Have you ever been dying to talk about the last book you read? Looking to expand your literary horizons? Searching for trusted recommendations for the last book you read? If so, you’d be right at home at The Glenridge’s Happy Bookers book club.
Founded in late 2021 by member Mary Ellen Jehn (who serves double duty as the Dean of our Glenridge Academy lifelong learning program), the Happy Bookers has proven popular among our book-loving community.
Each year from September through May, members get together to discuss a selection of titles recommended and voted on by members. This year’s top picks include classics like Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s 100 Years of Solitude and Florida history gems like A Land Remembered – and all offer ample food for thought and discussion.
“Learning keeps us alive – that’s the bottom line,” says Mary Ellen. “It keeps us engaged, it gives us a reason to get up in the morning. More knowledge is never a bad thing.”
Despite the well-documented benefits of books, reading has been on the decline for decades. According to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, the percentage of Americans who read at least one book a year has fallen by more than 10% in the past two decades, from 61% in 1992 to just 48.5% in 2022.
But there are signs that tide is beginning to turn. In 2024, CNN documented a boom in book clubs, with marked increases in event listings for social book clubs among Gen X and Millennial demographics. That trend was paired with increased print book sales for adult fiction, and surprising business growth for bookstore chains like Barnes & Noble.
What’s behind the sudden reading renaissance? Depends who you ask. Some credit it to the pandemic, which rekindled a cultural appreciation for social activities; others say it’s a reaction to “screen fatigue” of the digital era. But the internet may also be pushing more people back into reading in a positive way. Tags like #BookTok (TikTok) and #Bookstagram (Instagram) have proven to be powerhouses on social media.
Whether reading really is “the new scrolling” remains to be seen – but one thing’s for certain: All across America, people are re-learning the joy of reading by sharing their love of books with friends.
Here at The Glenridge, a passion for reading and learning is nothing new. Wherever you look around campus, you’ll find members pursuing intellectual growth and new perspectives – from our on-campus library to our Glenridge Academy, which offers an ever-changing selection of expert-led classes on the arts, sciences, history, politics and more.
Find out what our Life Fulfilling Community® can do for you: Send us a message or give our Life Planning Team a call at 941-552-5369 to schedule your personal tour.
Or, to learn more about what life is like at The Glenridge on Palmer Ranch – once again named the best senior living community in Sarasota (for the 16th year in a row!) – visit our other blog posts or find us on Facebook.