Book & Social Groups
Library staff members lead a variety of book discussion and social groups — we are always excited to welcome new participants. Explore the descriptions below to find out more about each group. Have a question for a book group leader? Send us a message!
For book groups, copies of the books are available for pickup starting approximately one month in advance of the meeting and may be picked up at the circulation desk at the library hosting the group.
Click on “Show Book List” to see upcoming books and their meeting dates. Click View in Catalog to see further details.
If you plan to attend one of our book groups, please check the next meeting date on our events calendar in case of changes of time or venue.
Brookline Village Library
A Taste of Poetry
Where: Where: Brookline Village Library, meeting virtually -- register for the A Taste of Poetry Zoom MeetingWhen: First Thursday of the month, 11 AM
Led by: Lily
Bring your lunch and an appetite for poetry. Each month we look at half a dozen poems by a well-known poet. We provide copies of the poems – no need to read anything in advance – and lead a discussion after reading them. Request a copy of this month’s poems through our contact form.
January 4: Seamus Heaney
February 1: Sonia Sanchez
March 7: Louise Glück
May 2: Rabindranath Tagore
June 6: Federico García Lorca
July 11: Hoa Nguyen
August 1: Mark Strand
September 5: John Keats
October 3: Emily Pauline Johnson
November 7: Dunya Mikhail
December 5: Emily Dickinson
Brookline Village Book Group
Where: Where: Brookline Village Library, meeting virtually -- register for the Brookline Village Book Group Zoom MeetingWhen: First Monday of the month, 7 PM
Led by: Bryan
This book group is currently on hiatus.
Oops! Looks like something went wrong...
Graphic Novel Group
Where: Where: Brookline Village Library Conference RoomWhen: Fourth Thursday of the Month, 7 pm
Led by: Jared
Read and discuss graphic novels with like-minded readers. We read a wide range of books, from big titles everyone has heard of to the newest micropress anthology that might just become you’re new favorite, and are always willing to try something new that the group is interested in reading.
Boys Run the Riot Vol. 1
Keito Gaku
High schooler Ryo knows he’s transgender, but he doesn’t have anyone to confide in about the confusion he feels. He can’t tell his best friend, who he’s secretly got a crush on, and he can’t tell his mom, who’s constantly asking why Ryo
Read More View in CatalogPrince Of Cats
Ronald Wimberly
PRINCE OF CATS is the B side to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, played at an eighties block party in an NY where underground sword dueling blossomed alongside hip-hop, punk, disco, and no wave. Itês the story of the minor players with Tybalt at
Read More View in CatalogThe Complete Persepolis
Marjane Satrapi
20th ANNIVERSARY EDITION • Persepolis is a classroom staple, a feminist manifesto, and one of the most beloved graphic novels of all time. For the first time in hardcover, this stunning edition contains a new introduction by the author that examine
Read More View in CatalogQueer Reading Group
Where: Where: Brookline Village Library, meeting virtually -- register for the Queer Reading Group Zoom MeetingWhen: Second Thursday of the Month, 7 pm
Led by: Percival
Read and discuss books by queer authors in a variety of genres. This group has a stress-free structure, where the conversation we develop about identity, gender, race, and all intersections that these generate is just as important as reading the book. We make space to feel seen, safe, ask questions, and learn.
Loveless
Alice Oseman
For fans of Love, Simon and I Wish You All the Best, a funny, honest, messy, completely relatable story of a girl who realizes that love can be found in many ways that don't involve sex or romance. From the marvelous author of Heartstopper comes
Read More View in CatalogRecord of a Spaceborn Few
Becky Chambers
National Bestseller! Winner of the Hugo Award for Best Series! Brimming with Chambers' signature blend of heart-warming character relationships and dazzling adventure, Record of a Spaceborn few is the third standalone installment of the Wayfarer
Read More View in CatalogGender Queer: A Memoir
Maia Kobabe
"It’s also a great resource for those who identify as nonbinary or asexual as well as for those who know someone who identifies that way and wish to better understand." — School Library Journal (starred review) In 2014, Maia Kobabe, who
Read More View in CatalogThis Is How You Lose the Time War
Amal El-Mohtar, Max Gladstone
* HUGO AWARD WINNER: BEST NOVELLA * NEBULA AND LOCUS AWARDS WINNER: BEST NOVELLA * “[An] exquisitely crafted tale...Part epistolary romance, part mind-blowing science fiction adventure, this dazzling story unfolds bit by bit, revealing layers of me
Read More View in CatalogCoolidge Corner Library
Afternoon Book Group
Where: Coolidge Corner Library, meeting virtually -- register for the Afternoon Book Group Zoom MeetingWhen: Third OR Fourth Monday of each month, 3 PM; check events calendar for the latest schedule.
