- What book clubs read, and why the questions matter
- Opening book club questions
- Character and plot questions
- Theme and big idea questions
- Nonfiction and personal connection questions
- When nobody finished the book
- How to get better book club discussions
- My advice for book club hosts
- Frequently asked questions
Here are 34 book club questions that work for any book, fiction or nonfiction: openers, character and plot questions, theme questions and ones that bring the book back to your own lives. Most clubs lean towards novels, but a 2018 survey found 93% read nonfiction at least occasionally, so there's a set for that too.
Every book club has had the meeting where someone says 'I liked it' and the conversation stalls. These questions are the fix. They're generic on purpose, so they work for any book you pick, and they're grouped to follow the natural shape of a good discussion: warm up, dig into the story, zoom out to the big ideas, then come back to your own lives. Print a few, pass them round, and let the conversation wander.
What book clubs read, and why the questions matter
A 2018 BookBrowse survey, reported on Wikipedia, gives a snapshot of how clubs work. It found 70% of book clubs primarily read fiction, though 93% read nonfiction at least occasionally. It also found 88% of private book clubs are all-women groups, while almost half of public groups, such as those hosted by libraries, include men.
| Finding (2018 BookBrowse survey) | What it means for your questions |
|---|---|
| 70% of clubs mainly read fiction | Most meetings need strong character and plot questions |
| 93% read nonfiction at least occasionally | Keep a set of nonfiction questions ready |
| Almost half of public groups include men | Mixed groups benefit from open, opinion-led questions |
Research on conversation backs up going deep. The American Psychological Association reported a study finding people underestimate how interested others are in their deeper thoughts, and a book is the perfect excuse to share them.
Opening book club questions
Easy questions to get everyone talking in the first ten minutes. There aren't any wrong answers here.
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What was your first reaction when you finished the book?
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Did you enjoy it? Give it a score out of ten and explain.
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Was there a moment you nearly stopped reading, or couldn't stop?
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Which passage or line stayed with you most?
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Did the book live up to its cover and title?
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Would you recommend it to a friend? Who, and why?
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How did the book make you feel while reading it?
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What surprised you most?
Character and plot questions
For novels and memoirs. Dig into the people and the choices they make, and don't be afraid to defend a character everyone else dislikes.
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Which character did you relate to most, and why?
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Which character would you least like to meet in real life?
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Did any character change over the course of the book? How?
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Was there a decision a character made that you disagreed with?
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How did you feel about the ending? Would you change it?
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Which relationship in the book felt most real?
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If you could ask the main character one question, what would it be?
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Did the plot feel believable to you?
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What do you think happens to the characters after the last page?
Theme and big idea questions
Zoom out. These work for fiction and nonfiction.
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What do you think the book is really about, underneath the story?
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What message do you think the author wanted readers to take away?
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How does the setting shape the story or argument?
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Did the book change your mind about anything?
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What questions does the book leave unanswered?
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How does the title relate to the book's main ideas?
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Would the book work if it were set in a different time or place?
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What would you ask the author if they joined the meeting?
Nonfiction and personal connection questions
For nonfiction picks, or to bring any book back to your own lives.
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What's the most useful thing you learnt from this book?
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Did anything in the book contradict what you already believed?
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How convincing did you find the author's evidence?
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Has the book changed anything you'll do differently?
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Did any part of the book remind you of your own life?
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Who else should read this, and why?
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What would a follow-up book on this topic need to cover?
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If you could add a chapter, what would it be about?
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How does this book compare with others we've read?
When nobody finished the book
It happens to every club. Half the group didn't get past chapter four and the other half are worried about spoilers. Don't cancel. Start with the opener questions, which work whether you've read ten pages or all of them, then ask the people who finished to describe one scene they loved without giving away the ending. You'll often find the people who stopped want to pick it up again. And if a book loses most of the group, that's a discussion in itself: what made it hard to keep going? The answers usually tell you a lot about what to choose next time.
How to get better book club discussions
- Choose three or four questions in advance rather than working through a list.
- Start with an easy opener so quieter members speak early.
- Ask for page references. Pointing to a passage keeps opinions grounded.
- Welcome disagreement. A book everyone loved can make a duller meeting than one that split the room.
- Rotate who leads, so the discussion style stays fresh.
For a relaxed social side to your club, my easy dinner ideas are handy if you host, and my round-up of party board games is good for the night you finish early.
My advice for book club hosts
Pick one opener, two character or theme questions and one personal connection question for each meeting. That's enough for an hour, and it leaves room for the conversation to go where it wants. Keep a nonfiction set handy, because most clubs read nonfiction at least occasionally, and a different kind of book often sparks the liveliest debate.
Frequently asked questions
What are good book club questions?
Questions that work for any book, such as 'Which character did you relate to most?', 'What do you think the book is really about?' and 'Did it change your mind about anything?'
How many questions should a book club discuss?
Three or four good questions usually fill an hour, with plenty of follow-up.
What do most book clubs read?
A 2018 BookBrowse survey found 70% of book clubs primarily read fiction, though 93% read nonfiction at least occasionally.
What are good book club questions for nonfiction?
Ask what was most useful, how convincing the evidence was, and whether the book will change anything you do.
How do I lead a book club discussion?
Start with an easy opener, ask for page references, welcome disagreement and finish by connecting the book to members' own lives.
