Exploring sisterhood and women's experiences at the book clubs in Mumbai

With the trailer for Book Club: The Next Chapter dropping, we turned to the city’s literary coteries to discuss community and friendship

Anyone who loves a good chick flick or women-centric film will look forward to the sequel of the 2018 multi-starrer Book Club: The Next Chapter set to release in May this year. The film follows four women played by Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen, and Mary Steenburgen who meet for their book club and have a few fun misadventures. With components of sisterhood, insight, women’s experiences and perspectives on life shared in the film, we look at city-based book club members and hosts for a peek into the solidarity and community these clubs help build.

The real-life version of the film’s club is Mumbai’s Not Just A Book Club, a closed mommy group of nine members. And Shefali Nath Gupta, a leadership and life coach, unknowingly draws parallels to the movie when she speaks about the bond between members of the group.

A still from the trailer. Pic courtesy/Youtube

“Book clubs provide a great space to build friendships as an adult. It’s a space where we discover each other through books and share our stories and experiences,” she says. Formed four and half years ago, Gupta tells us how the openness of the space allows for a community to develop, collaborate and invest in relationships. Currently, the busy moms are reading Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin and will meet at the end of the month from 9 pm to 3 am to discuss themes, exchange perspectives, and turn the meet into a party. This bond extends outside the monthly meet-ups as well. As Gupta speaks to us, she’s also on her way to meet a fellow reader. “She’s about to have a baby, and I wanted to spend some time with her. She’s 12 years younger but we still connect closely to forge a relationship,” Gupta concludes.

Picking up from where Gupta left off, Nisha Sainani, a fashion designer, tells us about her group, The Growth Club which includes women from different age groups and fields. “We’re an unintentional all-women book club. The club is open to everyone but only women signed up. It offers a great experience to listen to everyone’s point of view, especially those coming from different ages and experiences. It’s so funny that we read one book but have so many different perspectives. And sharing them with each other opens up your mind to something new,” Sainani explains, “We get the best out of the book and the people.”

Shefali Nath Gupta, Nisha Sainani and Anmol Jauher

Helming a multi-city book club Bell Book & Candle, its founder Anmol Jauher continues the thought, noting that group reading adds value to one’s experience. “Because you are constantly in touch with books and like-minded people, it helps to widen your horizons and open your mind whether by exchanging perspectives or being motivated to keep up the habit,” Jauher says. The club has city-based groups that meet online and offline as well; they also have a buddy system to support your reading journey. Jauher adds that it’s easier for people to share their opinions with a new group and within the safe setting of a book club than to do so with friends and family. “Everyone wants to share and be heard. This helps form a sense of belonging that is missing from corporate life,” she signs off.

Join the club

Book Reviews Club
An online meet and greet with author Smita Das Jain for her book A Price to Love.
Meeting on: February 18; 5 pm onwards
Log on to: @bookreviewersclub

Bell Book & Candle
They are hosting a Women’s Day theme in March.
LAST DATE TO REGISTER February 22
Log on to: @bellbookncandle01
Cost: Rs 999 onwards

The White Crow Books and Coffee
They are hosting a discussion on The Village of Eight Graves by Seishi Yokomizo.
On: February 17; 6 pm
At: The White Crow Books and Coffee, Jio World Drive, BKC
Log on to: linktr.ee/thewhitecrowbooksandcoffee

Swapbook!
On: February 25
Log on to: @swapbookofficial (for upcoming details)

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