Comic Book Clubs London

How To Win Friends And Influence People By Dale Carnegie

In this event, we will discuss about a science or philosophy book chosen by London Science and Philosophy Book Club. The attendees will be divided into groups and each of them will focus on a chapter in the book. This month we will discuss about a fascinating book called How To Win Friends And Influence People by Dale Carnegie. If you haven't read the book, it's no problem. I will bring you up to speed with the discussion materials. We will meet in a nice lounge area at 6 p.m for introductions. Please come on time so you will not miss out on valuable discussion midway. If you end up in the waitlist, feel free to show up. Book Description: Millions of people around the world have improved their lives based on the teachings of personal development-pioneer Dale Carnegie. In How to Win Friends and Influence People, he offers practical advice and techniques to help you get out of a mental rut and make life more rewarding. Through real-world examples and straightforward advice, Carnegie shows how small changes in the way you interact with others can lead to more meaningful relationships, greater influence and lasting success. In this timeless personal development book, you'll learn how to: Build genuine relationships and make friends more easily. Improve your public speaking and communication skills. Become a more effective leader and inspire others. Handle disagreements and difficult conversations more constructively. Increase your confidence in social and professional situations. With its accessible, conversational style and practical advice, How To Win Friends and Influence People will help you to turn your relationships around and improve your interactions with everyone in your life. Agenda: 6 p.m to 7 p.m: Introduction and Socializing 7 p.m to 9:30 p.m: Book Discussion 9:30 p.m to late night: Drinks, Dinner or Feel free to go home

Coffee Chats In The Sun: Have The Under 20s Become Really Boring?

Time is precious. Here we value non-boring valuable chats and interactions that are fully engaging, soulfully enriching, inspiring, and leave you a bit wiser than when you arrived. In that spirit, today’s hosted laid back social coffee chat will offer a perfect haven for the inquisitive & curious to share views on the following intriguing observation. Growing up in the west - before the 2020s - Friday and Saturday nights meant going out with your mates for highly sociable enjoyable fun things like music, dancing/clubbing, drinking, eating, comedy, singing, being silly random conversations and banter with strangers you'd meet out and about 100% organically. Taking drugs even. Tuesdays and Thursdays was about doing the same stuff but with work collegues hence the workplace was a place to make new lifelong friends. Weekend daytimes were for doing healthier but socially fun stuff like playing sports, pub lunches, visting galleries/museums, theatre and watching movies together at the Cinema or around a mate's house. Fast‑forward 2026 - it feels like everything changed: Despite public transport running all night (it wasn't when I was in my teens/early 20s yet my peer group stayed out proper late most weekends) - on a Sat night "young" people head home at 10.30pm, skip the dance floor for board games, avoid bar banter, jokes and rarely engage in organic spontaneous chats with strangers. Whatsmore the stats are wild — data show virginity rates among men hitting record highs by age 30, social anxiety and social skills off-the charts. So what's happened? We’ll explore questions like: * Is this just nostalgia talking, or has something genuinely shifted? * Why has typical multi generational fun pastimes (1950s to 2010s) lost its spark for the 20‑somethings? * How much does health, economics, mobile phones, social media and gaming explain the trend? * Are certain professions (like tech/IT) changing the social landscape, or just attracting already‑very introverted people? * Why are some stats so **contradictory**? Think higher reported male virginity rates by 30 alongside rising STI rates in young people. Despite tanking alcohol sales - UK alcohol related death rates per capita are still rising. What's going on? * Target audience demographics for mainstrream commericial pop music radio stations (Capital, Kiss etc) is still 18 to 24 suggesting young people still consume music and other popular culture but are not going out to enjoy it. Why? * Is it harder for younger people to make genuine friends today and if so why? * Dancing is natural to all of us - every kid moves instinctively to music. So beyond a less joyous social life what happens when these innate behaviours get suppressed as adults? What has this healthy exercise and creative expression been replaced with? * AI is predicted to take over technical job and tasks - the most future‑proof skills will be things like interpersonal skills & emotional intelligence built through real‑world socialising. Employers already complain that young people lack these skills. How will they get non-AI jobs? * Levels of emotional intelligence and self-awareness - particularly amongst men - are at an all time low. Wiill social anxiety worsen further as the introversion trend accelerates? * What does all this mean for dating, relationships, and starting families? Expect lively debate, sharp humour, and a host (a former news journalist) that isn’t afraid to ask awkward questions. Bring your curiosity, your stories, and your caffeine tolerance — we’ll stir the coffee pot on whether the young have really become more boring or have they’re just discovered new fun activities - if so what are they? And if you are in your 20s - I would love to hear your views! Oh BTW - Lucy Pearson - the blondie whose friends have become boring - she's a British journalist Lucas - The alcoholic 3am Eternal singing break-dancing geriatrics

