One of the biggest challenges in a book club is that everyone reads differently. So how do you handle varying book club preferences? Some love historical fiction, others only want fantasy, and a few are happiest with a quick rom-com or thriller. Add in the fact that some people read to escape while others read to connect, and suddenly your book club can feel a little divided.
But here’s the good news—different reading preferences can actually make your group richer if you approach it the right way. And C. S. Lewis, in his little book An Experiment in Criticism, gives us some powerful wisdom to help us think about the way we read.
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My Journey as a Reader
When I was teaching, my brain was always on overload. Think about it: 25 kids, 8 hours a day, every decision about every subject for every child running through my head. By the time I got home, my mind actually ached.
In those years, I reached for easy books. Stories that didn’t demand too much from me, that entertained me but didn’t require deep thought. They were fun, but I don’t think they’d fall inside “the pale” of what Lewis recommends in An Experiment in Criticism.
Lewis draws a line between readers who use books and those who receive them. He writes,
“We want to see with other eyes, to imagine with other imaginations, to feel with other hearts, as well as with our own.”
At that time, I wasn’t ready to read this way. I was using books for relief.
Over the years, though, I’ve changed. Even before I left the classroom, I began craving more substance. Now I read to connect. I want to find pieces of my own story woven into the book, even while surrendering to the author’s perspective. And when I bump into themes I’m wrestling with in real life, I learn so much by seeing them through another’s eyes.
Lewis describes this kind of reading so beautifully:
“In reading great literature I become a thousand men and yet remain myself… Here, as in worship, in love, in moral action, and in knowing, I transcend myself; and am never more myself than when I do.”
That’s the kind of reading I want for myself, and for my friends in our book club.
Why Book Clubs Need Both
Not everyone comes to a book club ready to “receive” a book. Some just want a break from a hard day. Others crave deep, meaningful reads. That’s okay. The best clubs make room for both.
But over time, it’s worth encouraging your members (and yourself!) to stretch. A book club isn’t just about reading your favorite genre over and over. It’s about trying new perspectives, seeing with “other eyes,” and allowing books to enlarge your world.
The Literary Moms’ Book Club
Book clubs are a great way for women to connect. It’s not always easy to plug into one even though you hear about some great groups that meet together! I’m on a mission to make book clubs doable—even for the busiest moms. Because here’s the truth: when they’re done right, book clubs cut through the small talk and create space for real connection. That’s what we do inside The Literary Moms’ Book Club, a community equipping women to gather with friends at in-person book clubs.
- I lead groups in choosing a novel that sparks natural discussion and connects to real life.
- I give you the discussion questions, so you can focus on sharing your story instead of worrying about how to steer the conversation.
- Plus, I provide simple extras to help you stay connected with your group between meetings.
How to Handle Different Reading Preferences in a Book Club
Here are a few ways to balance different reading tastes without losing the heart of your group:
1. Rotate Picks
Let members take turns choosing the book. That way, everyone gets a favorite now and then—and everyone also steps outside their comfort zone. Recently our book club, which spans 40 years between our oldest and youngest members, is rotating who picks each month by starting with the youngest and then moving through to the oldest.
2. Offer a Choice
Give your club two or three book options around a theme and vote together. For example, “books about resilience” might include a memoir, a historical novel, and a YA story. Different genres, same conversation thread.
3. Mix Escape and Substance
Alternate between lighter “escape” reads and deeper, more thought-provoking books. This balance helps members enjoy both fun and growth. Even with lighter books, look for stories that have relatable themes. These types of books always make for a more thoughtful discussion.
4. Add a Reflection Question
No matter what book you read, ask: Did this book invite me to connect, or simply let me escape? What did I learn either way? It opens the door to deeper conversations, even about the lighter books.
5. Use Companion Reads
Choose one main book and suggest an optional “stretch read” for members who want more. Then tie both back to the same theme during discussion. In The Literary Moms’ Book Club, I offer suggestions for a children’s companion read that goes with each of our themes. Last month we read a book that was set during WWII and I was able to recommend The House on the Canal by Thomas Harding as a great children’s book that introduces kids to the idea of this war by sharing about the history of the house where Anne Frank’s family hid.
Looking for some additional tips on choosing books for your book club? Be sure to check out my post Choosing Books for your Book Club: Tips & Sights.
Book Club Preferences: The Invitation
Book clubs don’t have to be stuck in one lane. They can be a safe place to enjoy a fun escape and a gentle nudge toward books that shape our souls.
Lewis once wrote,
“Those of us who have been true readers all our life seldom fully realise the enormous extension of our being which we owe to authors… The man who is contented to be only himself, and therefore less a self, is in prison.”
Books are our way out of that prison. So the next time your club debates between something light and something meaty—remember, both have their place. But the richest reading lives make space to connect, to surrender, and to grow.
