Catherine Lusted on local book groups and the resources available to them from Barnet Libraries

The popularity of book groups shows no sign of decreasing. Coming together with others who share your love of reading is a real joy, although views on a book can vary dramatically!

Book groups generate lively discussions and encourage us to read titles that wouldn’t usually appeal, pushing us outside of our comfort zone to try something new, sometimes with surprising results. We can discover new authors or genres that open up new reading choices. Book groups are great social occasions, too.

If you are a member of a book group in Barnet, libraries can provide you with book sets. Each set contains up to 14 copies for all members of the group to read. The collection includes fiction and non-fiction titles, as well as some suitable for young people or the young at heart. There are shorter stories, crime novels, contemporary romances, classics and biographies. Some sets include a Large Print copy and wherever possible, an ebook or eaudiobook of each title is available from the library apps.

Recently added titles include Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus, The Escape Artist by Jonathan Freedland, The Midnight Library by Matt Haig and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid.

It’s free to join and borrow sets from Barnet Book Club.

Find out more at www.barnet.gov.uk/libraries/barnet-book-club, including details of the reading groups run at Chipping Barnet, East Finchley or Osidge libraries.

Alternatively, email [email protected] for more information.

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