The thoughts, motivations and passions of a character can send an avid reader into a tizzy — so much so that pouring your heart out about them becomes less of an option, and more of a necessity. Luckily, Chennai’s book lovers need not look any further than these book clubs that meet every month to do precisely that. Be it modern classics or literature from different languages, these clubs have everything you could ever hope for. And you may make a friend along the way.
Broke Bibliophiles
Broke Bibliophiles is a nation-wide book club, with
individual chapters in different cities. The name in itself is a huge draw for people as it is a sentiment that runs deep among bibliophiles who often feel like they don’t have enough money to splurge on all the books they want. The discussions are based on what the members are currently reading or have finished
reading recently, which makes it a great place to pick up recommendations to add to your reading list. The conversation is freewheeling and engaging, making it a time well spent, as well as a fun way to meet new people who share a common interest and love for books!
For details, visit Broke Bibliophiles — Chennai Chapter (BBC) Facebook page. It is a closed group but you can request to join.
Chennai English Book Club
This book club focuses on a multitude of genres, but puts the spotlight primarily on English modern fiction. Club members democratically choose the books at the regular meetups that are held at different cafes in the city, so you can have stimulating discussions while also gorging on great food. This month, the meetup will be held on September 29 at Ciclo Cafe, where members will discuss George Orwell’s classic, 1984.
For details, visit: www.meetup.com/Chennai-Book-Lovers/
Little Love Library
If you’ve been to the Anna Nagar Tower Park on Saturday mornings, you’d know about the silent reading sessions held by the Little Love Library, the brainchild of book lover Swetha. This library doubles as a book store and book club, which hosts book reviews, readings and storytelling sessions. They feature books in English, Tamil, and local languages like Telugu and Hindi. For the silent reading sessions, Swetha brings a large collection of books based on specific themes and those interested can pick up a book and read under the trees. After the reading period is over, each reader is encouraged to talk about the book they read, thus encouraging discussion, and you may walk out with more than a friend or two!
For more information: m.facebook.com/littlelove.in/
Chennai Readers Meetup
Members of this club are encouraged to talk informally and candidly about the books they are reading at their monthly meetups. The choice of book is completely up to the person and can range from fiction, non-fiction, English, Tamil, contemporary, history, literature, novels, journals to self-help books. On September 28, the club will meet to discuss The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy at Tea Trails in Nungambakkam.
For details, visit: www.meetup.com/Chennai-Readers-Meetup/
Chennai Coffee and Books Meetup
A steaming hot cuppa and a riveting book make for a great pair, and this the mantra for the bookworms at this club. With a freerolling agenda that allows members to bring any book, talk about it and have others chip in to gain or add more perspective, this is the perfect way to spend the weekend. There’s also a chance to swap books with other members, which is an exciting experience as it provides a fun way to be introduced to different genres of books. It is also a great way to unwind over coffee and munchies while figuring out what can be done for the next meetup.
For details, visit: www.meetup.com/Chennai-Coffee-Books-Meetup/