Book Clubs: Women and the Uses of Reading in Everyday Life

Rice University sociology professor Long presents an academic look at a phenomenon that has taken American popular culture by storm--women's book clubs. In her research, she often came upon women who referred to their club as a""salvation,"" a""life raft"" or a""saving grace.""""You will never know what a difference it made in my life,"" they told her. This work focuses on reading groups formed by white women in Houston, Tex. According to Long, reading groups are not only""integral to the constitution of both social identity and the sociocultural order,"" but they're grounded in history (she examines post-Civil War groups, in particular). Today's reading groups are much more informal than they were in the 19th century, however, and offer numerous venues for exploring group identity. Long briefly touches on Oprah's famous Book Club and on lesser-known online book discussion groups, rounding out her intriguing, intelligent study.