Contemporary Literature Book Clubs

Readings runs Contemporary Literature Book Clubs at our Hawthorn and Port Melbourne shops. Please contact Desiree Boardman at Hawthorn on 98191917 or desiree.boardman@readings.com.au or Justine Douglas on 9681 9255 or justine.douglas@readings.com.au for more information.

Chatterbook

Have you been reading anything good lately? Want to share the experience with others? We are trialing an informal, once a month, get together called Chatterbook to chat about what has been exciting us (or not) in the book world.

If you are interested email Desi or Alexa or call on 9819 1917.

Kids' Bookclubs

• Young Adult Bookclub - last Wednesday of the month 5.30pm - 6.30pm

• Kids' Bookclub (9-12 y.o.) - last Thursday of the month 5.30pm to 6.30pm,
  last Sunday of the month 10.15am to 11.15am

For more information email Hawthorn or call 9819 1917.

Stitch & Bitch: A Monthly Port Melbourne Event

If you like to knit, or would like to learn how, and don’t mind a bit of gossipy talk, get your needles and yarn and come on down to the ‘Stitch & Bitch’ craft club at Readings Port Melbourne.

We meet at 6.30pm on the 2nd and 4th Monday of every month.

Everyone is welcome to join us and have a complimentary glass of wine. These are free events, but please book by calling 9681 9255.

Readings St Kilda Book Club

The St Kilda book club takes place on the first Tuesday of every month at the St Kilda shop. The St Kilda book club is currently full until 2010.

The Australian Book Club

NOTE: The Australian Book Club is completely full for 2009. Please check back here in November for details about the Australian Book Club in 2010.

Readings’ new Australian Book Club where readers read and discuss contemporary Australian fiction and non-fiction.

Why Join?

There are a couple of unique features about Readings’ Australian Book Clubs. First, we only read Australian literature. A deliberate decision was made that we wanted to support Australian writers and writing, and to get people talking about them. In the oft-quoted words of Miles Franklin: ‘Without an indigenous literature, people can remain alien in their own soil. An unsung country does not fully exist or enjoy adequate international exchange of the inner life.’

Secondly, Readings’ Australian Book Clubs are distinctive because they are primarily about talking about books and only secondarily a social event. Many people abandon their book club when they feel passionate about a certain book and want to talk seriously about it, but realise that most people haven’t even read it and have come to simply gossip or catch up socially. The book then becomes superfluous to the gathering. In contrast, Readings’ Australian Book Clubs are for those who want to discuss books in a structured yet still informal setting.

What Do We Do?

Prior to the Readings’ Australian Book Club meeting, some brief ‘discussion questions/points’ will be placed on the Readings website. Also some review and/or interview web links will be flagged, if available.

At the meeting, the convenor will briefly introduce the book-club book, initiate discussion and keep it on track, and raise further points when conversation is flagging. At the beginning of each session, as people are arriving, there is an opportunity for ‘book recommendations’ where the club members share information about the books they’ve recently enjoyed. In closing discussion, the convenor will ask members to indicate overall how they felt about the book-club book.

Because all of the book-club convenors work in publishing or the book trade, there may be some talk about the book’s cover design and other publishing and marketing features so that the general context in which the book is presented to the reading public is also considered.