13 Reasons Why Book Clubs Are Saving the World

It seems like everyone is in a book club these days–seriously, everyone. Women and men, old and young, from all backgrounds and walks of life. I’m sure that you–the person reading this–are in one, too. I am, and I love it.

Lately, I’ve been thinking about why this resurgence is happening. Why are so many people gravitating towards reading together? Books have been around forever and (hopefully) always will be, but this is new; this is recent. With everyone I talk to, and everywhere I turn, I learn more about book clubs. So what makes now different? What’s driving us all to make reading a non-solo adventure?

After some thought, it hit me: Book clubs are saving us all. They’re our saving grace in a time of unrest and unpredictability–a spark of light at the end of a long, dark tunnel. Not all heroes wear capes, sometimes they just have covers and words. If you are in a book club, I know you’ll understand. And if you’re not, I hope this will inspire you to give it a go. Here are 13 reasons why book clubs are saving the world.

1. Book clubs bring people of all backgrounds together to talk about great propellants of change: books.

2. They provide people with a sense of community and remind them that they are not alone.

3. Book clubs champion diverse thought and points of view. From the members in the club to the authors of the books, voices that are not always heard finally have a chance. Empathy is built and strengthened, which is no small feat.

4. Lifelong friendships are formed through bonding over the same book.

5. Wine and cheese platters are everything. Seriously.

6. When everything else seems unstable, you can rely on your regularly scheduled meetings to put your mind at ease.

7. They create a chance for conversation, which seems simple but really helps those who might not have an outlet for such things.

8. Reading and finishing a book that you picked with a special group feels intimate and even more rewarding.

9. You will learn things about each story from your book club that you may have not noticed on your own.

10. They provide an escape from reality.

11. You will read books that you may have not picked for yourself.

12. Regular reading becomes a must because you don’t want to miss a meeting or discussion.

13. Book clubs are uniting and not dividing, which is a huge deal today.

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