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There are currently 15 member reviews
for A Club of One's Own
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Lisa S. (Stamford, CT)
A club of ones own
I wanted to read this book to gain fresh perspective for hosting a book club. I felt that the book had wonderful recommendations for this. The information and suggestions were very organized and well researched. I also responded to the chapters on starting a book group. The detail and research was great. I learned a lot about the process, and got some great tips. I loved the graphs, what a great visual to highlight the information provided
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Liz B. (Dallas, TX)
Excellent Resource
This book is a terrific resource, not only for those considering starting a book club but also those of us who are 24 years in! Loved the generic sample questions and the templates at the end of the book. This is a great resource for all book clubs!
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Cheryl R. (Jeannette, PA)
Some Do, Some Don't
This book is a good resource for those thinking about starting a book discussion group to those who have been leading one for years. I like the links and resources being provided. You don't need to spend hours tracking down resources on your own. The one thing I would reinforce is that people are different - some like to talk/some don't, some like to lead some don't, some like to bring food/some don't. You get the idea! Make sure you allow people to make those choices and know that they are valued for whatever they bring to the group.
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Linda M. (Ocala, FL)
This is is a Gem!
A Club of One's Own is the new BookBrowse guide for setting up and running a book club. I have been in book clubs for over 25 years and was quite sure this little book would be only marginally helpful but maybe worth a look. What a surprise! It's full of excellent recommendations and general information about the establishment and operation of book clubs. I especially loved the statistics that enabled me to compare our club with others in terms of group size, frequency of meetings, where meetings are held, who leads the discussion etc.
The section on how to word book discussion questions is very helpful and I plan to use the annual Book Club Health Check with my club. This little book is a gem and anyone in a book club should grab a copy. Your club members will thank you!
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Jael R. (Manchester, CT)
A Tidy Collection of Facts
While seeming a bit generic in terms of a book about book clubs, I actually think that might be a bigger point in its favor; the information is relevant to all book clubs rather than certain types. The book contains a lot of useful information about the creation and maintenance of book clubs, much of which I've never considered before. For anyone looking for guidance from how to market your book club to how to conduct the meetings, this is a succinct one-stop source.
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John A. (Ashland, OR)
Helpful
As someone who has run book clubs in the past and is now helping run another book club, this book has a lot of useful information.
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Molly A. (Pryor, OK)
A Club of One's Own
BookBrowse recently published a how-to volume on organizing and leading a book club. While I, personally, do not prefer a very structured book club, I thought this book was a great resource for people who are new to starting books clubs, or just want a more organized approach.
Statistical research drives the advice in A Club of One's Own. The numbers were very interesting when it came to reasons why members leave a club or addressing common issues amongst the club members. There was also advice on where to host a book club, how to select books, how to deal with difficult members, how to incorporate social time, food choices, and much more. The range of topics included was very broad and all-encompassing, and I felt like the authors did a good job of offering helpful guidance without making the explanations too wordy. Everyone encounters problems when trying to organize people around a common theme, so comparisons of public vs. private vs. virtual vs. postal book clubs was a welcome suggestion. The use of AI, such as ChatGPT, was also a unique twist to the common problem of generating thought-provoking questions for discussion.
For those who want to enhance their current book club experience, or branch out and start a club of their own, A Club of One's Own is a great place to start.
