#MeetBCiS – Beth Ginsburg, Co-founder

06 Apr #MeetBCiS – Beth Ginsburg, Co-founder

Meet Beth Ginsburg, Co-Founder 

Tell us what you do

As BCiS is so small, I have had to learn how to do work that challenges me such as budget forecasting, databases and social media promotion (eekkk!).  Things I love doing –  reading new books, writing up questions, blogs and interviews with authors, training book club leaders, getting feedback from book clubbers, working with schools, presenting the book clubs to audiences and working with my Co-founder Ali Palmer – we work hard but always manage to have a laugh!

Best bits about Book Club

For me, the best bits are: the stories told by book clubbers and leaders about their lightbulb moments in book club; book clubbers’ smiles as they receive their books, certificates and end-of-term party; the book club leaders’ faces when they go to their first West End play; School Coordinators reports of how pupils’ attitudes change during book club, and book club sessions where book club leaders and book clubbers are chatting passionately about the book.

What are you reading?

Post Trump/Brexit, I have re-read 1984 by George Orwell, The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood and The Plot Against America by Philip Roth.  With the Year 12 book club, I have been reading books tackling ethical dilemmas like Great Small Things by Jody Picoult and We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver. I am also (finally!) reading Noughts and Crosses by Marjorie Blackman and The Declaration by Gemma Malley.

What inspires you?

I am inspired by all the young people who read aloud or make a comment when they are painfully shy or stick to their opinion when others try to dissuade them or are brave enough to change their minds, lead a group or figure out a way to engage a reader.

Personally, I am terrified of heights, flying, hard maths, swimming in open water and getting old.  Anyone who has found ways to tackle their fears is hugely inspiring to me.

As a running evangelist, I love it when brand new runners take on the London Marathon – especially those who run in heavy and hot costumes raising money for good causes.