A book cracks open as its unworn spine is open for the first time, eyes tracing along the pages, taking in a brand new story after a stressful week of classes and work. Students chatter about their excitement to dive into and discuss the novel before them.

Meet the “Book Club” of De Anza. This club allows members to read books and discuss them with others.

Winter quarter we featured “The Hobbit” — a captivating fantasy novel by J.R.R. Tolkien.

The story follows Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit who embarks on an unexpected adventure. Tolkien’s story showcases themes of heroism, friendship, and the power of ordinary individuals to accomplish extraordinary feats.

The most exciting aspect is the quality of communication and the opportunity to make new friends: the club is active and meets every Wednesday from 2 to 4 p.m.

Everyone is welcome.

Joshua Cohen, 23, a computer science major, said that he joined the club because he wanted to get more into reading and meeting new people:

“Reading is important because you look at a different facade of the English language,” Cohen said. “When it comes to reading, it’s more about interpretation, like during a conversation with someone.”

He recommended the novel “No Longer Human”, for those who love dark stories.

Ayse Yildirim, 20, an economics major, joined because she was looking for an environment where she could read comfortably and have in-person discussions:

“Reading broadens your knowledge and gives you a chance to experience different lifestyles and meet new characters every time you start a new book,” Yildirim said. “‘Crime and Punishment’ by Fyodor Dostoyevsky and George Orwell’s ‘1984’ are among my favorite books. I encourage everyone to read them.”

The purpose of the book club at De Anza is to provide a place for people who love books and reading to talk and communicate with each other about various books and topics.

“We get recommendations from members on what book they would recommend and have some sort of voting system,” said the president of the club, Michael Qwian.

Plans for the club are to expand further by getting more members, incorporate new activities like hanging out for lunch or dinner and constantly improve the club based on members’ feedback.