Led by: Guy
This group reads a variety of fiction and nonfiction. Books chosen are usually 350 pages or less and released within the last 5 years.
The Bandit Queens
Parini Shroff
GOOD MORNING AMERICA BUZZ PICK • A young Indian woman finds the false rumors that she killed her husband surprisingly useful—until other women in the village start asking for her help getting rid of their own husbands—in this razor-sharp debut.
Read More View in CatalogSpill Simmer Falter Wither
Sara Baume
A debut novel already praised as "unbearably poignant and beautifully told" (Eimear McBride) this captivating story follows -- over the course of four seasons -- a misfit man who adopts a misfit dog. It is springtime, and two outcasts -- a
Read More View in CatalogThere is Nothing for You Here
Fiona Hill
"Foreign policy expert and key impeachment witness Fiona Hill reveals how declining opportunity has set America on the grim path of modern Russia--and shows how we can return hope to our forgotten places. In this deeply personal account, she sha
Read More View in CatalogScorched Grace
Margot Douaihy
Sister Holiday, a chain-smoking, heavily tattooed, queer nun, puts her amateur sleuthing skills to the test in this "unique and confident" debut crime novel (Gillian Flynn). When Saint Sebastian's School becomes the target of a shockin
Read More View in CatalogMidday Monday Mystery
Where: Coolidge Corner Library, virtual option available -- register for the Midday Monday Mystery Zoom MeetingWhen: Second Monday of the month, 12:30 PM
Led by: Brita
A mystery book group at the Coolidge Corner Library.
Miss Aldridge Regrets
Louise Hare
“Super cinematic and every bit as Agatha Christie-esque as its sounds... ifyou like murder mysteries, pick this one up!” -Emily Henry, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Book Lovers Named A Most Anticipated Mystery of Summer by Betches, Esse
Read More View in CatalogA Share in Death
Deborah Crombie
A week's holiday in a luxurious Yorkshire time-share is just what Scotland Yard's Superintendent Duncan Kincaid needs. But the discovery of a body floating in the whirlpool bath ends Kincaid's vacation before it's begun. One of hi
Read More View in CatalogThe Dutch Shoe Mystery
Ellery Queen
Queen visits an operating theater to witness a surgery, but finds a murder instead The son of a police detective, Ellery Queen grew up in a bloody atmosphere. Since he started lending his deductive powers to the New York City homicide squad, he has s
Read More View in CatalogTakes One to Know One
Susan Isaacs
An ex-FBI agent in suburbia feels driven to investigate her neighbor in the “delicious” new novel from the New York Times–bestselling author (Newsday). Just a few years ago, Corie Geller was busting terrorists as an agent for the FBI. But at th
Read More View in CatalogMovie Matinee
Where: Coolidge Corner Library Meeting RoomWhen: Wednesdays at 1:30 PM
Led by: Jeanne
Join the Coolidge Corner Library every week for free screenings of recent favorite films! Doors open at 1:15 PM.
The Unknown Country
A grieving woman embarks on an unexpected road trip from the Midwest toward the Texas-Mexico border as she grapples with the pain of her recent loss and seeks to understand her place in the world.
View in CatalogWhat's Love Got to Do with It?
Two childhood friends now in their thirties must decide whether to follow their heads or their hearts once the man decides to follow his parents' advice and enter into an arranged marriage in Pakistan.
View in CatalogThe Persian Version
When a large Iranian-American family gathers in New York City for the patriarch’s heart transplant, a family secret is uncovered and catapults the estranged mother and daughter into an exploration of the past.
View in CatalogWonka
Willy Wonka – chock-full of ideas and determined to change the world one delectable bite at a time – is proof that the best things in life begin with a dream, and if you’re lucky enough to meet Willy Wonka, anything is possible.
