Our club in Portland had to pick between 'The Overstory' and 'Project Hail Mary' for our next read.

We went with the sci-fi book because a few members said the other one was too slow, but now half the group is mad we skipped the literary pick. The discussion last Tuesday was just two hours of people arguing about the choice instead of the book's plot. Has your group ever split this badly over what to read next?

2 comments

2 Comments

davis.dakota7d ago

Man, that sounds rough. We had a near mutiny over picking a mystery book instead of a biography last year. What saved us was making a firm rule that whoever complains about the pick has to bring the next three suggestions to a vote. It stops the endless back and forth because suddenly people have skin in the game. Maybe try something like that, or just flip a coin for the next two books to get back on track. Letting the argument eat up meeting time is a sure way to kill the club.

richardh447d ago

That bit about "people have skin in the game" is the whole key. You see this everywhere, not just book clubs. People will argue forever about what to watch or where to eat, but the second you make THEM responsible for the next three choices, they get real quiet and thoughtful. It forces actual commitment over just complaining. Most group fights happen because it costs nothing to have an opinion. Making someone put their own picks on the line changes the whole game. It turns a talk shop into a team.