What Is A Book Club?

When people hear the words "book club," they tend to think of groups of people getting together to discuss books they have read as a group. As reading becomes more of a fad, we see book clubs everywhere, on Oprah, on event calendars and all throughout the Internet. The kinds of book clubs we're talking about are similar in that they do group together reading enthusiasts, but are based more on offering the books rather than discussing them.
Available online and through the mail, book clubs offer customers incredibly low prices on books they'd spend much more money on in stores. Because they buy directly from the publisher, book clubs eliminate the distributor middleman and are able to lower prices drastically. In some cases, book clubs offer members up to 65 percent off publisher edition prices.
Another characteristic that differentiates a book club from a bookstore is the number of selections a book club has to offer. Though many large bookstores, such as Barnes & Noble and Borders, offer a range of genres and selections, they can easily sell out. This is nearly impossible with a book club that carries several more copies to make sure each customer receives his or her order. Book clubs can also be much more specialized than stores and there are several that cater to readers with special interests, such as mystery, science fiction or romance.
Ordering from a book club is a simple process that involves little time and energy and can be done so from the comfort of your own home. Using either the Internet or magazine provided by the club, members can choose which titles they want and purchase them as they would any other item through mail or on the web. The books are sent immediately and will arrive at your house quickly and efficiently. No more waiting in lines, no more pushing through crowds.
Book clubs offer a lot more than just books and can be a great resource for people looking for more information on the latest releases or bestselling authors. Many book clubs offer member or club reviews, which act as a way to help customers decide whether or not they're interested in reading a book, as well as author interviews and/or quotes. Through book clubs, readers are able to become more familiar with their favorite authors and will receive all the latest news on what books they've released and which ones they're in the process of writing.
Though joining a book club does involve an agreement, it's not nearly as financially binding as people might assume. Most agreements simply state that members must purchase a certain amount of books at regular price within a certain amount of time. Most of the time this is four books within two years, which is not a difficult task to accomplish. Saving time, energy and, most of all, money, book clubs are a great way to stock up on all your reading needs without spending the fortune you would at a store.