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Book clubs can be consumer clubs where members purchase a certain number of books per year, or discussion groups where members agree on titles to read and discuss. Consumer clubs offer deals but may have hidden costs, while discussion groups require members to purchase the book. Some TV shows have book clubs.
A book club can be defined in two general ways. It can mean that an individual has contracted with a company to purchase a certain number of books per year, or it can be defined as a discussion group where a diverse number of people agree on more titles they will read , and then hold discussions related to those titles. Both book club definitions have variations.
A consumer book club is usually one of two types: specific genre books such as science fiction or history, or a bestseller list such as book of the month clubs. If one belongs to a pay book club, he probably bought several books at a very low price at the beginning of the contract. Many of these book clubs offer an initial purchase of five books for less than a US dollar, plus shipping. When this first purchase has been made, the new member must then purchase several more books at normal or slightly higher prices during a specified period of time, usually one or two years. If the member does not purchase the agreed number of books, they will usually be charged at the end of the time period.
Often, this type of contract will send out a form each month requiring the member to designate whether or not they want to choose a selected book for the month. If the owner doesn’t respond to decline the offer in time, the book is sent, and the buyer must return it or be charged for it. Since this has been a sticking point for many people considering joining, some newer clubs have opted out of this arrangement and simply send out a list of available books each month.
The selection of books after the initial purchase varies. Reputable clubs generally have a good selection of titles, but other clubs may be looking to get rid of titles that haven’t sold well in stores and haven’t received much critical acclaim. Sometimes the books offered have a lower quality in binding and paper than those bought in stores.
If you buy a lot of books, joining a book club can be a good choice. The clubs offer deals if you buy a couple of selections at a time, like choosing a free third book. These offers get better as you buy more books.
However, with a paybook club, the initial “deal” on the books is so attractive that new members don’t always read the fine print of the contract they’re signing. While there are some excellent and reputable book clubs, there are others that ultimately cost more. If you’re thinking about joining a book club, it’s a good idea to compare the list prices of the books with what you’d find at a bookstore or online store like Amazon. Often, the initial savings may not actually represent savings by the time you make the required additional purchases.
The second type of book club is one where a number of people agree to read certain selections and then meet to discuss them. These can be informal get-togethers between friends or they can bring together strangers who share a love of reading. Discussion groups often require you to purchase the book you are reading and possibly a specific edition of the book, especially if everyone wants to be able to look at the same page when someone refers to an example in the text.
Such discussion groups can be based on how to pay book clubs on specific genres or on newly released bestsellers. While book clubs used to include face-to-face meetings, online clubs are now proliferating. Both online and offline, new members may have to pay a fee, although many book clubs do not charge a fee.
Some television shows have also based shows, or parts of shows, on a new form of the book club. Both the Today Show and the Oprah Winfrey talk show have book clubs where chosen books are discussed. The viewer can tune in to these discussions and also access the materials online. Although some of these television-oriented book clubs promote the purchase of new books, Winfrey often recommends classic literature, so the reasons aren’t entirely profit-driven.
This second type of book club provides an opportunity to read interesting material and improve your mind. The first type, when entered with caution, can be a great way to acquire new material if you are already an avid reader.