View in CatalogThe Millennial Book Group
Where: Coolidge Corner LibraryWhen: Third Thursday of the month, 7 PM
Led by: Jackie
A book club intended for busy millennials looking to make connections and read books they never thought to read before. Group members select a variety of books (such as fiction, non-fiction, memoir, short story, and even graphic novels) and discuss each month. After the discussion, we continue to a local eatery in Coolidge Corner to socialize.
The World and All That It Holds
Aleksandar Hemon
"From literary powerhouse Aleksandar Hemon, author of The Lazarus Project, comes a big, brilliant, sweeping novel of love, memory, and history in the making. It tells of the relationship between Pinto and Osman, who cross the battlefields of the
Read More View in Catalog“You Just Need to Lose Weight”
Aubrey Gordon
The co-host of the Maintenance Phase podcast and creator of Your Fat Friend equips you with the facts to debunk common anti-fat myths and with tools to take action for fat justice The pushback that shows up in conversations about fat justice takes ex
Read More View in CatalogLesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century
Kim Fu
"The strange and wonderful define Kim Fu’s story collection, where the line between fantasy and reality fades in and out, elusive and beckoning." —The New York Times Book Review A LitHub, ALTA, and PureWow Best Book of the Month A BuzzF
Read More View in CatalogI'm Glad My Mom Died
Jennette McCurdy
A heartbreaking and hilarious memoir by iCarly and Sam & Cat star Jennette McCurdy about her struggles as a former child actor—including eating disorders, addiction, and a complicated relationship with her overbearing mother—and how she retoo
Read More View in CatalogWoman, Eating
Claire Kohda
A young, mixed-race vampire must find a way to balance her deep-seated desire to live amongst humans with her incessant hunger in this stunning debut novel from a writer-to-watch. Lydia is hungry. She's always wanted to try Japanese food. Sashim
Read More View in CatalogHow to Think Like a Woman
Regan Penaluna
From a bold new voice in nonfiction, an exhilarating account of the lives and works of influential 17th and 18th century feminist philosophers Mary Wollstonecraft and her predecessors who have been written out of history, and a searing look at the au
Read More View in CatalogPutterham Library
Council on Aging Book Group
Where: Putterham Library Meeting Room, meeting virtually -- register for the Council on Aging Book Group Zoom MeetingWhen: Third or fourth Monday of the month, 2 PM
Led by: Ginger
A book group for seniors to read together.
Women Talking
Miriam Toews
The basis of the Oscar-winning film from writer/director Sarah Polley, starring Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, with Ben Whishaw and Frances McDormand. INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER “This amazing, sad, shocking, but touching novel, based on a r
Read More View in CatalogPersepolis
Marjane Satrapi
Wise, often funny, sometimes heartbreaking, IPersepolis: The Story of a Childhood /Itells the story of Marjane Satrapi's life in Tehran from the ages of six to fourteen, years that saw the overthrow of the Shah's regime, the triumph of the
Read More View in CatalogOur Missing Hearts
Celeste Ng
An instant New York Times bestseller • A New York Times Notable Book of 2022 • Named a Best Book of 2022 by People, TIME Magazine, The Washington Post, USA Today, NPR, Los Angeles Times, and Oprah Daily, and more • A Reese's Book Club Pick
Read More View in CatalogA Thousand Mornings
Mary Oliver
The New York Times-bestselling collection of poems from celebrated poet Mary Oliver In A Thousand Mornings, Mary Oliver returns to the imagery that has come to define her life’s work, transporting us to the marshland and coastline of her beloved ho
Read More View in CatalogYear of the Tiger
Alice Wong
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • ONE OF USA TODAY'S MUST-READ BOOKS • This groundbreaking memoir offers a glimpse into an activist's journey to finding and cultivating community and the continued fight for disability justice, from the founder and
Read More View in CatalogThe Guncle
Steven Rowley
From the author of Lily and the Octopus comes a moving and deeply funny novel about a once-famous sitcom star who is left to care for his niece and nephew after an unexpected family tragedy. Patrick, or Gay Uncle Patrick (GUP for short), has always l
Read More View in CatalogBrookline Village Library
A Taste of Poetry
Where: Brookline Village Library, meeting virtually -- register for the A Taste of Poetry Zoom MeetingWhen: First Thursday of the month, 11 AM
Led by: Lily
Bring your lunch and an appetite for poetry. Each month we look at half a dozen poems by a well-known poet. We provide copies of the poems – no need to read anything in advance – and lead a discussion after reading them. Request a copy of this month’s poems through our contact form.
