The social and wellbeing benefits of reading groups

Now the The Reading Agency has found that book groups offer significant social networks and wellbeing benefits, as well as boosting reading.

A nationwide survey of book clubs found that 95per cent reported that members felt happy being part of the group, 94per cent said being part of a reading group leads to members reading more widely, and 80per cent said members enjoy the books they're reading more when they discuss them with the group.

To Kill a Mockingbird is the most popular reading group title in the UK, the research reveals. Other popular choices include debut novels such as Emma Healey's Elizabeth is Missing and The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton, alongside work from established authors such as Donna Tartt and Lionel Shriver.

The research, conducted via the Reading Agency's Reading Groups for Everyone network, investigates how reading groups are run, which books are selected and the impact of being a member.

Some respondents said they had found support and friendship within reading groups designed specially to meet their needs, such as visual impairments or mental health diagnoses. Others said being part of a group had helped them re-discover reading for pleasure, led to longterm friendships or helped them work through a challenging period in their life.

One member, Jane Clark, said: “I went through a very difficult time just after my second child was born. Another mother came up to me and asked if I'd like to join a book club that was just beginning and I took the plunge and said yes. It was a life-changing moment for me. I believe passionately in the power of books but I believe fundamentally in the power of talking and including. A social group, like a book club, has the power to lift, involve and welcome a person who may be feeling isolated or unhappy.”

The research shows that friends and word of mouth are most likely to influence the books chosen by the groups, while two thirds also use book reviews and over half use book prize shortlists and winners. Libraries play a key role too, with many books chosen from library reading lists or recommended by a librarian. Libraries were the second most popular meeting place for groups after members' houses.

Although 95per cent of the groups read fiction, many also read non-fiction. Smaller numbers of groups read short stories and poems.

National charity the Reading Agency runs Reading Groups for Everyone in partnership with the Society of Chief Librarians. Reading groups can register online to rate and review books, or compile a list of what they want to read. authors. There's advice on how to set up a reading group and tips on how to work with children and young people.

Karen Brodie, head of publisher partnerships at The Reading Agency, said: "Reading is not just a solitary activity; sharing it with others can give us different perspectives and open our eyes to new genres and writers. This research shows that being part of a reading group brings numerous benefits and I was particularly interested to see that groups choose such a wide range of titles, focusing on those which stimulate discussion and debate."

The Reading Agency will use the findings of the survey to develop the Reading Groups for Everyone network and website, strengthening relationships between reading groups and publishers and encouraging people to set up new ones.

Elaine Price of Shipley joined a book group after her divorce and found it a valuable support. "I'd been through a divorce and a house move, it knocked me for six. I moved to a new area where I didn't know many people and I felt lonely. I don't go out drinking but wanted to make new friends," she says. "A colleague told me about a book group at the library so I went along and felt instantly at home. I'd always enjoyed reading and liked the idea of discussing a book. We each take it in turns to pick a book and sometimes we have a 'theme night' and discuss several books in the same genre. It has led me to read books I'd never have considered before, and it has given me strong friendships."

* Blackwell’s Bookshop, in the University of Bradford's Richmond Building, runs a regular book/film reading group. Each month, members choose a book and at the meeting they watch the film adaptation of that book and discusses the merits of both.

Last week the group watched William Peter Blatty’s The Exorcist. For more about the group call (01274) 905149 or email martin.kelly@blackwells.co.uk

* Anyone who is in a reading group or interested in setting one up can sign up at readinggroups.org for recommended reads and free books to read and review.