Or are you thinking about joining a group?

There are no set rules about reading groups - that’s partly why they’re so popular. The only ingredients you needs are books and people. How many of you, where, when and how often you meet, how you talk about what you read - this is all up to you.

But if you’re new to a reading group, here are a few hints and tips to help everything run smoothly:

• Many local libraries and bookshops will run reading groups – sometimes with a leader, sometimes not. It’s worthwhile looking out for notices about new groups starting up, or existing groups looking for new members.
  
• If you’re running a group independently, quiet pubs, cafes, and members’ houses are all good venues. Gauge members’ own interests – find a venue in which everyone in the group will feel comfortable and relaxed.
  
• It's probably best to be consistent in how frequently you meet.  Then members can plan their reading and the reading group becomes an established part of their routine, which everyone can look forward to.
  
• It might be a good idea to rotate the choice of book between each member each time you meet. That way, everyone in your group gets a chance to pick. If you’d rather plan reading further in advance, why not draw up a list of books to read for the next six months or year?
  
• To help focus your discussion, you could read books based around a theme, e.g. childhood memoirs, historical sagas, Orange Prize winners.
  
• When you’re choosing, print reviews from web sites or take them along from newspapers. Amazon’s reader reviews are a really good way to get an insight into how different people have experienced a book.
  
• Often, a reading guide is a useful tool, particularly for kicking off a discussion. These guides are widely available on publishers’ web sites. Click on the reading guides button to reach a full list of the guides available from our site.

If you want more suggestions about running your group, choosing what to read next, or simply a fresh perspective on reading groups, then check out the following books and web sites:

Reading Groups
Jenny Hartley
This lively book looks at the history and current practice of the reading group phenomenon.  Essential reading for members, would-be members, and anyone involved in literacy and the study of social trends.

Essential Guide for Reading Groups
Susan Osborne
Indispensable guide for all those who want to establish or are already involved in a reading group.

The Good Reading Guide: What to Read and What to Read Next
Edited by Nick Rennison
Includes more than 350 major authors, from Margaret Atwood to Mile Zola, through Bruce Chatwin, Aldous Huxley, and Nevil Shute. Arranged in alphabetical order, each with a short article on style, influences, settings, theme, along with a list of their salient works.

www.newbooksmag.com
The web site for Newbooksmag, the magazine for readers and reading groups.

www.bookgroup.info
Independent reading group web site featuring book reviews and monthly giveaways.

www.whichbook.net/index.jsp
Blend your own ideal read by choosing from 20 million different combinations.

Reading Lolita in Tehran
Azir Nafisi
A passionate and thought-provoking account of a group of women reading English literature under adverse conditions.