Book clubs allow readers to expand the experience of book reading and possibly bring even more into the next book that is read. Readers get to see the words through someone else's eyes.
The meeting should last 2 hours, but no more than 3. Allow time for initial meeting and getting reacquainted with one another. Dinner should last for about an hour. The bulk of the book discussion is combined with dessert. This allows a minimum of 45 minutes for the book discussion. This is also up to the moderator's discretion.
Generally between 5 to 12 people is a good size for a book club meeting. Any less would limit the discussion to just a few points of view. More would cause the meeting to go off into several tangents without being able to return to original ideas.
Read the book. This sounds like unnecessary instruction, but many members join clubs for a variety of reasons. Reading the book is not always paramount for everyone. This will affect the success of the meeting. Reading the book ensures that there will be enough points of view to have a rousing conversation and create a provocative environment. Make goals for completing specific chapters prior to the meeting in order to make sure an all-night session is not required to finish the book. Research the author. This often adds another layer to the discussion. The writer's inspiration for a book often has its own story worthy of discussion. An author for a book featured in Oprah's book club was scolded for incorporating fiction into what was promoted as a true story. The author later admitted wrong-doing, but his real personal story become even more provocative than the book. His story was the subject of many book club meetings. Mingle with members. People are more likely to have deeper discussions with people that they have some level of familiarity with. Get to know book club peers and when the discussion begins, the feedback will have more meaning.
Arrive on time. This is particularly important with large group. Book club meetings have a lot of structure. The initial arrival of all members needs to occur within a 15- to 20-minute window in order for the meeting to stay on schedule. It is difficult to maintain informality that is needed for members to feel comfortable speaking about the book and any related topics while feeling under the gun to meet time deadlines. To avoid this feeling, plan the day well and make sure to arrive on time.