BN.com Online Book Clubs

Barnes and Noble is now offering free online book clubs. It's based on social networking ideas (e.g. a "Friends" option). It does require setting up a free account, so expect marketing emails. One nice option: the authors themselves (known authors, not the weird lady down the street who self-publishes erotic mysteries) supposedly join the discussion.

I'm not a book clubber, myself, as I tend to read a) odd, usually genre fiction, b) in bits and pieces, often putting down and picking up a book over some months before finishing and c) for my own pleasure - if I want to discuss it with friends, I have plenty with whom to do so. I think book clubs a great idea, though, and I love to see people engaged with reading. I don't think the virtual component of these online clubs would be a detractor - quite the opposite, in fact.

Obviously online book clubs are nothing new - many libraries use Dear Reader and other services to offer them - but as this one is through a major retailer, they can get known authors to participate as part of their marketing. ::shrug:: Why not?