Carol Fitzgerald,the founder of bookreporter.com is a great resource for book clubbers, and bibliophiles.
I stubbled on her site around 1999. I became a regular when I moved down to SC. Up in New Jersey I had belonged to three book clubs. A library, a book store book club
( independent), and my shul book club. All of my book clubs were passionate about the written word, and we pulled the books apart. We had a few literature professors, and yes we did have men in this group. It was a even balance.
When I moved to Myrtle Beach, everything changed. This is not a cultural community.
The book clubs I encountered were not about the book. They were a social gathering. As you might expect I was not happy with any that I attended. It is ok to have a social. But to have 10 min. dedicated to the book, and the rest of the time a social gathering. That is not a book club, that is a excuse to have a get together.
My only connection to books was through bookreporter.com. This was my pipeline for books. I could not share my excitement with books with others. But I could learn about up and coming books from bookreporter.com. Thank g-d, for bookreporter and the internet.
I don't know what other people do before the internet or people that live in less dense communities, where there is not any book clubs, or culture in the communities, but I would go batty.
Bookreporter.com, is the central information of everything about books.
She also has offshoots from that for book clubs,called readingguides.com.
Carol, and her team have developed a very good website. It is full info. about the authors and their books, up and coming books, author interviews, and contests,
readingguide.com, just started a blogs with a wealth of info. about book clubs too. This was my resource about how to start and maintain a book club.
She is always trying to improve the website she ask visitors for comments and suggestions. I would take a peak, but I am sure once you make that first visit you will become a regular.
I did not did find the club I wanted classics, and contemporary.
I did start a book club. it forced a shy person like me to come out of my shell.
What did I know about running a book club. I usually was a observer not a talker.
I imagine the reason I opened up is because I saw what I lost. Our book club is not like what I had before in NJ. But I would rather have this than not have one at all.
There is the online book clubs, but they are rather one sided.
Barnes and Noble has one. And it seems there is much conversation.
But the technology is too confusing and overwhelming.
Bookclubgirl.com, has developed a great idea. It the closest book club without your actual presence. The great thing is it is live. Maybe in a few years they will be able to develop a book club with sound and picture using a videocam( I think that is what they call it).
I will then be able to find the book club of my dreams( literature,and contemporary). Till then I will continue with the book club and be happy, I still
have one I can still go to