Book of the Month Club Marks Centennial with Revamped Service and Growing Membership
This year marks the centennial celebration of the Book of the Month Club (BOTM), which was revitalized by chairman John Lippman after his acquisition from Bookspan in late 2012. Since its relaunch in 2016, BOTM has experienced consistent growth, boasting over 400,000 members and a workforce of around 60. Lippman prioritizes curated selections, with editorial director Brianna Goodman choosing five to seven titles each month, including a third that are debut works. The membership demographic has shifted towards Gen-Z women aged 20 to 40. BOTM has introduced a romantasy-exclusive subscription called Allurial and launched a billboard campaign in New York City featuring the phrase "Nobody Reads Anymore." Additionally, special editions of classics, such as J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye, will be available.
Key facts
- Book of the Month Club celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2024.
- John Lippman acquired BOTM in late 2012 from Bookspan and relaunched it in 2016.
- BOTM has over 400,000 members and about 60 employees.
- Editorial director Brianna Goodman leads curation, selecting 5-7 titles monthly.
- About a third of BOTM's selections are debut works.
- Membership skews Gen-Z women, aged 20-40.
- BOTM launched a romantasy subscription, Allurial, in 2023.
- Centennial campaign included NYC billboards with slogan 'Nobody Reads Anymore'.
Entities
Artists
- Morgan Hamilton
- Jack Edwards
- Zoe Dubno
- Taylor Jenkins Reid
- Casey McQuiston
- J.D. Salinger
- Richard Wright
Institutions
- Book of the Month Club
- Bookspan
- Knopf
- Publishers Weekly
Locations
- New York City
- United States