"I have found basically no relationship between a publisher saying that a book is a good book club book and it actually being a good book club book."

I had the best time chatting with Elizabeth from Open Book Club NYC about all things book-club related! We dove into…

• How Liz grew her book club from a single shot-off TikTok to a thriving community with a brick-and-mortar home in NYC

• What actually makes a great book selection (and why so many of us focus on the wrong criteria)

• Why book clubs are having such a moment right now

• The question to ask at the start of every meeting to guarantee a great event

• The fiscal side of running a professional book club (and how Open Book Club NYC works)

• How book clubs view authors—and how authors can position themselves to get their titles picked

• Why brands are so eager to partner with book clubs (and the difference between individual and community reach)

• How organizers can foster a great discussion and retain members

• Exactly how to find the right book club for you

• Liz’s hot take on whether or not you should attend if you haven’t finished the book

…and more! Be sure to sign up for Liz’s Substack, Open Book Club NYC, where she shares essays, commentary, and invites to the hottest book club in town.

Thank you Christiana White, Julia Madsen, Tracy East-Wilkins, Norma Cardenas, Kate Davis, and many others for tuning into my live video with Elizabeth! You can check out my past Substack Lives here and listen to any of them in your favorite podcast app.