London Queer Books Group 191st Meetup - The Emperor of Gladness - Ocean Vuong

Monthly Fiction Book Club (September) - Crime and punishment

Join us for a special edition of Deeper Discussions, where we dive into thought-provoking **fiction** that challenges perspectives, sparks imagination, and opens doors to meaningful conversations. Whether you're a lifelong reader or rediscovering the joy of novels, this is a space to explore stories that stay with you long after the final page. **This Month's Book - Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky** It follows a troubled young man living in poverty in 19th-century St. Petersburg as he wrestles with morality, ambition, isolation, and his own increasingly dangerous ideas. It’s a dark psychological novel exploring guilt, conscience, suffering, and what people owe to one another. IMPORTANT - Please only RSVP if you are planning to FINISH the book. If you have RSVP'd but think you won't be able to finish the book please change your RSVP to No to make space for others in advance and not on the last day. Regulars get moved from waitlist to confirmed on priority. If you are not on the confirmed RSVP list on the day of the event, you will not be let into the event. **How does it work?** *Brief introductions and reflections on what struck you most - Moderated discussion exploring plot, themes, and characters *Open conversation where different interpretations are welcomed ️ - We wrap up by sharing insights and connections made **What to Expect?** **Close Reading:** We go beyond surface-level plot summary. Expect discussions that examine the author's choices, narrative techniques, and the questions left lingering in the silence between pages. **Thoughtful Dialogue:** This isn't a race to share opinions—it's a space for genuine exploration. We listen, we reflect, we build on each other's insights. **Meaningful Connections:** Great fiction holds up a mirror to the human experience. Through discussing characters' choices and moral dilemmas, we often discover something about ourselves and each other. **How to get the most out of this event?** **Finish the Book:** Please attend only if you've completed the book. Spoilers will flow freely, and the richest discussions come from those who've made the full journey. **Ground it in the Text:** Bring your interpretations, but anchor them in what's actually on the page. Quote passages. Reference scenes. Let the author's words guide us. **Respect & Openness:** Every interpretation matters. Make space for quieter voices. Challenge ideas, not people. Stay curious rather than defensive. **Why a Fiction Book Club?** **Explore the Human Condition:** Fiction lets us inhabit lives we'll never live, forcing us to confront questions about identity, morality, love, and loss. **Sharpen Your Thinking:** Close reading develops critical thinking—noticing what the author chose to include, exclude, and how the story is told matters as much as what happens. **Deepen Connections:** Discussing characters' choices and moral dilemmas creates surprisingly intimate conversations with fellow readers. **Who is this event for?** *You find yourself thinking about books long after you've finished them - You want more from book discussions than "I liked it" or "I didn't" *You're curious how others interpret the same story differently - You value thoughtful dialogue over debate ️✨ *You're looking for meaningful connections with fellow readers **What's in it for you?** - **Fresh Perspectives:** Discover interpretations you'd never have considered alone ***Deeper Understanding:** Unpack themes and symbols that enrich your reading ***Genuine Connection: **Bond with others over shared literary experiences *** A Space to Think: **Slow down from the noise and engage with ideas that matter **Ready to dive deeper into stories that matter?** Join us for an evening where fiction becomes a gateway to understanding ourselves and each other. ✨ **We really hope to see you there!** **About Deeper Connections** We have a mission at Deeper Connections to improve the quality of people's lives through conversation. All our events are centred around the concept of connecting deeply, because we believe we all deserve to be seen, felt and understood for who we really are. To have the 'deeper conversation' approach when relating with others can change our lives and can change the world. **Our Values** *** Respect: **Treat everyone with kindness and consideration. ❤️ *** Open-mindedness: **Be open to different perspectives and ideas. *** Active Participation: **Share your thoughts and engage in meaningful discussions. ️ **Staying in touch** Interested in finding out about all the events sooner than on Meetup or staying in touch beyond the events, you can join our WhatsApp channel and community using [Deeper Connections WhatsApp Channel](https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vb6CBAdIN9ijrEYdv33z) [Deeper Connections WhatsApp Community](https://chat.whatsapp.com/EqGsmF3021RKTwBpGcuR80) **Keep This Event Free** If this event brings you something meaningful, you can help others access the same transformational experience. Whether it's £5 or £15, every contribution keeps these events accessible to everyone in our community. You'll find a QR code on your conversation sheet during the event, or you can contribute here #SupportYourCommunity [Ko-Fi](https://ko-fi.com/deeperconnections) [Buy Me A Coffee](https://buymeacoffee.com/deeperconnections) [PayPal](https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/DDSNCCFCYUEB2)

