SS#165 – Book Club Joy

Want a book club but don’t have one—and don’t feel “qualified” to start it? Good. You don’t need a guru; you need girlfriends and a good book. In this episode we make the case for hosting (not lecturing) and show how real formation happens through reading together.

We walk through the most common hang-ups:

• “I’m not an expert.” Ideal. Discussion is livelier when no one’s the authority.
• “I don’t know how to lead.” Think host. Open with “What did you think?” Follow with “Why?” Ask, “What did you underline?” and let the room do the work.
• “I need a guide.” Optional. Skim the intro after you finish (spoilers!), or pull a theme or two from SparkNotes/Wikipedia to prime the pump.
• “What if I’m wrong?” Book clubs aren’t pop quizzes. Shared discovery—and occasional correction—is part of the joy.
• “I’m intimidated / not a reader.” Audiobooks, read-alouds, slower pacing—all valid on-ramps. Show up and grow.

We also get practical: sizes from three to thirty; mornings or evenings; homes, restaurants, or the church fellowship hall; fiction and nonfiction; long books spread over multiple meetings; and the magic of multi-generational rooms. Over time, a group builds a shared “reading memory” that makes every conversation richer.

Bottom line: you can start a book club right where you are and shape it to fit your people. Keep it chill, keep it conversational, and watch new friendships—and clearer thinking—take root.

Yes, you can do a mom book club!

Today’s Hosts and Source

Scholé, the Greek word from which English “school” is derived, means leisure. Leisure, however, not spent on entertainment or distraction, but on contemplating truth—alone or in conversation. Scholé is time spent pursuing truth, goodness, and beauty through reading, thinking, discussing, and reflecting. It is the foundation and joy of lifelong learning.

Scholé Every Day releases November 25, 2025!

Scholé Every Day: What We’re Reading

1066: The Year of Conquest, David Howarth

Mystie has found this book club history pick surprisingly engaging in its recounting of the events surrounding the Norman Conquest.

Post-Christian, Gene Veith, Jr

Abby continues her Veith kick.

The Millionaire Next Door, Thomas Stanley & William Danko

Brandy is reading this personal economics classic after Abby mentioned it during a previous episode.

Real world book clubs

If you’ve ever thought about starting a book club but worried about “doing it right,” take a deep breath—there is no single right way. As our conversation unfolded, each of us described wildly different formats that all worked. The magic isn’t in the method; it’s in the reading and the relationships.

Brandy’s book clubs

Brandy began her first club years ago with a handful of homeschool moms who wanted to learn Charlotte Mason’s philosophy. They met once a month, reading one or two chapters at a time—slowly enough to let ideas take root. The group hovered around ten women and met in the evenings at a hostess’s home. They used Start Here as their guide, but the best conversations came from connecting the philosophy to their daily homeschool lives.

Now, Brandy’s current club takes a looser shape. The hostess invites everyone into her home, children and all, every other Friday morning. The books—recently Failure of Nerve and Bleak House—stretch from education to literature. There’s no set leader and no pressure. Everyone simply shows up ready to think together, and sometimes even the kids form their own mini book clubs in the next room.

Mystie’s book clubs

Mystie’s “Conservative Minds” club began in 2020, born from a desire to understand the cultural shifts happening all around. Two women started it, and five years later, it’s still going strong. The list has about twenty names, but most meetings end up being four to six strong. They alternate between fiction and nonfiction, mix “agreement” books with “challenge” books, and never shy away from disagreement.

Before that, Mystie also belonged to a Charlotte Mason club similar to Brandy’s, focused on applying educational philosophy. Both experiences proved that any structure can serve you for a season, but what really matters is reading with people who want to grow.

Abby’s book clubs

Abby’s earliest club was just three homeschooling moms working through a reading list together—sometimes over dinner, sometimes coffee. One mom insisted audiobooks didn’t count, which became an ongoing joke. It wasn’t formal, but it was faithful.

Today, Abby belongs to two thriving clubs. One even survived a church split. Each member takes turns hosting; everyone brings book ideas; and the evenings include good food, laughter, and honest discussion. Some members show up without finishing the book—they come for the friendship as much as the reading.

Her other group meets at 7:00 a.m. They focus on educational philosophy and deep conversation at a coffee shop: an early bird’s dream.

Just start a book club!

So if you’ve been waiting for the perfect format, stop waiting. Invite one or two friends, pick a book, and begin. Keep it chill, keep it convivial, and you’ll discover what fits your people as you go.

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