The BYOB – Bring Your Own Book!

Sometimes book clubs can get in a rut. Too many Oprah picks, too much nonfiction, too many memoirs, too many of any single type of book can dampen the ardor of even the most devoted bibliophile. How to gracefully leap over the book club rut? Reenergize your gathering with a BYOB.

Not that BYOB, though a fun new cocktail (book related, of course) always hits the spot.

This BYOB: Bring Your Own Book. It works like this. Instead of everyone in book group reading the same title, every member brings a different book to the meeting. The book could be one they’ve already read and loved, or a book that intrigues and they want to read, or one that’s getting a lot of buzz. All each club member has to do is share information about the book or read aloud an especially intriguing passage.

That’s it. It’s easy to do, especially if you’re also spicing up the club meeting with a new biblio-related beverage. Everyone learns about new titles and may be introduced to a new favorite author.

Here’s a book club beverage recipe to try if your BYOB is a mystery.

The Dark and Stormy

In a tall glass, squeeze one lime wedge over ice.

Add 2 oz. Gosling’s Black Seal rum (This is traditional. If you use another dark rum, it will be our little secret.)

Add 10 oz. ginger beer.

Top with a fresh lime wedge.

Enjoy!