not only for philologists, but also for ordinary readers. They focus on those who love literature and are not afraid to voice their opinion on what they have read. Such clubs consist of people of different ages and professions. They are united by their interest in literature.
An overview of the history of book clubs
The first book clubs most likely originated when the first literary publications appeared. In ancient times, libraries served as scientific and educational centers. They held discussions about literature and discussed theological and philosophical works.
For a long time collective reading aloud was practiced. Projects of “live reading” still exist today.
Something similar existed in Italy during the Renaissance. In the houses of poets and philosophers talked about literature, discussed science and even read erotic novels. Such gatherings were oriented to a narrow circle of people. Over time, similar communities began to emerge all over Europe. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, salons and circles were actively created in France and Germany.
In the 1860s the Literary Fund held public readings, where writers presented their works, and visitors paid to hear them.
In the nineteenth century, lectures and reviews of new works were held in America and European countries. They became especially popular toward the end of the century.
Types of book clubs
An online book club allows you to share opinions about the works you’ve read without even leaving your home. There are also offline communities. Book clubs are usually divided into specialized and universal.
There are associations designed for fans of classical literature, fantasy works and books written in the genre of non-fiction.
Such communities have cultural and social significance. They can be compared to the literary cafes of the Silver Age. In some organizations, which carry out their activities in offline form, it is possible not only to talk with like-minded people, but also to meet the authors of the works and have a cup of tea. At book clubs, creative evenings and meetings with writers can be arranged.
Their attendance is a form of leisure. Live human communication is difficult to replace, but the online format, despite this, is also popular. Its advantage is that club members can be residents of different cities.
Advantages of book club membership
Membership in a book club gives many privileges. And the main one is the opportunity to discuss and analyze works, meet new people and develop skills.
Participation in such a club motivates you to read more and do it regularly, thus broadening your horizons. It’s a great chance to meet new people and discuss your favorite books. People learn to express their own opinions, share experiences and knowledge.
Members of book clubs recommend interesting works to each other. The leader of the community always chooses the next publication for discussion very carefully. Mistakes, of course, occur, but rarely. Club members almost always enjoy such discussions. They enjoy discussing the books they read with lots of people, because everyone has an opinion. Works are sorted out, as they say, “by the bone.
Members of book clubs are almost always intellectuals and people who are pleasant to talk to.
In some clubs membership is paid, in others – free. If your local community has a bookstore, you can often receive discounts on books.
How to choose a book club
When choosing a book club, you need to consider its specifics and your own interests. Be sure to find out whether it is a universal or specialized community. It does not hurt to clarify the date of creation of the club, examine the site, if any, read the reviews of other participants.
Communicating in a book club allows you to learn a lot of new and interesting things, expand your horizons, and have a great time.
