For someone not to like the book makes it a more interesting conversation.”

Sue Rousseau

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Take a book, leave a book

In one of Shakespeare’s plays, Hamlet is asked, “What do you read, my lord?” He responds with the iconic line, “Words, words, words,” seemingly suggesting that the book holds little meaning. Though this interpretation is the most cited, the beauty of reading lies in how interpretations can differ from person to person. That’s part of what makes a book club such an intriguing place — everyone brings their own perspective. The dynamic of who attends and who doesn’t is equally fascinating. 

A loud thud echoed through the room as Joan Hunt abruptly slammed the book she was holding, signaling the end of her synopsis. The sound was quickly followed by a chorus of “oohs” and “aaahs” from the nine women seated at the oval wooden table, all leaning in toward Hunt, their curiosity piqued. This was February’s “Friday Favorites” book club meeting at the George Hail Free Library, where each member brought a book of their choice to present a brief review and open the floor for discussion. 

Meredith Richards, the adult services librarian at the library, detailed, “Friday Favorites happens the first Friday of the month and everyone brings their own book to discuss.” The book club meets in a corner of the library, seated around an oval wooden table with matching chairs. They enjoy tea, scones, and other delectables, surrounded by stained-glass windows, a fireplace, and old paintings — the sweet, woodsy smell of old books permeates the air. 

The next book up for discussion was “Sequel.” This book sparked even more excitement. The mention that there is a sequel to “Sequel” actually garnered a dramatic “Dun dun duuun” from the ladies at the table, followed by laughter, making it clear this book had everyone’s attention as the synopsis came to a close. 

In Warren, at the George Hail Free Library, these thought-provoking conversations become animated as each woman in the book club describes the book they read for the month.

Though the synopsis and discussion of the book is the main event at the book club, the ladies often become just as lively when they chat about other topics as well. Hunt commented, “The group also makes time for gossip too,” pointing toward another attendee, saying, “She knows all the gossip.” Sue Rousseau, the director at Brownell Library in Little Compton, confirmed the same for her book club, saying, “We spend plenty of time talking about other stuff, too.” 

The data isn’t in 

At this specific book club meeting in Warren, there were nine women in attendance. Though the number varies by the month, the typical group is primarily made up of women. Richards spoke about a recent meeting where a man showed up. She recalled, “We did have a man show up to one recently. We were shocked, but we also welcomed him to the book club.” She went on to say, “Everyone is welcome to join.”

The consensus from libraries in the East Bay is that it is mostly women over the age of 30 in attendance, with some men joining here and there. “The majority is women,” said Benjamin Hanley, MLIS, head of information services at Barrington Public Library. “It’s not that we read titles geared toward women,” chimed Carolyn Magnus of Portsmouth Public Library on the topic. 

There is no data to make any claim that men are absent from participation in book clubs, as book clubs do not only happen at the local library. However, there does seem to be a lack of them joining these book clubs. The same could be said for younger adults as well, as the age group in attendance is typically older.

The real question is whether people know about all the book club options in the library, or if they simply have their own book clubs elsewhere. Local libraries do make it easy for people to start their own book clubs by offering a book club in a bag. 

Book club in a bag offers about 10 copies of a book with discussion questions, making it easier to run a book club at home. Still, the easier option is attending one already set up at a library. Magnus explained, “I think when hosted at your home, it’s a lot of work for the host, but here, no one has to do anything. I even bake goodies and bring tea.” 

With various options for readers these days, like Audible and listening to podcasts, spaces where people can come together to discuss a book might seem outdated. Yet, the lively conversations at these bookclubs brings something more to the table — more interpretations (even if someone doesn’t like the book).

Rousseau said, “For someone not to like the book makes it a more interesting conversation.” She also noted that these conversations often bring new and interesting information. “One book club I was in discussed the 1938 storm, and someone in attendance was a part of that storm. Her experiences in the hurricane added so much to the discussion.” 

Hamlet read his book in solitude and counted it as meaningless, but the question from Polonius about what he reads is what gets that dramatic response — which is, in itself, an interpretation of the book. It is an interpretation that would not be heard without the presence of Polonius to ask the question.