Book clubs or book groups, people getting together to read a chosen book and share their thoughts, likes and dislikes, must be one of the phenomena of the last twenty years or so. Despite Covid and the subsequent lockdowns. But what of these choices?

I was originally invited to a group many years ago in which each member took it in turns to choose and introduce a book. An excellent way to find yourself thinking carefully about what you are reading, especially if it is your choice. Also the opportunity to read other choices, something you’d possibly never have picked up or thought of reading. And we had wine, of course, but with a strict rule that we never talked about anything other than the book and what issues it raised. An excellent discipline as the temptation to deviate into generalities and gossip destroys the purpose of the session. A discipline we’ve carried on to The Spring Arts and Heritage Book Group offer. 

This Book Group was originally set up as part of the Havant Literary Festival which ran from 2009 to 2014. This became part of the LITERATURE offer of the Centre. The choice of books is already made and fifteen places are for sale each month.

Each session is hosted by one of the original members of the Havant Literary Festival Committee, four of us. This means a more detailed introduction to the author or background of the book is given, as well as someone to lead the group, making sure that everyone has a chance to speak. 

As I was a trustee of The Spring at the time it was set up, I became the one to find the books to make the choices with the other hosts input and approval.  

I count it as an honour, both fun and daunting. The criteria is for each four, one for each month in a season to follow the original main aims. These are to introduce a variety of books which have some literary merit. This may result from books being long or short-listed for an award, or due to their longevity in the literary canon. Why this should be the case is a central question. Novels, collections of short stories or poetry, or more factual books may be chosen. The range of authors is important, especially finding authors from different ethnic backgrounds. We keep to a strict equality of male to female authors for each season. 

So what of are the stand out successes of those ten years plus, for me. The novels that will never leave my shelves and I want to read over again, which in all cases, I have already read more than once.

That is as difficult a choice as the ones to be made for each season, and if I look too closely at the list there will be more. There are after all one hundred and thirty eight that we’ve already read to choose from.

Have you read any of these?