This thesis examines six non-academic reading groups based in the UK. It focuses on the ways in which literary texts are discussed, how aspects of reader and group identity come to bear on the discussion of texts, and how literary interpretation and evaluation becomes a collaborative product of group-work in this context. This study adopts an ethnographic approach to the reading groups: recording and observing their meetings, conducting group interviews, and considering resources used by the groups. For the most part, this study offers detailed analyses of transcripts from the groups' meetings and evaluating the book clubs as Communities of Practice. I conclude that reading in this context becomes a highly social activity, and that the readings and interpretations offered should be seen partially as products of over- arching group norms and turn-by-turn interaction between the readers.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:580280 |
| Date | January 2012 |
| Creators | Peplow, David |
| Publisher | University of Nottingham |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
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