Siesta Hills Community Book Club: Bringing Neighbors Together
Siesta Hills Community Book Club: Bringing Neighbors Together
Some activities in a neighborhood take years to develop. Others seem to come together almost immediately because the interest is already there.
That has become part of the story surrounding the Siesta Hills Community Book Club.
What began as a resident-driven idea quickly drew interest from more than 30 households throughout the neighborhood from the very first communication presented to the broader Siesta Hills community — representing roughly 75% of households within the neighborhood — a remarkably strong response that says as much about the neighborhood itself as it does the books being read.
For many residents, it is not simply about reading. It is about gathering, conversation, sharing ideas, meeting neighbors, and having another reason to spend time together inside a community that already tends to stay active in a variety of ways throughout the year.
At Siesta Hills, that pattern continues to repeat itself naturally. One activity often leads to another. Residents become familiar faces, new neighbors settle in, and people gradually become part of the broader rhythm of the community. The book club feels like another natural extension of that atmosphere.
A Strong Response from the Community
The enthusiasm surrounding the group reflects something increasingly difficult to create artificially — genuine resident participation. Interest in the club quickly spread throughout the neighborhood, with participation representing a significant percentage of households within the community almost immediately after the idea was introduced.
Some residents are longtime readers. Others joined simply because they liked the idea of a neighborhood gathering centered around conversation and shared interests.
The atmosphere remains relaxed and resident-driven. Members choose future books together, discussions develop naturally, and the gatherings feel more social than formal. That balance fits naturally within life at Siesta Hills, where many activities evolve organically through resident participation rather than heavy planning or structure.
More Than Books
In many ways, the book club reflects something larger about the neighborhood itself.
Neighbors here tend to participate. Residents gather around the pickleball courts, spend time in the clubhouse, meet around the pools or pub room, attend music gatherings, or simply stop to talk during walks through the community. The book club now joins that growing mix.
What stands out is not just the activity itself, but how naturally people continue finding reasons to spend time together.
The book club is also exploring opportunities to coordinate discussions and possible conversations with writers and published authors, including Minnesota author Alan Eskens, creating opportunities for residents to discuss books directly with the people who wrote them.
Adding another local connection — and a very local one at that — author and Siesta Hills resident Ron Kibble, writer of “A Second Chance”, has already become part of those conversations. Residents have shared and discussed his book throughout the community, creating even more interaction beyond the monthly gatherings themselves.
For readers interested in learning more about Ron Kibble and his story, simply click here to read or download “A Second Chance”, his family history and autobiography. For many residents, Ron’s willingness to write and share his story has also become an inspiration — not only to read more, but for some, perhaps even to share stories of their own.
What Community Often Looks Like
Many people searching for a new home initially focus on floorplans, finishes, pricing, or location. Eventually though, another question becomes more important: What is daily life actually like once people move in?
At Siesta Hills, the answer often reveals itself through smaller moments rather than major events. A conversation after an activity. Neighbors gathering around a table. People staying longer than expected simply because they enjoy the company.
Now another table has become part of that picture — one surrounded by books, discussion, laughter, and neighbors gradually getting to know one another a little better.
The continuing popularity of the Siesta Hills Community Book Club says quite a bit about the kind of neighborhood Siesta Hills continues to be.