It all began last year when a few friends got to talking. The Book Club for Book Hoes was created, turning them into a dynamic group. Founded by Mishayla Twyman, this intimate book club quickly grew in popularity as she began sharing meeting details on social media platforms. Now, it has grown to over 1,500 members who are just as hungry for literary conversations as they are for more vibrant social experiences.
The club’s success is part of a larger movement of socially-oriented book clubs booming all over the country. Members of the Book Club for Book Hoes read critically, not superficially. There’s their emphasis on helping us make authentic connections in this newly post-pandemic world. People’s craving for relationship and community has made a new jump. So much so, Eventbrite experienced a staggering 31% boost in positive occurrences in 2024 over the previous year.
These signature literary events Book Club for Book Hoes is known for are packed with storytelling, fun creative writing exercises, and thought-provoking discussion. Members can participate in Barry’s Bootcamp classes, candle-making sessions, wine tastings, and guided running tours through locations featured in that week’s book selection. The club holds an annual wintertime reading retreat in the same lovely lakeside cabin. Here, members can take a break from the noise and distractions of everyday life and explore their chosen literary adventure.
Yet one of the club’s most popular events has become their annual “Booksgiving.” During this festive event, Chapter members gift-wrap their favorite books and then swap in a blind exchange! This unique tradition has quickly become a favorite among participants and is a shining example of the club’s dedication to creating friendship between its members.
“Books are political, in a sense, and there are so many things within books that help us to really navigate the world that we are currently living in, whether that’s like a fantasy novel or a thriller,” – Mahler, 29.
The popularity of the Book Club for Book Hoes is an example of how reading groups have evolved. Traditional models usually centered around guided conversations in coffee shops. According to Ijanae Dawkins, our 2020 Reading Changemaker, book discussions have changed a lot. They’re not just about meeting up at your local coffee shop to discuss the book and reviewing discussion questions anymore. Unlike other clubs, this creative collective focuses on intimate, immersive experiences that strike a chord with its attendees.
The club’s method has been successful. Many club members say that they’ve developed real friendships from their experiences. Dawkins told us that every month at the book parties people come up to her saying, They’ll want to tell you things like “Oh my gosh, I was so shy coming in! This is my first book party, and I met three new friends. We’re going out next weekend!”
Her essay on the renaissance of book clubs enriches our understanding of this popular movement. This is what people actually want—to feel deeply. This yearning can be the very thing that pulls us down in a time when all things are online and instant. That desire for emotional connection is being echoed throughout the other booming cities, seeing a similar increase in reading clubs.
Chicago has become the epicenter of this movement, experiencing a colossal surge in popularity with social book clubs. The Book Club for Book Hoes has risen to the top of that stack, drawing huge interest on Eventbrite. More than 500 people are usually chomping at the bit to get on the waitlist for our events. This boom in enrollment reflects that demand for more community-focused convenings is ever-increasing.
As members set out on their literary quests collaboratively, they build lasting relationships. These bonds go far past the covers of their comics. The mix of social events and book discussion not only deepens their appreciation of the read, but it creates a space where new friendships are able to flourish.