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Where to meet?

Created: 10/16/10

Replies: 2

Posted Mar. 19, 2011 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert

Join Date:

Posts: 0

Where to meet?

Some groups meet in the same place most month, such as somebody's home or a public space such as a room at the library or a coffee bar. Others rotate around each other's homes. Some like to meet in different places depending on the theme of the book - for example if they're reading a book set in India they might meet in an Indian restaurant.

The key is to do what's comfortable for the group. For example, if the people in your group are already known to each other, then meeting in someone's home is probably the easiest option, but keep in mind that some people may not want, or be able, to host a meeting at their own home, whereas for other members - e.g. those with small children and no babysitter - it might be the only way they can attend. Therefore, it's best to be sensitive and flexible. If you meet at a different house each time, make sure that the host for that evening provides driving directions in good time before the meeting, and consider having someone else bring the snacks (that is if your group has snacks, and most seem to!) to take some of the load off the host.

However, if the members of your group are not known to you (e.g. you've advertised for members) then we strongly recommend that you meet in a neutral place such as a coffee bar until the group is well established and you are all comfortable with each other.

There are two key reasons for this. The first is that meeting in a neutral location will allow your group to get to know each other as individuals without being weighed down by the preconceptions that come from visiting a person's home before you know that person. The other reason is simply a matter of basic safety - you wouldn't invite a blind-date to pick you up from your house, so don't invite a group of strangers into your house until you know them well enough to be sure you want to continue to meet with them!

Where does your group meet? Are there locations that have worked for you and others that haven't? Please share your stories here...


Posted Mar. 23, 2011 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
gwendolyndawson

Join Date: 10/20/10

Posts: 63

RE: Where to meet?

My book club is composed of bookish co-workers. We all knew each other really well before we started the book club, so it was natural (and safe) to meet in the members' homes. We rotate homes with the host providing food and drinks for each meeting. We try to tailor the food to the book, if possible, and that's always fun. For example, we recently read Colm Toibin's Brooklyn, and we ate Irish food. Sometimes, a particularly creative host will invent a drink in honor of the book as well.


Posted Apr. 15, 2011 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
BarbW

Join Date: 04/09/11

Posts: 13

RE: Where to meet?

Our group members all work or volunteer at our local public library, so using one of the library's meeting rooms is a given. Since we meet right after work, we all bring our own dinner to eat while we chat, and the hostess brings dessert and coffee/tea/soda.


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