Book Drives London

Marylebone Book Crawl

Our first Book Crawl! Join us on Sunday 8th November for an afternoon wandering Marylebone's bookshops. We'll meet outside Veranda Books at 2pm, then browse our way through Travellers' Tales and Daunt Books. We'll finish at Cup of Joy with a drink (included in your ticket) to show off what we found and chat about this month's book (to be announced soon). No need to have read it, just come along. £10 - Marylebone • Sun 8 Nov. 2pm Register and get get tickets via this link: https://forms.gle/fj7YhZ3X5QYYwYHd6

Book shop exploring (Brixton → Dulwich Park)

In the digital age💻📡📱, do you still like getting a physical book to read? Where do you buy them? Amazon? Waterstone? Blackstone? How about join us for a bookshop crawl, let's try to find some hidden gems of independent bookshops. (Or just tag along for a chat😁) Find out more book shops to try, this time we will be heading down to south London. We will meet at Brixton tube station, then walk towards Dulwich Park. There will be 4-5 book shops in total, never been to most of them, so it will be some new experience for me as well. Upon finishing, we can find somewhere to sit and chat about books. The two hour time is just a guidance, some shops take longer and some are less. If you ever want to stay in one shop for longer (I know, been there, done that😂) feel free to do so, you can join us at other shops. (See itinerary below) Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with any of the shops, so you are not obliged to buy any books, just get whatever you like. *** 📚💃🏼 📖💃🏿☕️ ITINERARY ☕️💃🏾🍷💃🏻🍴📚 We will all meet up at Brixton Station. Don't worry if you are late, join us in along the walks. Then the tour shall begin! 1: BookMongers Address: 439 Coldharbour Ln, London SW9 8LN 2: Round Table Books Address: Brixton Village, 97 Granville Arcade, Coldharbour Ln, London SW9 8PS (\~15mins walking distance) 3: Herne Hill Books Address: 289 Railton Rd, London SE24 0LY 4: Oxfam Bookshop Herne Hill Address: 9 Half Moon Ln, London SE24 9JU (\~15mins walking distance) 5: Village Books Address: 1D Calton Ave, London SE21 7DE *** Wow, you made it, hopefully you have found some books that will make you happy🎈🎉✨. For people who likes to have more socials or talk more about books (or just to show off your purchases😆), we can find some place for a cup of coffee or a late lunch. Depends on the weather and people's interests, we can either go to Dulwich Park or Dulwich Picture Gallery or just a café. *** There is a WhatsApp group for contact: TBA

Book Swap Meetup 📚📚📚

Basic Ideas: 🌞 📚☕ Any books sitting there collecting dust? Some holiday gifts? Or it’s a book that has changed your life that you want to share? Feel free to bring book(s) to discuss or swap, we usually have more books than people in the end, so feel free to pop along just to have a chat as well. Aiming for every 4 weeks book swap meetup. Note: The event is free to attend, so the only cost for you will only be buying a drink at the location, so coffee/tea/beer etc.

Bookaneers

**Last library in Paris,** by Kerry Barrett, is tonight’s book. It’s described as a sweeping and uplifting tale of love, loss, bravery and, of course, the crucial role of books. The last two books have, let’s say, been somewhat miserable so we need something a bit livelier….especially with the nights getting longer

