Are you Clubbin'?

Just last month I went to my first every book club meeting. I was nervous on so many levels. First, I was worried that I would hate a book that I was "assigned" to read. This goes back to my time in college when I struggled through assigned reading because I just couldn't "enjoy" a book I had to read and write a report about. But my friend assured me that it was all in good fun so I went for it. Well turns out I loved the book (The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs). My second trepidation was not really knowing what a book club was. And after doing some online snooping I was even more confused. It turns out there are just about as many book club types as there are genres in bookstore. Some can be very academic - where they discuss the structure of the book, the style of writing, the technical aspects of character development, etc. And at the other end of the spectrum - some are really just an excuse for some women to get out of the house (and a lot of them don't even read the book!). The good part about the dichotomy is that there is book club out there to support any type of reader. There are even digital book clubs for those of you that can't get out of the house for an evening at the coffee shop.
But the real point of the book club is just like any other club. It is a meeting of people whom share a common interest and want to discuss it with others. Specifically a book club is a chance to read a book that you might not have picked up on your own and discuss how it read for you. Some clubs stay within a few similar genres while others are all over the map. But finding a book club is a good way to give purpose to your reading. Here is some book club etiquette I learned in my online snooping:

1. Read - or at least skim - the selected book. You should at least have an idea of the book, and not just what's on the dust jacket. This is also important because it is likely the ending will be given away and if you ever planned to read the book, it might be spoiled now!
2. It's fine to think a book stinks but be respectful. Don't go personal attack on the one who selected the book.
3. It is easy for the topic of discussion to stray from the book, have a list of potential questions to keep you on track. You can also institute a "First Hour Book Talk, Second Hour Social Talk" rule.
4. For books with rather intimate scenes, keep in mind that although many are comfortable reading it in the privacy of their own home, they may want to censor things a bit in the discussion - so be respectful.
5. If it is your turn to pick the book/moderate - take it seriously. Pick a book that you think a majority of your club will like.

There are lots of places to find a book club. The obvious one being your local public library. But you can also find both real life and digital clubs on social networking sites (Twitter, Facebook, Craigslist, MySpace, etc.). PaperBack Swap has local chapters all over the country that are open to all PBS members. You can also always just start your own club with your fellow book loving friends. And whatever the level of academia you include in your club, make sure it is enjoyable. Happy Reading!
Are you part of a book club? What's your favorite aspect?