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The High Park Book Club meets in the Bloor West area on the first Tuesday of the month to discuss quality novels.
If you would like to be considered for membership, please send an e-mail with some information about yourself, including your proximity to the High Park area, some of your favorite novels, and some books you'd like to read in future.
Please note that our club is not accepting new members at this time, in order to keep the group small enough that discussions remain manageable and enjoyable. But a spot opens up every few months as members take a break from the club, or when life just gets too busy.
How long has the club been around?
The club was started in September 2005 and we’ve now discussed two dozen novels. See below for the complete list of books discussed to date.
What’s the demographic / occupational background of club members?
The age range is about 25 – 45. We have teachers, lawyers, consultants, accountants – you name it.
Where do you meet?
We meet at members’ homes, typically in the Bloor West Village area. The person hosting usually offers wine, tea, coffee, etc. Meetings run from 7 p.m. to 9 or 9:30 p.m., depending on how engaged people are in the discussion.
How do you choose books?
Every two months, we ask members to nominate books and then we vote for two new books.
What are discussions like?
Unlike a lot of "book clubs" ... we actually discuss the book! We have a designated moderator every month and that person’s job is to come up with interesting questions, keep the discussion flowing and make sure everyone gets an equal opportunity to speak. The moderator is usually also the host, but not always. After about an hour of discussion, we usually break for coffee for 20 minutes and then come back and finish the discussion. The vibe is very casual, but focused. We think it’s a nice balance.
How many members are there?
We get about 8 members out to an average meeting. There are about 15 members altogether but many members attend only occasionally because of scheduling conflicts, etc.
What if I don’t want to read the book you selected for that month?
It’s OK if members occasionally skip meetings because a book selection doesn’t grab them. Just don’t make it a habit. We have a vibe where everyone knows each other because they attend every month (or most months anyway), and dropping in every few months when a book happens to interest you isn't going to work.
Moreover, a lot of members like the discipline of being “forced” to finish a book we don’t initially like. What’s really cool is when you end up loving a book that you didn’t like at first and only finished because of the club. That’s happened many times. So there’s something to be said for book club "peer pressure."
What kinds of books do you discuss?
Here's the list of books we’ve discussed so far. That’s the best indication of what we like to read.
Are you looking for new members?
We are wait-listing prospective new members; the current wait-time is approximately 3 months. If you would like to be wait-listed, please send an e-mail with some information about yourself, including your proximity to the High Park area, some of your favorite novels, and some books you'd like to read in future.