How to run a good book club discussion

Before the meeting

The leader's job is to start the conversation and keep it moving. Preparation takes less than an hour:

• Finish the book, and mark two or three passages that surprised you or that you want to read aloud.
• Write five or six open questions. You won't use them all.
• Look up a little about the author and when the book was written, in case it helps the discussion.

Open questions that work for any book

Open questions have no single right answer and invite people to explain their reasons. These work for almost any novel:

1. What was your first reaction when you finished? Did it change as you thought about it?
2. Which character would you most like to talk to, and what would you ask them?
3. Was there a moment where you disagreed with a choice a character made?
4. What do you think the author wanted readers to feel at the end?
5. Which scene or line has stayed with you since you read it?
6. How would the book change if it were set today, or told by a different character?
7. Did the title make more sense after you finished?
8. Who would you recommend this book to, and who would you warn away?

For nonfiction, ask what the author wanted readers to believe or do, which evidence convinced you and which didn't, and what you would ask the author if you could.

Questions to avoid

Yes-or-no questions ("Did you like it?") stop conversation after one word. Quiz questions ("What year does the book start?") make people feel tested. Very long questions with several parts confuse people. Keep each question short and about one thing.

Getting everyone to talk

• Start with a quick round where everyone gives a one-sentence reaction. It gets every voice into the room early.
• Invite quieter members by name with an easy question, such as which character they liked best.
• If one person dominates, thank them and turn to someone else: "Good point. What did others think about that?"
• Leave silences alone for a few seconds. People often need a moment to think.

When people disagree

Disagreement usually makes for the best evenings. Ask each side to point to a scene or passage that supports their view. Keep the focus on the book and away from the person. If a topic gets too heated, the leader can say so and move to the next question.

Reading passages aloud

Reading a short passage aloud brings the book into the room and settles disputes about what the text actually says. Keep passages to a paragraph or two. Choose ones that start an argument, such as a speech, a letter, or a moment where a character changes their mind.

Closing the meeting

Ten minutes before the end, ask a closing question: "Has tonight changed how you see the book?" Then confirm the next date, the next book and the next leader. Some clubs keep a shared list of every book they have read with a one-line note from the meeting, which makes a good club record; a reading journal works the same way for individuals.