**hey guys, here's some sample book club guidelines that i found, (just for suggestion sake). pick and choose what you like, or use none of it, the good thing about a forum like this (as opposed to having to show up at someone's house on a set date with book in hand and a sheet of notes) is that it can be as loose as you want and discussion can take many forms.
[taken from the YAL online bookclub:]
goal:
<to experience a written discussion about a book in an online medium;
<to plan the discussion so that a simple discussion guide that may be useful to others may be developed;
< Aesthetic Response/Personal Connection: For example, "Does this book resonate with your own experiences? "Can you relate to any of the characters?"
< Evaluation: What is the author's purpose? What is the quality of the communication? Take the stance of a critic and consider what taking different perspectives may reveal about the story.
[taken from "how to start a book club" by Pamela McInnis]
It is a good idea to select a "discussion leader" for each book, and to rotate the job among group members. The leader's role is not to monopolize the conversation, but to keep the discussion rolling by bringing up relevant points and questions. Key points of discussion that will pertain to just about any book include:
* Writing style of the author
* How the characters/plot made everyone feel
* Underlying themes
* Symbolism in the book
* The book's relationship to other books the group has discussed
* Information about the author and how his or her life has factored in the book
