Gen Z and Millennials reinvent book clubs: Even Dua Lipa has one

From Dua Lipa to an unnamed pop star, Millennials and Gen Z are joining book clubs as a way to socialize. Book club event listings grew 24% in the United States in 2023 from the previous year, according to a ticketing platform. Another platform saw a 10% increase in book club listings. Many of these book clubs are not the traditional ones, however, featuring wine and crackers in a host’s living room. Book club organizers and members are creating new gatherings to talk about books at various events, such as dating events, breweries, and group runs. Social media is also helping lead younger readers to new genres and in-person communities built around reading. The growing popularity of book clubs reflects a renewed interest in events and experiences in-person following the isolation of the pandemic, as well as growing fatigue with endless time on screens. ‘Book clubs are moving away from someone’s house to meet at different venues to try new places in a city and connect over a book,’ said a brand manager at a monthly book-subscription service with gifts designed around the book of choice. Niche book clubs are on the rise. Themed book club events, such as queer book clubs, saw an 82% increase in attendance in 2023, while attendance at silent book clubs increased 23%. Silent book club members gather in public places just to read. One platform is also seeing growth in romance book clubs, dating event book clubs, and evening book club running groups, such as a book club in Chicago. ‘I have noticed more people talking about creating or joining book clubs in the last two years,’ said a book club member. ‘Now that we’re a couple years out of the pandemic, I think a lot of people are looking more to get out and rebuild community ties that we couldn’t interact with as much.’ This book club is organized by the local public library and meets monthly at a brewery. Around 20 people typically attend. ‘It’s been really fun,’ she said. ‘Now we’re all very friendly and there are a handful of us that stay after to have a drink and chit-chat.’ They are planning to meet up for trivia nights next. Social media is spurring interest in books and book clubs among younger readers. The booming culture on a popular social media platform has been credited with introducing younger people to different titles and boosting sales at physical bookstores. Gen-Z favorite even has a book club. , which people use to describe their reading experiences and look for what to read next, has more than 220 billion views. Authors can get huge, unexpected boosts from people discovering their work. Fantasy, romance, and young adult novels enjoy especially large followings, such as popular book series and emotional romances. The platform effect is so potent that stores keep lists of books that have gone viral on the app. Print book sales dropped 3% last year, but were still 10% higher than pre-pandemic levels. The book market shrank last year because of lower kids’ book sales. But adult fiction in the US has grown for five consecutive years. Book clubs are also growing as independent bookstores have seen growth in recent years. Many experienced sales above pre-pandemic levels. Some experts say anger about the control of a major online retailer over the book industry is driving some people to shop at local bookstores. ‘People are coming back to physical books in a way they didn’t,’ said a book-subscription service brand manager. ‘Gen Z has beef with an online retailer and tries to avoid it whenever possible. That’s what’s driving people to local bookstores.’ A major bookstore chain has also mounted a comeback. The chain expanded in 2023 for the first time in a decade, opening new stores. In 2024, the chain plans to open more stores.