WRITE CLUB: one hour of silent writing (or reading) in the company of others

The first rule of WRITE CLUB is that you do not talk ***during*** WRITE CLUB. This very simple meetup is based on the premise that public and peer accountability enables more productive writing than sitting at home and getting distracted by the fridge. We will write/read for an hour in silence. (I will be writing thought experiments for my other meetup group: [THOUGHT EXPERIMENTS IN PUBS](https://www.meetup.com/thought-experiments-in-pubs)) If you'd like to hang out afterwards, or if you prefer just to hang out, I have another event immediately afterwards in the same place :-) You can find that here: [HANGING OUT AT THE SOUTHBANK](https://www.meetup.com/experimentsin/events/315825126) And if you'd like to finish the evening with a dance, there is a free social salsa meetup just outside The Southbank Centre just afterwards. More info [here](https://www.instagram.com/salserosfriends/). **This event will take place in the foyer of The Southbank Centre.** You can find us by looking out for: * A tote bag with WRITE CLUB sewn onto it * My T-Shirt, which will have HANGING OUT embroidered on the back of it * If I get away with it: a big red flag with THE SUNRISE CLUB emblazoned on it (though this clearly isn't THE SUNRISE CLUB! If you want to find out about that, you can do so [here](https://www.meetup.com/the-sunrise-club/).) * Other writers - who may be spread out across the centre. They will have white pieces of paper with the WRITE CLUB stamp at the top of the page. There are plenty of places to buy refreshments, but you can also bring your own if you prefer. [WHATSAPP GROUP](https://chat.whatsapp.com/BpMwnRev0H237KMx4uPnek) [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/experimentsingroupwisdom) [SUBSTACK](https://experimentsingroupwisdom.substack.com/) Looking forward to meeting and writing with you :-) Bonny

Make New Friends At A Bookshop

Do you want to meet new people in a relaxing chill atmosphere surrounded by new books? Do you dislike loud and smelly places like pubs and clubs? This is the event for you. Science and Philosophy Book Club is creating a new kind of meetup where people who love books and knowledge can meet new friends in a big book shop. We will explore around different sections of the book shop together as a group while making interesting conversations with each other. We will go to both fiction and non-fiction areas. If you feel shy and feel nervous to come alone, I will make sure you will feel comfortable and accomodate to your needs. I will help introduce you to others so you can go over the barrier of anxiety when approaching a new person. We will meet on the ground floor lounge area of Doubletree Hilton Hotel at 6 p.m. It is an amazing cosy bar with classy vibes. We will wait for everyone to show up while getting some drinks and socializing. At 7 p.m we will head to the Waterstones book store near Russel Square and UCL. After we explore the book store, we will come back to the hotel bar and stay there for the rest of the night. This event requires £5 donation to cover the venue fees. You can pay via cash or card. Thank you for helping the book club!

Book Swap Social Event - Make New Friends Who Love Books

Do you have spare books lying around your home? Do you want to read new interesting books for free while socializing with interesting people? This is the event for you. We will enjoy nice drinks and snacks together at a beautiful lounge bar in London. You can bring your books and exchange them with whoever has the books you want to read. Since this is a Science and Philosophy book club, it would be great for you to bring non-fiction books that are insightful and thought-provoking. If you want to bring fiction books that are scientifically or philosophically insightful, feel free to bring those as well. Since it is a social event, I encourage everyone to make deep meaningful conversations and make new friends. You can come alone or bring your friends with you. If you come alone, there is no need to be shy or scared. I will welcome you and introduce you to cool interesting people to speak with. Also feel free to come even if you forget to bring any books.

