June 2006

Diane Van Tassell from San Ramon, CA owns three used bookstores, two of which host reading groups. She encourages members of her staff to join these clubs, not only to get to know her employees, but also so that they can promote the clubs to their customers and familiarize themselves with the books they will be handselling. In this interview, Diane imparts her wealth of knowledge on how bookstores can further provide services to their communities, and how these stores and the clubs they host can work together.

Q: Does your store host any book clubs? If so, are they based on a certain theme or genre (i.e., mystery)? How often do the groups meet?

A: Two of my stores have book clubs that meet once a month. We mostly read paperback bestsellers. Because several of the ladies in the book club are store staff, we read the current bestsellers so that they will become acquainted with them in order to handsell the current books to customers. Many of the other book clubs in the area follow what we read because they know that we pick good books. We always sell a lot of our book club titles to other clubs.
  
Personally, I want to read the latest books, so that is also why we read them --- even though we are a used bookstore. 

We don't usually pick a theme --- just what suits our fancy. Mostly, we read more serious books that have lots of discussion possibilities. Some books are fun to read but book clubs need to have fodder for discussion. Once we read a mystery because the author was joining the group for the discussion, but normally there is not enough to discuss with most of the paperback genres like mystery, romance and sci-fi. Once in a while, we will read a lighter chick lit title. 

Q: How many members are in each group? How many men, how many women? What ages are most of the members? Are the groups open to accepting new members?

A: Our largest club has about 12-15 people who come regularly, but there are many more who come occasionally. We have one man who always comes --- even if we read chick lit or "women's" books. Having a man or men in the club changes the dynamics of the club and limits the types of books that you can (or should) read. Our particular man seems to like to try to dominate the conversation. 

We invite anyone who comes into the store to the book clubs but mostly the ages range from 40s and up. People tend to be busy, so many of them pick up the book and say they are coming to the meeting but often don't make it for months on end. Yet, they still consider themselves a part of the book club.

Q: Who leads the book discussions? Are reading group discussion guides used?

A: Our book club coordinator leads the discussions. Though we look at the reading guides for ideas before the meeting, we generally don't use them because the questions are just too complicated and too much like what is asked in a college class. Our discussions are more informal, but usually we end up talking for an hour on what struck us about the book.

First, we go around in a circle introducing ourselves and generally saying if we liked the book or not. There is usually at least one person who didn't care for the book --- which is great! From there, people just jump in and give their impression, read a passage that they want to discuss, or share something that they liked or didn't like about the book. 

Q: How are books selected? Is a new one chosen at each meeting, or are they chosen for a number of meetings ahead of time?

A: At first, I let everyone bring a book that we might like to read and then we voted on it. After reading a book that I particularly hated, I chose to be more dictatorial about it. My time is very valuable (trying to run three bookstores) so I decided that it was important that I had more of a say in the books chosen. I also needed to make sure that we read books that would appeal to the most people and that other book clubs would want to read the book as well. 

So now the club coordinator picks (with my input) two or three books and then the group votes on the one that they would like to read --- so it is democratic, after all. We always choose the latest books so that we sell a lot of them --- that is why we only pick them one month at a time. 

I feel sorry for book clubs that choose the whole year in advance because they are never getting to read the latest books that are popular --- obviously this is important for a bookstore that wants to sell books. 

Q: What were some of the best discussions or favorite books the groups have read?

A: We always seem to have great discussions, except if we choose a book that doesn't have much controversy. One that comes to mind was Maisie Dobbs. Though everyone loved it, there wasn't a lot of meat to it, which made a lengthy discussion impossible. Actually, a lot of really great books are good reads, but do not provide a lot of meat for discussion. 

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan was our favorite. It had so much history and it really got us going about the role of women. One woman really disliked the characters at the end of the story, but even she enjoyed the book.

We just read Case Histories, which everyone liked but me. There was so much going on in the story that some people were confused about things, and others needed to clarify. 

Shadow of the Wind was also a good discussion book because it was complex. It also seemed like it took place in a different time period than it actually happened because Spain is so different from here. 

The Other Boleyn Girl was an interesting read and discussion. We were all amazed at how much effort went into keeping the king entertained all day, every day. 

Even The Final Solution, which was a quick read, seems to have a lot of fodder for discussion and some were puzzled about the numbers that the parrot was uttering. 

Mostly every book seems to be one of our favorites --- at least after reading it. Many times, the members think that they will not like the book but end up enjoying it as they read it. Sometimes they say that they don't like the book but after discussing it in a reading group, they decide to reread it with a "new set of eyes."

Every once in a while we will not choose a book for the month and just meet to talk about our favorite books. This is usually an instructive meeting and everyone leaves with a list of books that they want to read. 

Q: How are book club meetings kept interesting and fun?

A: We have not had to do anything to insure the interesting part. Maybe just the personalities of the group make it fun. Probably part of what makes it fun is that someone always decides that they don't like the book so the rest have to defend it.

Q: What advice would you give to other bookstores that would like to start hosting book clubs, or provide resources for ones in the community?

A: My advice to bookstore owners would be to choose the books that you want to read and sell. Get some of your staff to come to the meetings, and go from there. 

