The #travelbookclub and what it means to me
When I first came up with the idea of the #travelbookclub back in February, I wasn’t sure whether it would work. I’d been discussing a mutual love of travel and books with three other travellers on Twitter and it had made me realise how much I missed the book club I had belonged to back in Brighton.
I’ve always thought there’s something lovely about finishing a book and then being able to discuss the thoughts and ideas you’ve had about it with other people. But being on the road a lot often means that it’s difficult to commit to a monthly meeting at a venue you have to physically go to. So I began to think about whether it could be done over the Internet, from wherever you happened to be in the world.
I pitched the idea to @vagabondbaker, @JessicaRose_91 and @PegsontheLine and together we began a small group, each reading the book and meeting on Twitter once a month to discuss it’s themes and, of course, our shared love of travel! Gradually over the months the #travelbookclub has grown and this month we had people joining us from Argentina and China. Although I have never met any of the other readers face to face, I look forward to our monthly meet-ups and enjoy the hour we spend talking about out chosen books. It has made me feel like part of a community again.
So I’d like to say a big thank you to the other #travelbookclub members who have made this possible and invite anyone else who loves books and travel as much as we do to join us in future chats!
I wish I could join this! Stupid time zones!
Ah, wish you could join us too! That’s the only problem sometimes. Poor @vagabondbaker had to get up at 5am the other day to join us from China! What time would it be in Oz?
Just ordered my copy. Will be great to be back!
Yay! So glad you’ll be able to join us again:)
We’ve missed you!
what day of month/time do you discuss the book? THe Please Seekers, is that for december then? Trying to figure out if I have time ti read it before discussion 🙂
It’s usually the first Wednesday of every month at 9pm (GMT), so we’ve already discussed The Pleasure Seekers this month. For January’s chat we’re reading Finding George Orwell in Burma and we’ll be discussing it on January 8 (the second Wed, as the first one is New Year’s Day!) Would love you to join us:)
Here’s to lots more years of the Travel Book Club, it’s been great to meet you all!
Definitely! It’s so lovely to be part of a group that loves both books and travel;)
Just downloaded Finding George Orwell in Burma and set alarm for 10pm France time on 8 January… Looking forward to taking part of #travelbookclub to talk books and meet other bookworm travel enthusiasts. Til then Merry Christmas, see you in the new year…
Kirsty (@kirsty_oz)
Fantastic, great to have a reader joining us from another new country! Looking forward to the chat and have a great Christmas too:)
I adore our little chat group! It’s so great to be able to be in a book group, not possible normally with my nomadic life. The books we read this year have been so inspiring, and varied.
We all need a ‘real’ meet up one day!
Think the January chat will be another 5am job, we’ll still be in China! definitely going to need the alarm for that one again! 😉
I’m very impressed by your commitment Rachel;) Loved that you could join our last chat from China. I agree that the books this year have been inspiring and definitely agree on a real meet up some day!
This is a great idea! I’d love to join for January. Can anyone join? 🙂 -Victoria
Of course! It’s open to everyone. Just read the book and join us for the discussion at 9pm on January 8:)
Of course Victoria, we’d love you to join us! We’re meeting on January 8 at 9pm GMT on Twitter. This month we’re discussing Finding George Orwell in Burma by Emma Larkin.
[…] where each month a group of us read a travel-related book and then discuss it on Twitter (see #travelbookclub for more details). Love with a Chance of Drowning was one our choices for last year, as well as […]