It has become apparent to me that I have never been in a book club. I have not been in a book club because I am not much of a fan of reading something that I am not excited about or being a part of a group which the accountability is somewhat low. I have spoken with a few people who have been in book clubs and they shared with me that there are times in which people, for whatever reasons, do not read the book of the month but show up to hear the conversation.

I am not that interested in book clubs.

But I am fascinated by speed dating. Perhaps because I have never done it, or perhaps because I agree with Gladwell's "Blink" that we have a powerful ability to "think without thinking" that affects our decisions. Additionally, I like to meet people. As such, I want to add the greatness of what I think Speed dating is to the goodness of book clubs minus the awkwardness of each group and multiply the accountability.

Therefore, I am suggesting a new (at least to my awareness) kind of book club. Here is how it works:

1) Everyone reads a book of their choice and no one reads the same book.

2) Everyone has a month to read.

3) At the end of the month, each person comes prepared to share their book in 5-7 minutes.

4) Each person will also be expected to accompany their 5-7 minute synopsis of the book with a 1-2 page outline/thesis/synopsis.

5) In the course of the meeting, each person will share both their 5-7 minute and their 1-2 page outline/thesis/synopsis with 4 other another persons - one at a time.

6) At the end of the meeting, you have had the opportunity to share your book 4 times, and hear about 4 other books which you might be interested in.

7) Everyone walks out with all the 1-2 page outline/thesis/synopsis they desire for future reference.

8) Select a new book for the next month.

Instead of having a book club that takes one book and goes a mile deep into it, this model would be taking many books and going a surface level. This not only will allow you not to get 'stuck' reading something that is not interesting to you while at the same time you can see what other books are out there people are reading and hear their passions about the book. These "recommendations" or "reader reviews" could function as a Amazon book review does with different star level in order to recommend it to others for reading.

That is a book club that I want to join. That is a book club I am going to start.

Any takers?