Apple this week announced its own book club through the Apple Books app. However, instead of having an entire curation team behind it, all of Apple’s book club content is curated by Canadian media personality George “Strombo” Stroumboulopoulos.
Called “Strombo’s Lit,” the club is offered as a special page on Apple Books where Strombo chooses the best titles to help you “better view the world” with stories from some of the world’s best authors. The company told TechCrunch that the idea for the book club came as Strombo wanted to talk about his favorite books with his friends during pandemic lockdowns.
The news was confirmed on Twitter by Strombo himself, who also shared his first choice for the club: the sci-fi thriller “Termination Shock” by best-selling author Neal Stephenson. Stroumboulopoulos, who also hosts his own show on Apple Music, says he’s excited to have conversations, make connections, and share giveaways with Apple Books readers through the club.
Apple says the book club is not a replacement for the Apple Books editorial curation team. Instead, it’s just a new way to help readers discover new titles “via Strombo’s own personal selections.” This, of course, leaves an open possibility for more clubs to be created in the future with other personalities.
The launch of a book club on Apple Books follows the trend of other celebrities like Oprah and Reese Witherspoon, who have also introduced their own book clubs as a new way to connect with fans – recommendations from celebrity personalities you like tend to be more effective than those from someone you don’t know.
Strombo’s Lit is now available on Apple Books for readers in the United States, Canada, UK, and Australia.
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