celebrity book clubs and the 'oprah effect' | the celebrity influencer era
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- Опубликовано: 10 окт 2024
- this week i'm doing something a little different - we're talking about celebrity book clubs ...📚
#booktube #bookcommunity #booktubeuk
Recently, I've noticed an uptick in the amount of celebrity book clubs i'm seeing, which led me to reading an article about them, which then lead to me creating this video essay! -- the sheer number of celebrities leaning into the influencer sphere and having side projects, like book clubs, is hard to keep track of. From the O.G. Oprah, Reese Witherspoon, Emma Waterson and Dua Lipa - it just seems like every female celebrity has a book club these days.
I explore the shift in celebrity culture today, the celebrity vs influencer debate, and how some people could just be reading for 'aesthetic'
I enjoyed making this one, so let me know if you enjoyed it and if you wanna see more videos like this 💗
I'll see you in the next one x
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You can support me here buymeacoffee.c...
•where to find me•
INSTAGRAM: @what_rae_reads
STORYGRAPH: @macrarie
GOODREADS:
www.goodreads.com/user/show/3...
References & Articles
Why Does Every Famous Woman Have a Book Club Now? The Cut (www.thecut.com...
Inside Resse Witherspoons Literary Empire New York Times (link www.nytimes.co...
The Oprah Effect: The Lasting Power of Oprah and The Oprah Book Club
www.nypl.org/b...
As Celebrities Become Influencers, What Are The Consequences For Brands
www.forbes.com...
How GenZ Completely Changed Celebrity Culture by Antonio De Santis
/ how-gen-z-completely-c...
Celebrity Book Clubs: Page Turner or Dust Collector
www.bbc.co.uk/...
Legally Bookish: Reese Witherspoon and the boom in Celebrity Book Clubs
www.theguardia...
![VENEZUELA vs. ARGENTINA [1-1] | RESUMEN | ELIMINATORIAS SUDAMERICANAS | FECHA 9](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/SJfoPdeOPCQ/mqdefault.jpg)
I clicked for the title, I'm staying for your accent.
This is what we love to hear 💅🫶
This was great. I quite like the idea of being a book concierge. But for icons only. Hahaha. I love Amerie’s book club, I miss her going hauls and wrap ups and the works. Dua does recommend bangers. I’m intrigued by SJP’s publishing imprint. Ps. Is Mabel starting her own celebrity book club? I can see it happening.
Oh yeah I’m down with the icons only book concierge (imagine picking books for Cher 😂) ! Mabel is definitely starting her own pup club, she is a star after all 🐶💅
Loved this video, thanks so much for sharing your thoughts on this! I really like the video essay format!
Thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed as I personally love the essay format vids 🫶
I think the bookclub movement is even bigger, like there's an app called fable where anyone can createa club; when I first heard of it I was so excited since it felt like a nice tool to have, but at the end there are just SO many that you just end up feeling oversaturated (and the interface is not that great, so even if you wanted to you just can't have a real discussion with anyone about the books, you just give a star rating and that's it 🙄)
Also, I feel like this movement makes us more reclusive, taking yet another thing we used to go somewhere to do and met new people with similar interests which was nice, and instead you "can do the same" but at home completely alone, developing a sense of comunity that is not real (and strengthening the parasocial relationships, as you mentioned, instead of having real ones)
Totally agree! I’ve not heard of Fabel but like you said, it just adds to over saturation of the book community and then like with booktok, you just see the same books over and over. At least with smaller book community on bookstagram you get to interact and know your community a bit better. 💕
I actually joined Fable because of the appeal of being part of a book club. And, you're totally right, because eventually most of the clubs I've been in on Fable have been reduced to just reading and rating the books individually. But, the effectiveness of the book club, even on Fable, depend on the club moderator. But Fable has been useful because it has provided an avenue for me to talk to other people about the books I've been reading, albeit it's all parasocial. I'm still grateful for that because I don't live in a place where book clubs are exactly a thing.
Loved this video, I agree with a lot of your opinions on celebrity bookclubs. I personally don't follow any, I much prefer finding smaller creators who have a similar taste in books as I do. I've found a lot of my favorite books that way that I otherwise wouldn't have heard about, whereas whenever I have gotten curious and briefly looked at celebrity bookclub lists I usually see the same books I see being recommended everywhere.
