Gen Z and Millennial digital natives fuel resurgence of inclusive IRL book communities / 350% increase in book club events on Eventbrite over last four years; 127,000 attendees / Dua Lipa and Kaia Gerber among younger celebrities hosting a book club
Born as digital natives, Gen Z and Millennials are searching out IRL experiences and spaces as an antidote to an increasingly digital world. And many of them seem to have rediscovered the venerable book club: on events marketplace Eventbrite, the number of book club events has increased by 350% over the past four years, motivating more than 127,000 attendees to get together over their shared love of the written word.
Last year alone, the number of UK book club event listings on Eventbrite grew 41% from the previous year. Even young celebrities like Dua Lipa and Kaia Gerber are now hosting their own book clubs.
Current book club listings on Eventbrite reflect the wide variety of literature and its readers, creating uniquely inclusive spaces for everyone: there are Bring Your Baby Book Clubs, Black Girls Book Clubs, Socialist Feminist Book Clubs, German Book Clubs, Coffee and Book Clubs, Theology Book Clubs, and even a dedicated Book Club for Adults Who’ve Had Cancer. Just under two thirds of book club events on Eventbrite are free to attend, making them even more accessible.The book club renaissance first gathered steam online: during the pandemic, the growing #BookTok and #Bookstagram communities introduced younger people to new titles, and book lovers met virtually to stay safe. But as soon as restrictions were lifted, the passion for books found its way into the real world in the form of IRL book club meetups on Eventbrite – in 2024, eight out of ten book club events are taking place IRL.
Brunch Book Club in London
Eventbrite book club organiser, Taragh Godfrey, runs a monthly Brunch Book Club in London that comprises of an Online Discussion, Brunch and Cocktails – and tickets sell out very, very quickly. Open to the girls, gays, theys and allies, it welcomes people of all ages. Brunch Book Club launched in July 2019 and attracted a millennial audience, but a continual increase in Gen Z members makes it around a 50/50 split right now. Event venues change each month to ensure all London book lovers feel included and so they can explore new boroughs in the city.
“Book clubs allow people to feel part of something and have shared experiences, without having to hurl themselves across a field, track or court like they would in most sports teams,” says Taragh.
“They are incredibly accessible, whether you’re able-bodied or not, and many book clubs can be taken online, so people don’t have to be restricted by where they live. I think they’ve grown in popularity over the last five years because we were starved of connection during the pandemic. Books provided an escape into new worlds and new perspectives that could be shared with others during this time. Since then, it’s been about connection, camaraderie, shared interests, exposure to new and differing opinions and great books you might not have picked up otherwise. Most importantly, Brunch Book Club provides a safe space for members to share their feelings about the books and also life’s ups and downs, so it offers different things to different people.
“Events sell out every month and we’re introducing a new, more informal taster event – The Brunch Book Club Cocktail Hour – to cater for demand.”
Books on the Hill in St Albans
Antonia Smith runs book club events for Books on the Hill in St Albans, which she says are ‘a lifeline for the community’.
She says: “All sorts of people enjoy our events, including those new to the area. People with eclectic reading tastes and others who want to invest in their mental health by having some time to themselves. Our youngest attendee was 16 and the oldest 88 – it really is inclusive to all ages. Two of our three events have no set text so members can read and talk about what they enjoy. At the end of the day, one of the main attractions of a book club is the sharing with other people, regardless of what book is read.”
