Barnes & Noble is launching a nationwide book club in the spring. The Barnes & Noble Book Club will debut May 2, with Meg Wolitzer’s forthcoming novel The Female Persuasion its first title.
The club will be free, and open to all members of the public. They will take place at B&N's 632 stores, starting at 6 p.m. local time, and be led by B&N’s booksellers.
“Many book clubs and reading groups already meet at Barnes & Noble stores across the country, but customers have let us know that they would love to participate in an official Barnes & Noble Book Club,” said Liz Harwell, director of merchandising at B&N, in a statement. “That’s why we are so pleased to bring readers together to engage in a national conversation about books.”
Barnes & Noble will be selling a special edition of The Female Persuasion, which will feature a bound-in reader's guide and special essay by Wolitzer. Readers attending the club will also receive a free coffee and cookie. A signed edition of the novel will be given away at each store.
At present, B&N plans to hold the club four times per year. The next event will be held this summer, although the exact date and book are still to be determined.