I have a new store that has a very small book club --- mostly staff members. For several months, only four to five people are present and they are all staff. It is fun to interact with the staff in this way, and they are reading the books that I want them to hand-sell. If the staff enjoys the book club, then they will tell customers about it and eventually others will join. Even if no one else comes, your staff is learning about books, which is great.

When I say join, I mean that loosely. Often people say they are coming, and they mean to, but life intervenes. Everyone is just too busy so people come and go. Even people who are very excited about coming don't get there month after month, but eventually come once in a while. 

It took a few years to build up a steady crowd of 12-15, like in my other store. 

As a community service, you can offer your space for other clubs who might like to meet in your store. Hopefully they will buy books there, but often they won't. Just remember that you are doing a community service and you are introducing your store to their members.

Another thing that I just thought of: close each meeting with a general book discussion. Have everyone share other books that they are reading. Usually, the recommendations of club members will send others to the shelves to buy that book. Why not use this forum to your advantage and have the book club members "hand-sell" the books for you?!

Q: What general advice would you give to book club members? Any specific ideas for making reading selections?

A: For regular book clubs, I would suggest that they ask someone from their local bookstore to come out and make suggestions for books that they might like to read. Most bookstores would offer this service because it is to their advantage to have the book club members meet them. 

Of course you can always go to an independent bookstore and ask for suggestions. 

Also, they can have their members bring books to each meeting that others might like. When a friend suggests a book, people listen and often want to read it. 

When picking a book, it is important to find one that has lots of meaty material to discuss --- not the latest chick lit that is a fun and easy read. You are insuring the success of the book club if you pick a Jodi Picoult or an Ian McEwan, rather than a Jennifer Weiner or a Jennifer Cruisie. There has to be something to talk about.

Also, don't choose a book until you know that you can get them. So often, people come into my used bookstores looking for some title that even I don't have --- so how are they going to find it? I think it best to choose current paperback titles that are easy to acquire. Also don't choose hardcovers because they are too expensive.

Q: How can book clubs better utilize resources at their local bookstores?

A: Just ask!!!!!!!!!

Q: Does your store offer anything special for book clubs?

A: I haven't started offering book club discounts, even though I already offer a 10% discount on new books. We are considering this but just haven't done it yet. 

We do offer suggestions for book clubs and we also go out to them and present suggestions that they might like to read. So many clubs are stifled by bad choices so they need guidance. 

When we know that a club is reading a specific book, we call our three stores and try to find used copies for them and make sure that the particular store in their locale has enough copies of that title. 

Q: Do you have any horror stories, amusing anecdotes, or other tales to tell that you have heard from book clubs?

A: Just the regular tale of people disliking the book that they are reading or the problem of groups choosing hardcovers and the members not wanting to spend the money. 

One group is composed of mothers with young children and they are bored with their selections and often don't come to the meetings. The club is in trouble and the moderator doesn't know what to do. Luckily she came to me and we are going to go out to their club and talk to them.

Another lady says that her group is very strange because they have been together for four years and have had a very successful book club. At the meetings they are very friendly, but when they meet outside of the club, they hardly know each other. She is so disappointed by this and wonders what is up.  

Q: Is there anything else unique or noteworthy about book clubs (either ones that meet in your store or ones that you know of) that you would like to share?

A: There are lots of books that you would hate to read if you couldn't talk about them. How could you read My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult and not tell someone about the ending? Some were angry at the ending and others thought it was great --- what if you couldn't talk about it?

Sometimes you need your ideas clarified about a book. When you just don't understand what an author is saying, it is nice to have someone who has ideas on the book.

What better way to get together with friends and just talk about books!

Q: Are you a member of a book club? If so, what do you enjoy most about the experience from a reader's perspective? Does being in a book club enable you to better suggest both titles and discussion ideas to reading groups?

A: I am a member of two book groups and I enjoy talking about my passion --- books. I eat, sleep, and dream books because I am a bookseller and bookstore owner. Being a member of groups helps me to relate to people on a different level when I am not behind the counter trying to talk them into buying a book (even if I am not behind the counter).  

Customers get to know me as a person and get to know my likes and dislikes when I discuss books as a member of the group. It is a more casual atmosphere and I need people to know and like me so that they will think of my store first when they get in their car to go spend time in any store. 

Q: What books currently on your shelves are you interested in sharing with book groups?

A: Annie Freeman's Fabulous Traveling Funeral is my very favorite book this month. It is such a joy to learn about these women who come together to celebrate the life of their departed friend. I am laughing and crying as I read about their lives and how they come together as strangers and take a road trip that will take them into the state of friendship.

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is last month's favorite. This is such a special book and it makes me so thankful to have been born here. The role of women in nineteenth century China was very difficult and hard for us to imagine. The foot binding --- carried on by women on their own daughters --- was horrifying. Women were shut away from the lives of men and were treated as chattel --- not an uncommon thing, even today in some countries. 

Broken for You is also a great discussion book. An older woman, dying of cancer, and a younger woman, edgy and searching for love, join together to form a strange and wonderful relationship. At first we think the old lady is ticky-boo because she is talking to the porcelain, which is her only companion. Soon we find out that the porcelain has its own story.