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Suskind

**One to get your olfactory senses working!** Here’s the summary from the [goodreads.com](http://goodreads.com/) page: **"**An acclaimed bestseller and international sensation, Patrick Suskind's classic novel provokes a terrifying examination of what happens when one man's indulgence in his greatest passion—his sense of smell—leads to murder. In the slums of eighteenth-century France, the infant Jean-Baptiste Grenouille is born with one sublime gift—an absolute sense of smell. As a boy, he lives to decipher the odors of Paris, and apprentices himself to a prominent perfumer who teaches him the ancient art of mixing precious oils and herbs. But Grenouille's genius is such that he is not satisfied to stop there, and he becomes obsessed with capturing the smells of objects such as brass doorknobs and fresh-cut wood. Then one day he catches a hint of a scent that will drive him on an ever-more-terrifying quest to create the "ultimate perfume"—the scent of a beautiful young virgin. Told with dazzling narrative brilliance, *Perfume* is a hauntingly powerful tale of murder and sensual depravity." The meeting will start at 7pm and finish between 9.00 and 10pm (BST), with breaks in between. Just a reminder that the pub lets us to use the room at no charge so please do purchase drinks/food from the bar. Bringing in your own food from outside the pub is not allowed!

Monthly Fiction Book Club (August) - A little life

Join us for a special edition of Deeper Discussions, where we dive into thought-provoking **fiction** that challenges perspectives, sparks imagination, and opens doors to meaningful conversations. Whether you're a lifelong reader or rediscovering the joy of novels, this is a space to explore stories that stay with you long after the final page. **This Month's Book - A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara** It follows four close friends in New York City as they build careers, navigate relationships, and support one another over the course of many years. At its heart, it's a deeply character-driven novel about friendship, love, trauma, and the lasting impact of the past, told with emotional intensity IMPORTANT - Please only RSVP if you are planning to FINISH the book. If you have RSVP'd but think you won't be able to finish the book please change your RSVP to No to make space for others in advance and not on the last day. Regulars get moved from waitlist to confirmed on priority. **How does it work?** *Brief introductions and reflections on what struck you most - Moderated discussion exploring plot, themes, and characters *Open conversation where different interpretations are welcomed ️ - We wrap up by sharing insights and connections made **What to Expect?** **Close Reading:** We go beyond surface-level plot summary. Expect discussions that examine the author's choices, narrative techniques, and the questions left lingering in the silence between pages. **Thoughtful Dialogue:** This isn't a race to share opinions—it's a space for genuine exploration. We listen, we reflect, we build on each other's insights. **Meaningful Connections:** Great fiction holds up a mirror to the human experience. Through discussing characters' choices and moral dilemmas, we often discover something about ourselves and each other. **How to get the most out of this event?** **Finish the Book:** Please attend only if you've completed the book. Spoilers will flow freely, and the richest discussions come from those who've made the full journey. **Ground it in the Text:** Bring your interpretations, but anchor them in what's actually on the page. Quote passages. Reference scenes. Let the author's words guide us. **Respect & Openness:** Every interpretation matters. Make space for quieter voices. Challenge ideas, not people. Stay curious rather than defensive. **Why a Fiction Book Club?** **Explore the Human Condition:** Fiction lets us inhabit lives we'll never live, forcing us to confront questions about identity, morality, love, and loss. **Sharpen Your Thinking:** Close reading develops critical thinking—noticing what the author chose to include, exclude, and how the story is told matters as much as what happens. **Deepen Connections:** Discussing characters' choices and moral dilemmas creates surprisingly intimate conversations with fellow readers. **Who is this event for?** *You find yourself thinking about books long after you've finished them - You want more from book discussions than "I liked it" or "I didn't" *You're curious how others interpret the same story differently - You value thoughtful dialogue over debate ️✨ *You're looking for meaningful connections with fellow readers **What's in it for you?** - **Fresh Perspectives:** Discover interpretations you'd never have considered alone ***Deeper Understanding:** Unpack themes and symbols that enrich your reading ***Genuine Connection: **Bond with others over shared literary experiences *** A Space to Think: **Slow down from the noise and engage with ideas that matter **Ready to dive deeper into stories that matter?** Join us for an evening where fiction becomes a gateway to understanding ourselves and each other. ✨ **We really hope to see you there!** **About Deeper Connections** We have a mission at Deeper Connections to improve the quality of people's lives through conversation. All our events are centred around the concept of connecting deeply, because we believe we all deserve to be seen, felt and understood for who we really are. To have the 'deeper conversation' approach when relating with others can change our lives and can change the world. **Our Values** *** Respect: **Treat everyone with kindness and consideration. ❤️ *** Open-mindedness: **Be open to different perspectives and ideas. *** Active Participation: **Share your thoughts and engage in meaningful discussions. ️ **Staying in touch** Interested in finding out about all the events sooner than on Meetup or staying in touch beyond the events, you can join our WhatsApp channel and community using [Deeper Connections WhatsApp Channel](https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vb6CBAdIN9ijrEYdv33z) [Deeper Connections WhatsApp Community](https://chat.whatsapp.com/EqGsmF3021RKTwBpGcuR80) **Keep This Event Free** If this event brings you something meaningful, you can help others access the same transformational experience. Whether it's £5 or £15, every contribution keeps these events accessible to everyone in our community. You'll find a QR code on your conversation sheet during the event, or you can contribute here #SupportYourCommunity [Ko-Fi](https://ko-fi.com/deeperconnections) [Buy Me A Coffee](https://buymeacoffee.com/deeperconnections) [PayPal](https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/DDSNCCFCYUEB2)

