Critical Friends Episode 20: On Book Clubs
From Strange Horizons by The Strange Horizons Editorial Collective
January 26, 2026 · 45 min
About this episode
Tristan Beiter discusses the role of book clubs in literary criticism, focusing on his experience with the Ursula K. Le Guin book club.
In this episode, as part of our 2026 criticism special issue Tristan Beiter introduces us to the Ursula K. Le Guin book club he's been taking part in. The group discusses the book club as a forum for, and a practice of, criticism. How does it differ from the academy, from more formal venues, from fan spaces—and what kinds of critical activity and insight do those differences, equip it uniquely to deliver?
People in this episode
Guest: Tristan Beiter
Topics covered
- book clubs
- criticism
- Ursula K. Le Guin
- literary discussion
- fan spaces
- academic criticism
Keywords
- book clubs
- criticism
- Ursula K. Le Guin
- literary analysis
- fan spaces
- academic differences
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: Ursula K. Le Guin
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