Book Clubs

Boekhandel van Rossum is happy to offer advice to book groups on great titles as well as on the organization of discussions. We would also be pleased to put you in touch with customers of ours who have extensive experience reading and guiding discussions of books. There are also a number of American bookstores which provide lists of books with a brief discussion. Do check out their sites, clicking through to the Book Group sections for brief descriptions of the content. English and American publishers often include tips for book clubs; some have on-line reading guides with lists of questions which can be downloaded.

Some of Beth’s favorite bookshops in the U.S. offer excellent support to groups:

The Tattered Cover Bookstore in Denver, Colorado is the epitome of the independent bookseller. Their formula of dark green carpets, cozy armchairs, coffee latte, and top-notch advice have served as the model for many a new chain of bookstores. On their website you will find Recommended Readings for Book Clubs 2005/2006 and 2004/2005. See also Virginia’s Lists 2003/2004 and 2002/2003. Virginia Valentine helped over 200 book clubs get started. Her suggestions include great reads of all times and not just the more recent books.

Politics and Prose in Washington, D.C. entertains so many authors each week in their store that it makes my head spin! Their staff is passionate about reading and their tips for readers can be found under the heading Book Groups. Don’t miss their list of favorites over the past 25 years!

The Elliott Bay Book Company in Seattle, Washington is another splendid example of what I think a bookstore should be. One of their top staff, Rick Simonson, visits his sister in Amsterdam regularly and keeps me up on what is happening in the publishing world. Elliott Bay is globally oriented and has even entertained Hugo Claus. Check their Book Groups for suggestions.