This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Casper Libero chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.
Book clubs may seem like a recent phenomenon, but since 1986, American host Oprah Winfrey has been influencing and connecting thousands of readers worldwide. With Oprah’s Book Club, books are carefully selected by the presenter, fostering enriching discussions about a shared passion: literature.
Due to the digital age, it is difficult to resist in a world filled with immediacy, scrolling time, and memes. However, book clubs are still present in people’s lives, whether in a small group of friends or an entire community on a social network. That’s exactly the path that some celebrities have chosen to take: to create safe spaces that inspire individuals and are connected by a greater love – in this case, books.
Besides Oprah, actress and majority female celebrities have create their own club, to use their huge influence to promote good in a place where reading has become a luxury rather than a right of humanity:
REESE WITHERSPOON
In 2017, the star actress started her book club, Reese’s Book Club, out of her dissatisfaction with Hollywood and the lack of female representation on screen. The club focuses on female protagonism and, together with her production company, Hello Sunshine, helps to transform these stories into cinematic productions. Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid and Big White Lies by Liane Moriarty are examples that break the barrier of literature and come to life.
A notable aspect of her initiative is the selection of books during the months of May and December, when she opts for lighter readings, as these are more hectic periods in the lives of mothers. This is a detail that may go unnoticed, yet it underscores Witherspoon’s care and responsibility towards her readers.
EMMA ROBERTS
Also in 2017, Emma Roberts and her best friend, Karah Preiss, founded a book club called Belletrist. United by the power of friendship and a passion for books, they created a vibrant and meaningful environment to discuss readings that transcend emotion – it was just essential to speak about them. The monthly book picks are varied, ranging from debut novels to cherished classics.
Like Reese Witherspoon, they also expanded the book club into a production company, Belletrist Productions and have already produced two television series: First Kill (Netflix) and Tell Me Lies (Hulu).
KAIA GERBER
The American supermodel and fashion icon, Kaia Gerber, created a book club during the 2020 pandemic. Four years later, in 2024, she expanded it beyond her social media and brought it to life through a website called Library Science.
Gerber ‘s safe space promises that you will not see the usual names that appear on bestseller lists. You will find “debut writers, new voices, and overlooked/underrepresented stories”.
She hosts conversations with authors, friends, or activists who enlighten and provoke readers about various ideas and necessary topics that the chosen book brings, as well
DUA LIPA
The Anglo-Albanian singer, Dua Lipa, entered the world of book clubs and created one of her own: the Service95 Book Club, in 2023.
Her space seeks to expand the literary experience and go beyond the words on pages, it offers exclusive, dynamic, and light conversations with the author of the chosen book, all posted through her YouTube channel. Furthermore, its website offers articles about the readings, team recommendations, and a carousel featuring past picks.
LAUFEY
The new GenZ favorite singer, Laufey, is also a book lover! Her love for music is deeply connected with her love for literature; she shares to Vogue, that this love help her connect even more to her fans’.
The Laufey Book Club is an intimate and mystical part of Laufey Land, her channel on Discord. Organized by literary genres such as manga, novels, poetry, and comics, the Icelandic-Chinese musician sets up a livestream to discuss the book of the month with Lauvers (Laufey ‘s fandom name).
To further enhance her artist-fan connection while on tour, she established her little Laufey Libraries for fans to exchange books in various cities. Those who prefer new books, can access the Laufey Book Club pop-up, where books from her recommended reading list are available.
BUT WHY ARE PEOPLE DRAWN TO BOOK CLUBS?
The idea is primarily focused on building a community, intellectual connection, self-awareness, and, of course, the sense of belonging. A group that shares a mutual interest opens doors to a network of friends, serving as a means to combat the loneliness left by times of pandemic, for example.
Besides, you can explore new literary categories, listen to other opinions and perspectives, keep your mind active, and – not to mention – undertake a digital detox, prioritizing human relationships.
FROM CELEBS TO YOU: READING TOGETHER IS BETTER
It does not truly matter why you choose to participate in or start your own book club, discussing literature is a fundamental aspect of life that should not be substituted for any screen time. Therefore, gather your books, gather with your friends and allow the words on the white pages show their power in your life.
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The article above was edited by Malu Panico.
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