Early this year, Dakota Johnson joined the roster of celebrities who have a book club with the announcement of TeaTime Book Club as part of her production company of the same name. She sits alongside Dua Lipa who started her editorial platform and adjoining book club Service95 in February 2022, and Kaia Gerber, who founded Library Science in 2020 over Instagram Live.
There appears to be a trend where celebrities host book clubs despite books not aligning with their ‘personal brand’, in many ways this can be interpreted as a way to extend their fame, pointing attention in a different direction.
Amidst this flurry of celebrity book clubs, we must remember that there are some very established celebrity literary groups. First and foremost is Oprah’s Book Club, a regular segment on her talk show. Oprah Winfrey has been running her book club since 1996, arguably making her the mother of this celebrity trend. Alongside her, although for not as long, is Reece Witherspoon’s Reece’s Book Club which stands as a pillar in the literary community. With a growing 3 million followers on Instagram, Reece’s Book Club is becoming well-known for making books top charts and ultimately, sell out. Witherspoon’s influence is apparent, especially with her production company, Hello Sunshine, producing some of her book club picks. This includes: Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens, Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng, From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home by Tembi Locke, and Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid, all of which have been hugely popular.
It’s clear that celebrity book clubs are thriving, with dedicated followers and serious attention. Is that why more celebs are hopping on the bandwagon? I feel that through social media, especially TikTok, reading is going through a resurgence- it’s trending more than ever. BookTok has a reputation for sensationalising books, a key example is many of Colleen Hoover’s books, which has gotten more people to invest in the lifelong habit.
Despite the craze, it seems unlikely that Dua Lipa and Kaia Gerber are simply adding their names to another venture. In their case they are showing another side of themselves and using their interest to encourage reading. It’s easy to see book clubs as just another celebrity trying to make headlines, I thought the same, but upon looking through their content, a genuine interest and fascination shine through.
Early in June, Library Science hosted a book event, inviting notable guests to read at The Huntingdon Library in Los Angeles, showing her dedication to building a community. In addition, the Library Science Instagram shares various writers’ and actors’ nightstands, showcasing their current reads and giving recommendations. Gerber also interviewed Gabriel Smith, ahead of the release of his debut novel, Brat. Whether she has created this book club to diversify her reputation as an actress and model or to express her admiration for books, it’s doing its job! Often photographed with a book, Gerber has re-defined what it means to be a ‘reader’, showing it in a new light, therefore creating a community of new readers.
Dua Lipa founded Service95 just over two years ago and has already impressively accumulated 317,000 followers on Instagram. It’s clear that the singer has a large following, which has translated to Service95. Initially, I felt this endeavour felt off-brand and quite random, but looking through the content the Service95 has put out, it makes sense. Dua personally picks out a book every month, hosts an author Q&A, provides editorial content that discusses the themes of the books, and helps the reader understand the writers’ inspirations. All this information is great for readers who wish to immerse themselves in the world of the writer and uncover new talent. I see this dedication to a book pick as Lipa’s authentic enjoyment of reading. Not only does Service95 act as a book club, but it is also an editorial platform that has a weekly newsletter and podcast. This weekly newsletter is filled with global stories and travel recommendations, as well as well-being and fashion articles. It acts as a platform for connecting you with the world through talent, location, and opinion. The podcast, Dua Lipa: At Your Service, follows Lipa having conversations with the likes of Apple CEO Tim Cook and model and activist Paloma Elsesser. Through this, It’s clear that she wishes to have conversations with people who inspire her and spark curiosity in her listeners. From the extensive work that Dua Lipa has put into building her platform and showcasing new art, it’s obvious that this isn’t just another celebrity cash grab.
I believe that people struggle to find what types of books they enjoy, which will deter them from reading, but with a book club, once you settle on a certain genre and build expectations, it’s easy to follow a book list, where you have to actually stick to it. You are given a monthly pick from a curated list and have the joy of discussing it with others afterwards. Celebrity book clubs leverage online communities to foster engagement and revive interest in reading. Users can easily look through comments and see how others feel. Reading is comforting and provides an escape from daily life, proving their popularity. Through book clubs, celebrity or not, reading is encouraged as people have become more disconnected from feelings and thoughts as they tune into a displayed, artificial reality. This renewal of reading and book clubs could be people’s desire to connect with literature once more and be part of a community.
edited by Madison Challis
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