Reading Allowed: Inside the Book Club Where You Can Read Aloud
Readers may find the idea of book clubs daunting, believing they must finish an entire book to participate meaningfully. This perceived barrier could discourage many from joining literary social gatherings like book clubs and consequently, they may miss out on opportunities to connect with like-minded readers and bibliophiles.
Reading Allowed, a book club happening monthly at library@orchard, aims to remove this barrier for anyone keen to join a book club. Every month, a title will be selected for the book club, and readers can participate without having read the book. Participants in Reading Allowed will take turns reading a paragraph from the selected title, and they are also encouraged to share their thoughts if they feel comfortable doing so.
Reading a book can be made less intimidating, and we take this opportunity to speak with Liau Yun Qing, one of our many LearnX Reading communities facilitator, to find out what running a book club is like.
Hi Yun Qing, congrats on running such a successful book club since 2016! Could you share with us how Reading Allowed came about, and what motivated you to run a book club at library@orchard?
The book club was first formed in October 2015 as a Meetup.com group under the name Read-Aloud SG Book Club. My friend and I were running it at Fort Canning monthly before library@orchard got in touch to see if we would like to run it in the library. Of course, we did! Moreover, the book club adopted a punny name along with the gorgeous venue.
When deciding on a group activity to start, my friend and I both recognised our shared love for reading. However, our reading habits differ. She finishes every book she starts, while I often struggle to complete the ones I begin. Consequently, we decided on a book club where members take turns reading aloud together. This concept reminded me of my childhood when my father would read stories to me before bedtime, which were truly cherished times.
Tell us some of the differences between Reading Allowed and a traditional book club.
I’ve not attended a traditional book club as most book clubs require finishing a book and sharing insightful ideas during the session. However, with Reading Allowed, there’s no need to read the book beforehand. We all start from the beginning, experience the book collectively and then share our thoughts. This approach reduces the pressure to come up with intelligent things to say, allowing participants to share their genuine opinions.
Reading Allowed is into its 8th year this year! What are some of your fondest memories of running a book club like Reading Allowed?
It’s truly wonderful to witness shy individuals reading aloud, or those who might not be entirely comfortable with the language still making an effort to do so. There was an older lady who was quite nervous when she initially arrived, but she read so well in front of everyone.
What are the challenges in running a book club?
A big challenge of running a book club would be to facilitate discussions. I remember at one of the sessions for This Is What Inequality Looks Like, some of the participants had different convictions and the discussion was heated and tense.
There was also an instance during an author visit where one attendee monopolised the conversation. I hesitated to interrupt him, but later realised that this prevented others from sharing their perspectives. Thus, it’s important for a book club facilitator to be able to read the room and redirect conversations when needed.
You have read so many books throughout the years with Reading Allowed. What are your all-time top 3 book club titles, and why?
I don’t have favourite books, but I do have memorable sessions. Atlas of The Heart by Brené Brown was particularly memorable due to its high attendance. Non-fiction resonates with many people, and Brené Brown is a very popular writer.
The Haunting of Hill House was memorable because we spent the whole session just reading about the main character driving through the countryside.
Reading plays is also fun because it brings out the playful side of the members.
Do you have anything to say to someone who is keen to start a book club, or someone who is apprehensive about joining a book club?
If you want to start a book club, start with something you like — either a favourite genre or author. If you wish for the book club to have members beyond your circle of friends, listing it on meetup.com or Eventbrite can attract many people. Venue would be a challenge for a start, but you can always run them in quieter food courts or negotiate with cafes during their off-peak hours. Otherwise, you can always reach out to NLB to start a new community!
For people who are apprehensive about joining a book club, consider the first session a trial. You are not obligated to stay if you don’t like the experience. But taking the first step to join a book club might open up doors for you to meet other people who have the same passion for reading.
What are some of the things that you are looking forward to for upcoming sessions of Reading Allowed?
I’m looking forward to more moments when people engage in reading aloud, immersing themselves in the text, and for the first time, truly hearing their own voice reverberating in the room. This unique experience will surely provide them with a fresh perspective on their own communication skills and self-expression.
Communities: Reading Allowed takes place in library@orchard on every 1st Saturday of the month.
For updates on library@orchard’s curated design programmes, subscribe to library@orchard’s Eventbrite collection or join the LearnX Arts Facebook group!