I totally feel the same way! I definitely think the celeb book clubs are more for a casual reader/ their fans because if you are already in the book community, you’ll find much better smaller creators with taste similar to your own 😊🫶
I enjoy all your content, but this is one of the best videos so far. Well researched and articulate, I enjoyed it as much a Mabel did 👏🏻 I'm older (41 next week) and have a cynical view towards celeb book clubs, but the big pro is they might get more people reading. Personally I'd much rather find "smaller" more relatable people/channels, with similar tastes and life experiences to me, to get recommendations from. I am however, considering a career change from NHS worker to book concierge 😁
Thank you so much 🫶 I really enjoyed researching and editing this one! I am completely on the same page as you. Smaller creators with more diverse tastes and personality all the way! Haha I feel you with the book concierge thing, imagine getting paid to pick out books 😭 (also appreciate you and the work you do for the nhs ❤️)
Yay, I was looking forward to this video! I think it was so interesting to hear the more 'monetary' aspect of it - I'm definitely detached enough from celebrity culture that I didn't even stop to consider their stream of revenue! (and worse, how it harms the people who actually do it for the passion). Thank you for all the research you've done as well, that will be my next deep dive internet reading haha.
I agree that Dua Lipa's book club is the best out there - I also enjoy the extra content she has out around each month's book pick (the questions for a book club, the author interviews) - it feels like she is really doing it out of passion, and has a real interest in promoting these titles, while also being detached enough from the audience that it doesn't feel too parasocial.
I try not to be too skeptical, but a lot of big book influencers have also created book clubs based on paid partnerships (with Fable, which was mentioned by someone else in the comments), or put behind paywalls, so I feel like no matter what, my trust in any book clubs is not particularly strong once it becomes a stream of revenue 😅 🤷♀
Thank you so much and I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I kind of felt compelled to do the video after not only the article, but also seeing a lot of smaller creators getting annoyed and frustrated with bigger influencers and celebs coming into the community and taking up space. The skeptic in me is saying there is something else encouraging them to branch out, it can’t just be pure passion. There is surely a revenue stream that’s a motive?
I really need to look into this fabel! I don’t even know about it in all honesty. I understand people wanting to make some money, but I think it’s difficult with books because putting a book club behind a paywall when it’s supposed to be community and connection lead is a bit odd. Like there are lots of creators and readers who would love that group connection irregardless of payment. Obviously people are diversifying their revenue streams to make money, but sometimes it just doesn’t work
Great video Rae! I don't follow any of the celebrity bookclubs, I find it hard to believe their recommendations are legitimate and a lot of them aren't in the genres I enjoy anyway. I much prefer watching genuine, honest influencers and actually seek out smaller creators . I might check out Dua Lipa's bookclub after this video though x
Thank you Tanya! I don’t follow them myself other than checking occasionally what books they recommend. I have read a few from Reese Witherspoons but they never hit for me. A lot of Dua’s are lit fic which tends to be what I read anyway. I think if you’re not a regular reader, it can be a good way to get recommendations, but if you’re already in the book community then you’re probably not going to follow them as much.
The thumbnail of all thumbnails 👑 And the golden pink aesthetics is stunninnnng 🌸
Fully intrigued, loved this run-through, she can truly do it all 🤌
“Just like you” proceeds to give us nothing = Imagine was born…..
🫶 I love how they try be just like us and their solve for inequality and being of ‘help’ is singing imagine to us 😭
@@whatraereadsit was so out of touch that all we could do was laugh as not to cry... The cringe of all cringe. A pretty good example of tragicomedy. I’d be embarrassed, but also, they clearly were not loving the same lives as the rest of us to be so unbothered about a global virus… A true boss moment to add this to the video 😎
@@cecilialau_ so true, it lives rent free in my head and i hope they're all embarrassed forever lmao
Interesting video. What do you think of celeb authors? Another conversation altogether i know but some say it helps the publishing houses help smaller authors get their books publish which can only be a good thing but on the flip side do all of them really write these books? Maybe another video theme?? Thanks always 😊
Such an interesting point you’ve made! I don’t really know how I truly feel about them tbh, I definitely think a lot of celebrities have ghost writers and are usually just promoting their own brand and getting a bit pay day. A lot of them are very guarded stories so you’re not really getting a true expose of their lives. I’ll definitely keep this in the back of my mind as it’s such a good video idea!
Sarah Jessica Parker has an imprint company for her book recommendations. She's been a reader since a child.
I'll have to check out Florence and Dua see what all they pick!
Oh that’s cool! I did see a clip of her chatting about books and she said she loved reading and her mother encouraged it which was lovely ❤️