Buzz
Gathering with fellow book lovers to discuss a recent read is a rare joy. But sometimes, it's not practical to meet in person—whether due to a global event like a pandemic or simply the distance. Thankfully, the internet offers plenty of opportunities to connect with like-minded readers virtually. Here are nine fantastic online book clubs to consider joining this month, next month, or whenever you feel like diving into a new literary journey.
1. Get Lit With All of It
Alison Stewart’s monthly book club is a literary extension of her WNYC radio program All of It, which covers a wide range of cultural topics. The book selections are mostly contemporary literary fiction, including popular titles like Brit Bennett’s The Vanishing Half and Emily St. John Mandel’s The Glass Hotel, and each month concludes with an interview with the author. You can enjoy the live-streamed events for free, and every session also features a musical performance inspired by the book. To catch up on past episodes, visit here, and follow All of It’s Instagram to stay updated on upcoming events. If you have a New York Public Library card, you can also borrow the e-books for free through the NYPL app.
2. Reese’s Book Club x Hello Sunshine
Reese Witherspoon’s media company, Hello Sunshine, is dedicated to putting women at the heart of every story they create, celebrate, and explore. Her book club follows that same ethos: it's all about books written by women and focused on women’s experiences. The club’s Instagram is filled with captivating posts, and Reese herself frequently shares updates about the books. There’s also a club app where you can interact with fellow readers and receive news before it’s posted elsewhere on the web.
3. The Stacks
Traci Thomas’s The Stacks is a podcast-based book club where each guest usually appears for two episodes. In the first, they discuss books and the reading experience, while the second focuses on the club's selected book for the month. The guests come from various fields of culture, with recognizable names such as author Yaa Gyasi, lawyer and entrepreneur Meena Harris, and Desus & Mero hosts Desus Nice and The Kid Mero. The reading selections are equally diverse, spanning from classic works like Toni Morrison’s Sula to recent releases like Jericho Brown’s poetry collection The Tradition.
4. Now Read This
If you’re someone who’s always in tune with the latest news, Now Read This could be your perfect book club. A partnership between PBS NewsHour and The New York Times, the club’s selections are always timely, though not always in the same way. Some choices, like Shane Bauer’s American Prison: A Reporter’s Undercover Journey Into the Business of Punishment, dive into politics, while others align with pop culture moments. For instance, Meg Wolitzer’s The Wife was selected just as the film adaptation starring Glenn Close was gaining recognition. You can engage in discussions via the Now Read This Facebook page, and find additional materials like author interviews and discussion questions on their website.
5. Noname Book Club
The Noname Book Club was founded by rapper Noname to uplift the voices of people of color and create a welcoming space for readers. While in-person gatherings have been on hold since the pandemic began, they continue to host virtual events through Facebook Live. Participation is free via social media, but they also offer a Patreon account for those who want access to exclusive content for a monthly subscription. A portion of the profits goes toward sending copies of the selected books to prisons across the country.
6. Goodreads Choice Awards Book Club
The Goodreads Choice Awards Book Club is hosted on the Goodreads website, although it’s not officially connected to Goodreads itself. The club follows the winners of the Goodreads Choice Awards (and some fan-voted picks), with members discussing the selections in threads on the site. There’s usually more than one pick per month, so it’s ideal for anyone who wants to branch out from their usual genre. For example, April’s selections include a fantasy novel, a poetry collection, a work of literary fiction, and even a picture book.
7. Between Two Books
Between Two Books was born out of a 2012 tweet to Florence Welch of Florence + the Machine, encouraging her to start a book club. She took up the challenge, and now it’s managed by Kate Litman and Leah Moloney, with most book recommendations coming from Welch herself. Other contributors include renowned figures like director Greta Gerwig, who picked Maggie Nelson’s The Argonauts, and playwright Jeremy O. Harris, who selected Songs of the Dragons Flying to Heaven and Other Plays by Young Jean Lee. You’ll also find books recommended by musicians like Fiona Apple and Nick Cave. The best way to get involved is to follow the club’s Instagram, where the largest group of readers engage in discussion.
8. The Rumpus Book Club
The book club hosted by The Rumpus, a digital literary magazine, isn't free, but it offers something unique—something you can’t find on bookstore shelves yet. For $35 per month, members receive an unreleased book along with access to an exclusive, moderated online discussion with the author at the end of each cycle. Past selections have included Carmen Maria Machado’s short story collection Her Body and Other Parties and Nicole Chung’s memoir All You Can Ever Know among others.
9. Andrew Luck Book Club
Former NFL quarterback Andrew Luck has always been an avid reader, but the idea of starting a book club wasn’t originally his. The concept of an “Andrew Luck Book Club” was first joked about by Men in Blazers hosts Michael Davies and Roger Bennett during a 2015 interview, and The Wall Street Journal later picked up the phrase for an article about Luck’s unofficial role as the Indianapolis Colts’ book recommender. A few months later, Luck actually launched a book club, featuring two picks per month: a ‘rookie book’ for younger readers and a ‘veteran book’ for adults—making it a perfect activity for families to enjoy together. Although the club is currently on hiatus, with the latest picks being from December 2020, the archive offers a treasure trove of books to explore while waiting for its return.
Love books? Fascinated by the stories behind the authors and their works? Then dive into our new release, The Curious Reader: A Literary Miscellany of Novels and Novelists, launching on May 25!