January 4: Seamus Heaney
February 1: Sonia Sanchez
March 7: Louise Glück
May 2: Rabindranath Tagore
June 6: Federico García Lorca
July 11: Hoa Nguyen
August 1: Mark Strand
September 5: John Keats
October 3: Emily Pauline Johnson
November 7: Dunya Mikhail
December 5: Emily Dickinson
Brookline Village Book Group
Where: Brookline Village Library, meeting virtually -- register for the Brookline Village Book Group Zoom MeetingWhen: First Monday of the month, 7 PM
Led by: Bryan
This book group is currently on hiatus.
Oops! Looks like something went wrong...
Graphic Novel Group
Where: Brookline Village Library Conference RoomWhen: Fourth Thursday of the Month, 7 pm
Led by: Jared
Read and discuss graphic novels with like-minded readers. We read a wide range of books, from big titles everyone has heard of to the newest micropress anthology that might just become you’re new favorite, and are always willing to try something new that the group is interested in reading.
Boys Run the Riot Vol. 1
Keito Gaku
High schooler Ryo knows he’s transgender, but he doesn’t have anyone to confide in about the confusion he feels. He can’t tell his best friend, who he’s secretly got a crush on, and he can’t tell his mom, who’s constantly asking why Ryo
Read More View in CatalogPrince Of Cats
Ronald Wimberly
PRINCE OF CATS is the B side to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, played at an eighties block party in an NY where underground sword dueling blossomed alongside hip-hop, punk, disco, and no wave. Itês the story of the minor players with Tybalt at
Read More View in CatalogThe Complete Persepolis
Marjane Satrapi
20th ANNIVERSARY EDITION • Persepolis is a classroom staple, a feminist manifesto, and one of the most beloved graphic novels of all time. For the first time in hardcover, this stunning edition contains a new introduction by the author that examine
Read More View in CatalogQueer Reading Group
Where: Brookline Village Library, meeting virtually -- register for the Queer Reading Group Zoom MeetingWhen: Second Thursday of the Month, 7 pm
Led by: Percival
Read and discuss books by queer authors in a variety of genres. This group has a stress-free structure, where the conversation we develop about identity, gender, race, and all intersections that these generate is just as important as reading the book. We make space to feel seen, safe, ask questions, and learn.
Loveless
Alice Oseman
For fans of Love, Simon and I Wish You All the Best, a funny, honest, messy, completely relatable story of a girl who realizes that love can be found in many ways that don't involve sex or romance. From the marvelous author of Heartstopper comes
Read More View in CatalogRecord of a Spaceborn Few
Becky Chambers
National Bestseller! Winner of the Hugo Award for Best Series! Brimming with Chambers' signature blend of heart-warming character relationships and dazzling adventure, Record of a Spaceborn few is the third standalone installment of the Wayfarer
Read More View in CatalogGender Queer: A Memoir
Maia Kobabe
"It’s also a great resource for those who identify as nonbinary or asexual as well as for those who know someone who identifies that way and wish to better understand." — School Library Journal (starred review) In 2014, Maia Kobabe, who
Read More View in CatalogThis Is How You Lose the Time War
Amal El-Mohtar, Max Gladstone
* HUGO AWARD WINNER: BEST NOVELLA * NEBULA AND LOCUS AWARDS WINNER: BEST NOVELLA * “[An] exquisitely crafted tale...Part epistolary romance, part mind-blowing science fiction adventure, this dazzling story unfolds bit by bit, revealing layers of me
Read More View in CatalogCoolidge Corner Library
Afternoon Book Group
Where: Coolidge Corner Library, meeting virtually -- register for the Afternoon Book Group Zoom MeetingWhen: Third OR Fourth Monday of each month, 3 PM; check events calendar for the latest schedule.
Led by: Guy
This group reads a variety of fiction and nonfiction. Books chosen are usually 350 pages or less and released within the last 5 years.
The Bandit Queens
Parini Shroff
GOOD MORNING AMERICA BUZZ PICK • A young Indian woman finds the false rumors that she killed her husband surprisingly useful—until other women in the village start asking for her help getting rid of their own husbands—in this razor-sharp debut.
