By Emily McQuade, Public Services Librarian
August 27, 2024
There is a joke within my family that if I’m not working, you can find me at book club. While this is a bit of an overstatement, my love of book clubs is not. After studying English in college, I initially felt relief to no longer have any assigned readings; I could finally binge all the Agatha Christie, Brandon Sanderson, and Julia Quinn novels until my heart’s content. But after I packed up and moved to a new area, the withdrawal set in earnest. I missed a forum to discuss stories with people. I missed the challenge of new material. I missed listening to other viewpoints. I missed… school? Not quite ready to jump back into academia, I found the next best thing: a local book club.
When people learn that I belong to 4-5 book clubs, they typically share a story of residual trauma from high school assigned reading. This is an unfortunate rite of passage in American schools- one I too suffered. Thinking about Salinger’s “Catcher in the Rye” still gives me anxiety. And that response is not uncommon, even within the book club community. The first thing one member from Winter Park Library’s Armchair Detectives Mystery Book Club said to me when I took over the group was, “we like to have fun and we don’t like book reports”. I couldn’t say it better myself, Nelly. Conversations vary but they almost always include some combination of plot synopsis, how the story made the reader feel, other books or movies/tv shows it reminded them of, if they liked the style and pacing, and whether they recommend it or not. My current approach is to characterize the book in three words; my latest read was: bewildering, opulent, prismatic. Are you intrigued? The book is Hernan Diaz’s “Trust” (if you know, you know). I’ve found the liveliest, and therefore most enjoyable, discussions are rarely about books that everyone loves but rather the books we all hated (I will leave the analysis of this collective human trait to you, dear reader).
Have I persuaded you to join a book club yet? If not, I will distill my three main pro-book club arguments in a characteristic list for you:
Why Should I Join a Book Club?
1. Meet people and connect to a community. After I moved to a new area, I discovered how hard it is to make friends as an adult. It can be awkward. But joining a local book club facilitated an environment in which I could interact with new people from a variety of backgrounds and with the built-in safety net of a common interest. At my first meeting, the woman I was sitting next to and I started chatting about a shared love of Lauren Groff and Sally Rooney which led to the discovery that later that week we would be at the same business luncheon and ultimately evolved into what is now a genuine friendship, both in and outside of book club.
2. Explore different perspectives. A common simile for book clubs is that they are like windows. When we listen to other people talk about a book, we are peering inside their consciousness and given rare insight into their lived experiences. We are observing the text through their lens. This, in turn, enriches our own reading of the story and enhances the nuance with each layer of new interpretation and differing viewpoints. Beyond the book itself, this practice provides a foundation for building empathy and emotional intelligence, something we can all use a little more of in today’s world.
3. Broaden reading habits. Reading ruts are inevitable but book clubs help combat this complacency. Not every book or theme will be a winner for everyone, but often enough readers discover a new genre or author from another member’s suggestion. Book clubs can also reinvigorate the enjoyment of reading. Last year, two ladies walked into the Library’s Armchair Detectives book club; one loved mysteries but didn’t want to go alone to the meeting so she brought along her friend. This friend warned us that she’s not a reader and was just there for support. At the end of the discussion, the non-reader shared that she was surprised so many of the books sounded exciting and the group wasn’t “pretentious”. They both came back the next month, this time each with a book they had read. They are now regular vibrant members of the group. Perhaps it’s an occupational hazard but I don’t believe people when they say they don’t like to read- I believe they haven’t found the right book yet.
In essence, book clubs and discussion groups are a wonderful way to engage with fellow bibliophiles, recontextualize a story, and dare ourselves to try something different. Winter Park Library curates a variety of book clubs and below is a list of the current and upcoming adult groups. Who knows, maybe I’ll see you at my next gathering.
Winter Park Library Book Clubs
Armchair Detectives Mystery Book Club
Closed circles. Locked rooms. Police procedurals. The Armchair Detectives read it all. In this book club, a theme is announced each month along with a suggested reading list to guide readers in choosing their own mystery or thriller. On the third Thursday of the month, readers meet both in person and via zoom to take part in spirited discussions but please, no spoilers! Contact Librarian Emily to join the email list for theme updates and reading list.
Frequency: Monthly
Format: Hybrid
Who Should Join: Those who like to guess "who-did-it".
Book Theme: New releases-mysteries & thrillers published this year
Contact: Emily McQuade
emcquade@winterparklibrary.org
Better Read Book Club
Ever read something so good you can’t stop telling people about it? Well, this book club was designed for you. Led by Librarian Jeremy, readers share what they’ve recently read including fiction, nonfiction, classics, and contemporary literature. Better Read meets on the third Wednesday of the month, in person at the library.
Frequency: Monthly
Format: In-person
Who Should Join: Those who want a non-book book club.
Book Theme: Anything
Contact Jeremy Zorn
jzorn@winterparklibrary.org
Baldwin Book Club
The writing of author and activist James Baldwin, a prominent voice in the civil rights movement, still resonates with readers today in an enduring legacy. Meeting quarterly, the Baldwin Book Club delves into the same subjects explored by Baldwin including race, identity, morality, and sexuality through both fiction and non-fiction. This is a traditional-style club with Librarian Emily, in which the group reads the same book and thoroughly dissects the material along with the broader context and impact.
Frequency: Quarterly
Format: In- person
Who Should Join: Those who are interested in exploring the complexities of identity and the Black experience in America.
Contact: Emily McQuade
emcquade@winterparklibrary.org
Shaking Pages Book Club
Shaking Pages is a classic one-book-per-meeting group that focuses on fiction with a food or restaurant theme. To make it even sweeter, the club meets at Shake Shack on Orlando Ave and a complimentary milkshake will be provided to attendees. Join Shaking Pages with Librarian Jenn on the 2nd Wednesday of every-other-month to read, snack, and chat about the book.
Frequency: Every-Other-Month
Format: In-Person offsite
Who Should Join: Those looking for a traditional book club with a tasty twist
Book Theme: Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen (Meets: October 9)
Contact: Jenn Russo
Between the Covers Romance Book Club
Between the Covers Romance Book Club is a new group where you can meet other romance readers, enjoy a drink at a local spot, chat about your favorite romances, share recommendations, and discuss the month’s theme. Each month, WPL will pick a trope and readers will select a book of their choice that features that trope (a suggested reading list will also be provided). On the second Thursday of the month, gather with Librarian Emily at a local Winter Park area bar/restaurant for a juicy conversation.
Frequency: Monthly
Format: In-person
Please note this group meets off-site and is for ages 21+.
Who Should Join: Those who love a glass of wine with their "happy-ever-after".
Book Theme: Different romance trope each month. (October: Enemies to Lovers)
Contact: Emily McQuade
emcquade@winterparklibrary.org
Pride, Prejudice, & Popcorn: A Jane Austen Book & Film Discussion Group
Next year marks the 250 anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth. In honor of this literary giant, Winter Park Library will celebrate with a Year with Jane Austen. Scheduled throughout the year, we will read each of Austen’s six novels as well as screen various adaptations of the accompanying films and miniseries. The group will meet at the Library to discuss the book, film, and various spinoffs over a cup of tea.
Frequency: Every-Other-Month
Format: In-Person
Who Should Join: Those who know that it’s a truth universally acknowledged that a reader in possession of a good library must be in want of a book club.
Book Theme: Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen (Meets February 2025)
Contact: Emily McQuade