Three book clubs to join in 2021

With escapism in popular demand, it’s no surprise to find reading topping the list of the more pleasurable lockdown pastimes.

Veteran scare-master Stephen King had a point when he said:

“Books are a uniquely portable magic”

Although we might not be ‘porting a battered paperback or Kindle much further than the local park bench at the mo, the words on a page still have the power to take us on a magical journey.

Whether you’re filling the shoes of a beleaguered detective trying to unravel a crime in a tense thriller, or sleuthing around a meticulously plotted mystery. A big old dose of literary therapy is one several ways in which we can tune out of what’s happening in the world.

Back in the good old days not so long ago when we could actually, you know, do things, we might’ve snatched a few chapters of our chosen tome on the train/bus commute, and chatted about it with fellow bookish colleagues over a brew. We might’ve dropped in a recommended read to mates at a meet up. Better still, someone may have handed us a well-thumbed book with a knowing wink and a “you’ll love this”. And best of all, we wouldn’t have to immediately douse it in antibacterial gel and quarantine it before reading!

So how to maintain that literary link when we’re all confined to our homes? Well that thing called the internet is generally quite handy, but here are some other ways to connect, review and recommend with the bibliophile set.

Watch Sara Cox’s Between The Covers.

The BBC2 booky belter first aired in autumn 2020 and returns for another run in the spring. Over the course of 30 minutes on a Friday night, Sara and pals from the world of TV, film, comedy and literature dissect the latest page turners from within a socially distanced circle, as well as paying homage to their all-time favourite reads. Guests frequently have a book of their own to tout, so you’ll end up with a TBR pile as long as your arm. Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club, Ingrid Persaud’s Love after Love and Steve Cavanagh’s courtroom nail biter Fifty Fifty are just three of many winners I’ve discovered thanks to the show.

Rare Birds book club

A handpicked paperback wrapped in colourful tissue paper thudding onto your doormat every month - what could be better? Book subscriptions are a gift that keeps on giving. There are various options on the market - I’m proud to be a fully fledged member of the Rare Birds gang at the moment.

Promoting the best female-authored fiction, Rare Birds teases you with two secret book blurbs each month, inviting you to pick the one which takes your fancy. Your chosen mystery read then ‘wings’ its way and turns up prettily packaged with bookmark and personalised note from your own Rare Birds editor. Lovely. Once you’ve devoured it, head to the Rare Birds forums to talk it over with fellow readers.

Create your own

Without those daily interactions with colleagues, maintaining a team bond can be tricky. But connecting over a shared hobby need not be. A virtual book group can rival its IRL cousin any day. Plus you get to choose the biscuits (Hob Nobs please) and make the tea just how you like it.

Once you’ve established a forum for chatting all things bookish, a social network of some kind or good old email will do, it’ll become clear that you’re not the only one with a heaving TBR pile. Share your recommendations and pick them up from others - and then agree your chosen group read. You might take a theme for inspiration - an LGBTQ+ author for LGBTQ+ History Month for example, an eerie setting for your autumnal reads - you get the gist.

Book agreed, set yourselves a realistic time period to polish it off, and regroup to chat on a video platform of choice. Frame the chat with questions, or a simple “what did you reckon to that then?”. Either is a decent use of a lunchtime. Unless of course you nominated a duff one and have forced colleagues to politely endure a torturous 500 pages. In which case you may want to make that Outlook invitation response tentative.