November Bingo Book Club : There are rivers in the sky by Elif Shafak 💧🌊✨

**There Are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak** 📖 496 pages (approx.) **Genre:** Literary Fiction • Historical Fiction • Magical Realism • Mythology **Trigger Warnings:** War and genocide • Religious persecution • Suicide and suicidal thoughts • Child abuse • Domestic violence • Alcoholism • Death and grief • Displacement • Racism • Poverty **Summary:** Across centuries and continents, three lives are connected by two great rivers, an ancient poem, and a single drop of water. In Victorian London, Arthur is born into poverty beside the polluted River Thames, but his extraordinary memory opens the door to a world of books and the lost history of ancient Nineveh. In 2014, Narin, a young Yazidi girl facing the loss of her hearing, travels with her grandmother through increasingly dangerous lands beside the River Tigris. In modern-day London, hydrologist Zaleekhah moves onto a houseboat while struggling with the breakdown of her marriage and questions about her future. As their stories begin to flow together, *There Are Rivers in the Sky* explores memory, identity, cultural erasure, displacement, and humanity’s complicated relationship with water. It’s a sweeping and emotional story about everything history tries to bury—and everything water remembers. *** **Join Our Book Club Bingo! 💧📚** For November, we’re diving into an ambitious story that flows across different centuries, countries, and lives. Expect mythology, forgotten histories, emotional journeys, and plenty of connections to uncover as we fill in our Bingo cards. **How It Works:** 💧 **Grab Your Bingo Card:** Filled with themes of water, memory, identity, mythology, displacement, hidden connections, and stories from the past. ✅ **Mark Your Cards:** Check off squares as we discuss recurring symbols, interconnected characters, historical discoveries, powerful quotes, and emotional moments. 🎉 **Shout “Bingo!”** Be the first to complete two rows, columns, or diagonals. 📚 **Win a Book:** Two readers will leave with a new addition to their TBR pile! Expect sweeping storytelling, multiple timelines, ancient mysteries, unforgettable characters, and lots to discuss about history, belonging, and the stories we choose to remember. 📍 The Dog on Surrey Street, Croydon 📅 Wednesday 11th November at 7:00 PM

In-Person SBC at the London Night Cafe

Kenai by Dave Dobson (2nd November 2026)

October Book Club: The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin

Hi everyone, for October we have our usual spooky/ horror/ sci-fi/ thriller theme and the winner by slim margins was The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin One of the very best must-read novels of all time. 'A well told tale signifying a good deal; one to be read again and again' THE TIMES 'The book I wish I had written ... It's so far away from my own imagination, I'd love to sit at my desk one day and discover that I could think and write like Ursula Le Guin' Roddy Doyle 'Le Guin is a writer of phenomenal power' OBSERVER 'There was a wall. It did not look important - even a child could climb it. But the idea was real. Like all walls it was ambiguous, two-faced. What was inside it and what was outside it depended upon which side of it you were on...' Shevek is brilliant scientist who is attempting to find a new theory of time - but there are those who are jealous of his work, and will do anything to block him. So he leaves his homeland, hoping to find a place of more liberty and tolerance. Initially feted, Shevek soon finds himself being used as a pawn in a deadly political game. With powerful themes of freedom, society and the natural world's influence on competition and co-operation, THE DISPOSSESSED is a true classic of the 20th century. See you there 🍷 Steph & Christina

This is Fascism—Rosan Smits

This is the most important book we’ll be reading this year. In the face of emerging fascism, this fucking shit needs to be defeated by turning political apathy into action: by reading and watching key sources, discussing them with others, continuing the conversation with family and friends, and mobilising ourselves. Democracy can only survive with well-informed citizens. For this particular reading, I want to include even those who may not finish the book. Because if you’re not concerned about what’s going on, you’ll soon understand why you should be. We are dealing with an abominable, destructive force — and it’s spreading quickly! It’s a short read. No jargon. No fluff. And if you can’t make the date, be an ambassador for the truth among those around you. Disinformation is a deadly virus!

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.

Golden Hill by Frances Spufford suggested by Matt

Friendly book group Please remember to change your RSVP if you can't make it so someone on the waitlist can take your slot. New books chosen by popular vote and read 2 months later. We look forward to seeing you there!

October Book Club Meetup: Invisible Monsters by Chuck Palahniuk

London's Friendly Book Club's pick for October is **Invisible Monsters** by **Chuck Palahniuk**. She's a catwalk model who has everything: a boyfriend, a career, a loyal best friend. But when a sudden motor 'accident' leaves her disfigured and incapable of speech, she goes from being the beautiful centre of attention to being an invisible monster, so hideous that no one will acknowledge she exists. Enter Brandy Alexander, Queen Supreme, one operation away from being a real woman, who will teach her that reinventing yourself means erasing your past and making up something better, and that salvation hides in the last place you'll ever want to look. The narrator must exact revenge upon Evie, her best friend and fellow model; kidnap Manus, her two-timing ex-boyfriend; and hit the road with Brandy in search of a brand-new past, present and future. 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.