August Book Club Meetup: Whistler by Ann Patchett

London's Friendly Book Club's pick for August is **Whistler** by **Ann Patchett**. When Daphne Fuller and her husband Jonathan visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art, they notice an older, white-haired gentleman following them. The man turns out to be Eddie Triplett, her former stepfather, who had been married to her mother for a little more than year when Daphne was nine. Now fifty-three, Daphne hasn’t seen Eddie for many years, not since the fateful event that changed the direction of both their lives. Meeting again, time falls away; while their relationship was brief, it had a profound impact on them both, and now that they are reunited, they have no intention of ever being separated again. *Whistler* is a story about two adults looking back over the choices they made, and the choices that were made for them. Please only RSVP if you think you'll be able to make this event. **We host three sessions per book, you only need to attend one.** Everyone is welcome! Grab your copy and join us for a relaxed and engaging discussion.

Marathon Classic - The Tale of Genji - Murasaki Shikibu

Hi all! On top of regular monthly sessions, we are going back to the root of the book club, the big door stoppers. We aim to give 3 months of advanced notice, so no more excuse of not able to read it. Just do it!👌 Usual message: If you want to meet in a casual atmosphere over a drink or even a bite of food 🍔, join us for a discussion of the book and overall chatting about books. Whether you are an advanced bookish person or just starting out: Everybody is welcome! 📚 We usually meet near a pub by the London Bridge, a book will be placed on the table for you to find us. New members are always welcome. :)

In person meetup to critique work submitted by members.

This is a live session at The Mitre in Greenwich. The purpose of this meeting is to provide and receive critique on submitted extracts of members' creative writing, whether they're working on a novel, screenplay, poetry, a memoir or short story, etc. We share our extracts via email ahead of the meeting to give us all a chance to read the work in our own time and reflect upon it so as to be able to provide useful critique. If you want to submit an extract mail me at gpatrick66@hotmail.com to book a slot. If you are new to the group we ask that you participate in at least two of the Wednesday critiquing sessions before you submit work for review so that you get to know us and have a good understanding of how we operate. This will help you to get the most from a critique of your own work. Extracts should be approx 3,000 words and the full document (extract plus blurbs, questions etc) should not exceed 3,500 words in total. Extracts must be mailed to me (gpatrick66@hotmail.com) at the latest by 9pm on the Saturday before the session so that I can share your work with the rest of the group. We have a limit of 4 extracts per session to give adequate time to review work properly. Feel free to give guidance on any specific areas on which you would like feedback. E.g. Plot, pacing, structure or character development etc. (If you have not received the extracts by the Sunday before the session, mail me.) The group is friendly and relaxed, so please don't feel nervous about sharing your work! We will normally review extracts according to the order in which they are sent to me but if you need a particular slot let me know when you submit your extract and we will try to accommodate that. Please note that all phones MUST be switched to silent mode for the duration of the meeting.