Geneseo’s flourishing student book club reflects a growing national interest in reading with others.
By Robyn Rime
Does reading books for fun have an image problem? Unless you’re a librarian, you might believe so.
“A lot of people view books as nerdy and weird,” says Alexis Lamm ’27, an early childhood/childhood education major. “That stereotype is why I was really nervous to join a book club.”
Geneseo’s student book club, the Spine Breakers, changed her mind. Like every good club, it’s a community of like-minded people doing something they love. Lamm now serves as co-president, along with Ariel Guttman ’27, an English and adolescence education major. Open to all genres and all students, the club attracts about 30 book lovers for each meeting, and its email list tops 300 names.
“Reading books isn’t weird—it’s just a hobby,” Lamm says with a smile. “I’m not reading textbooks, guys. I’m probably reading about dragons or romance, okay?”
Spine Breakers’ success may or may not improve reading’s lackluster image, but it tracks with a rise in book clubs nationally. Book club event listings jumped 24% in 2023 from the previous year, according to the ticketing platform Eventbrite. Meetup groups saw an increase of 10%.
And these aren’t the stodgy wine-and-classics gatherings of your mother’s book club. Yes, Gen Z’s young adults still join book clubs to socialize. Spine Breakers has hosted events like a white elephant book exchange and a craft night to decorate TBR (to be read) jars. Book clubs also generate new audiences by tapping into the zeitgeist. Themed book events are way up nationally (queer-related book events soared 82% above the previous year, for example), and celebrities—including Gen Z pop star Dua Lipa—continue to launch their own reader recommendations.
Social media connections help drive interest among younger readers, of course, introducing them to fresh titles and different genres (such as the newly minted “romantasy”).
“Instagram and TikTok are major platforms where people share their reads,” says Lamm, “and I think technology used in this way spreads confidence in readers to be open about their reading.”
#Bookstagram, the Instagram accounts dedicated to reading, took off around 2015. Its success paved the way for #BookTok, TikTok’s most popular community, outpacing even #CarTalk and #MovieTalk with more than 220 billion views. Like the rest of Gen Z, Spine Breakers leverages its social media.
“Our biggest goal with social media is definitely to increase our membership,” says Riley Mahar ’26, a psychology major who coordinates the club’s social accounts. “But we also want to show the student population that reading is fun!”
According to the vibe on their Instagram, Spine Breakers meetings are fun. Mahar, who also operates the home bakery BakinMeHappy, supplies themed treats for each meeting. Book selection favors nontraditional categories like psychological thrillers, books with fruit or water on the cover, and books with titles beginning with a, an, or the. The club also pulls recommendations from other sources—though they’ve developed a healthy skepticism of online raves.
“Reese’s book club is a curse,” says Lamm darkly. “And The Pumpkin Spice Café? TikTok did us dirty on that.”
Even hating on a book can lead members to common ground, and Spine Breakers has proven its worth in helping students make connections.
“Everyone is so welcoming, and it was my safe place during my first year at Geneseo,” says Mahar, a transfer student. “I love how inclusive it is. For the hour we meet every other week, we just talk about books, and it seems all my problems go away.”
Getting people talking together about books is the best part about reading, believes Lamm. And in the end, Spine Breakers is all about building community.
“I’ve met so many people, and I’m really glad I stepped out of my comfort zone,” Lamm says. “I like integrating so many different groups, hanging out and talking and finding out that you do share similarities. More people read than you know. And that is a cool thing.”
Spine Breakers Reviews, Fall 2024
The Pumpkin Spice Café, by Laurie Gilmore—Liked but not loved. A theme similar to Gilmore Girls felt too predictable. Also, calling the book a mystery? Very misleading.
If We Were Villains, by M.L. Rio—Liked but not loved. Too many Shakespeare references. But the theatre friend group and mysterious murder were good.
The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires, by Grady Hendrix—Mostly loved it! 1970s housewives, secret book club, vampire slayage—thrilling with some gory details.
The Holiday Swap, by Maggie Knox—Averaged about three stars from the group, which “liked it pretty well.”