Cool Ideas for Book Groups

A few blogs back I discussed a few ideas I had seen in the literature about rejuvenating flagging book discussion groups. One of the ideas was choosing books with themes. Another idea is to set the scene for your discussion with the refreshments to be served and perhaps even the place where you hold your meeting.

The group I belong to meets in members’ houses. Quite often the host will decorate the table or the coffee table with items that go with the book. Once we read a biography of Frida Kahlo, and a couple of our members came dressed as Frida. Last month we discussed Bill Bryson’s The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid. We had food of the fifties. Luckily, we were spared the meatloaves studded with candies!

One of the coolest ideas I have seen lately was brought to my attention while reading PW Daily last week. Apparently, Julia Flynn Siler, a Wall Street Journal contributing writer, offers a wine tasting group/reading group guide for her new book, The House of Mondavi. Ms. Siler suggests "organizing a tasting of some of the wines featured in The House of Mondavi as part of your event. You can discuss the colorful personalities in the book while sampling their wines." According to PW, “Siler can participate either in person or via speakerphone and discuss what "surprising news" led her to write the book about the famous California winemaking dynasty, what forced the Mondavi family to give up control of its company, her favorite wines and more.” The Penguin Group reading guide has a detailed wine list for a tasting session and how to arrange an interview with the author.

It looks to me as if in this case the wine list is sponsored by Mondavi. You and your group could be more independent if you wished. Perhaps you could choose to read one of the currently very popular travel and food memoirs, and arrange your own tasting of the food and drink of the region. Check out my Recent Biographies – Food Memoirs booklist on Readers Place for some ideas of where to begin.