2025-07-08 – News – www.theguardian.com
While most book clubs go off without an issue, when they do turn sour the fallout can be significant. So why do some go wrong – and what can be done to prevent it?
“Friendships of over six years were broken overnight,” Rosa* says of the sudden, dramatic dissolution of her book club in Victoria, Australia some months ago. What started as a chance to share notes on the finer points of dramatic literature had become a real-life drama.
The book club had been an important fixture of Rosa’s calendar for several years and, like many others, was hosted on rotation in the homes of different members each month. Although its primary purpose was discussing books, Rosa felt it was equally about socialising, and members were encouraged to dress up in outfits relating to the month’s book, with prizes for the best dressed.
