You might be surprised to know that your best friends don't necessarily make the best book group buddies. Not always, of course. But sometimes. Best friends often have too much in common. The book conversation might not be as diverse and far-reaching as it could be between people who don’t hang out together frequently. Also, it’s easy to get sidetracked with close friends. You end updiscussing your kids, your job, your spouses, a friend who’s not there, etc. Here’s how to get around that. Recruit members from outside your immediate circle of friends. Join agroup at a library or bookstore. If you and a friend have started a group together, resolve to involve other acquaintances you don’t have in common.  For years I was in a book group that included stay-at-home moms, journalists, lawyers, a doctor or two and more than a few librarians. We brought a lot to the table each month, but most of us didn’t get together socially otherwise. It wasn’t at all awkward. We just looked forward to our regularly scheduled togetherness. And we focused on the book.