Read More View in CatalogSpill Simmer Falter Wither
Sara Baume
A debut novel already praised as "unbearably poignant and beautifully told" (Eimear McBride) this captivating story follows -- over the course of four seasons -- a misfit man who adopts a misfit dog. It is springtime, and two outcasts -- a
Read More View in CatalogThere is Nothing for You Here
Fiona Hill
"Foreign policy expert and key impeachment witness Fiona Hill reveals how declining opportunity has set America on the grim path of modern Russia--and shows how we can return hope to our forgotten places. In this deeply personal account, she sha
Read More View in CatalogScorched Grace
Margot Douaihy
Sister Holiday, a chain-smoking, heavily tattooed, queer nun, puts her amateur sleuthing skills to the test in this "unique and confident" debut crime novel (Gillian Flynn). When Saint Sebastian's School becomes the target of a shockin
Read More View in CatalogMidday Monday Mystery
Where: Coolidge Corner Library, virtual option available -- register for the Midday Monday Mystery Zoom MeetingWhen: Second Monday of the month, 12:30 PM
Led by: Brita
A mystery book group at the Coolidge Corner Library.
Miss Aldridge Regrets
Louise Hare
“Super cinematic and every bit as Agatha Christie-esque as its sounds... ifyou like murder mysteries, pick this one up!” -Emily Henry, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Book Lovers Named A Most Anticipated Mystery of Summer by Betches, Esse
Read More View in CatalogA Share in Death
Deborah Crombie
A week's holiday in a luxurious Yorkshire time-share is just what Scotland Yard's Superintendent Duncan Kincaid needs. But the discovery of a body floating in the whirlpool bath ends Kincaid's vacation before it's begun. One of hi
Read More View in CatalogThe Dutch Shoe Mystery
Ellery Queen
Queen visits an operating theater to witness a surgery, but finds a murder instead The son of a police detective, Ellery Queen grew up in a bloody atmosphere. Since he started lending his deductive powers to the New York City homicide squad, he has s
Read More View in CatalogTakes One to Know One
Susan Isaacs
An ex-FBI agent in suburbia feels driven to investigate her neighbor in the “delicious” new novel from the New York Times–bestselling author (Newsday). Just a few years ago, Corie Geller was busting terrorists as an agent for the FBI. But at th
Read More View in CatalogMovie Matinee
Where: Coolidge Corner Library Meeting RoomWhen: Wednesdays at 1:30 PM
Led by: Jeanne
Join the Coolidge Corner Library every week for free screenings of recent favorite films! Doors open at 1:15 PM.
The Unknown Country
A grieving woman embarks on an unexpected road trip from the Midwest toward the Texas-Mexico border as she grapples with the pain of her recent loss and seeks to understand her place in the world.
View in CatalogWhat's Love Got to Do with It?
Two childhood friends now in their thirties must decide whether to follow their heads or their hearts once the man decides to follow his parents' advice and enter into an arranged marriage in Pakistan.
View in CatalogThe Persian Version
When a large Iranian-American family gathers in New York City for the patriarch’s heart transplant, a family secret is uncovered and catapults the estranged mother and daughter into an exploration of the past.
View in CatalogWonka
Willy Wonka – chock-full of ideas and determined to change the world one delectable bite at a time – is proof that the best things in life begin with a dream, and if you’re lucky enough to meet Willy Wonka, anything is possible.
View in CatalogThe Millennial Book Group
Where: Coolidge Corner LibraryWhen: Third Thursday of the month, 7 PM
Led by: Jackie
A book club intended for busy millennials looking to make connections and read books they never thought to read before. Group members select a variety of books (such as fiction, non-fiction, memoir, short story, and even graphic novels) and discuss each month. After the discussion, we continue to a local eatery in Coolidge Corner to socialize.
The World and All That It Holds
Aleksandar Hemon
"From literary powerhouse Aleksandar Hemon, author of The Lazarus Project, comes a big, brilliant, sweeping novel of love, memory, and history in the making. It tells of the relationship between Pinto and Osman, who cross the battlefields of the
Read More View in Catalog“You Just Need to Lose Weight”
Aubrey Gordon
The co-host of the Maintenance Phase podcast and creator of Your Fat Friend equips you with the facts to debunk common anti-fat myths and with tools to take action for fat justice The pushback that shows up in conversations about fat justice takes ex
Read More View in CatalogLesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century
Kim Fu
"The strange and wonderful define Kim Fu’s story collection, where the line between fantasy and reality fades in and out, elusive and beckoning." —The New York Times Book Review A LitHub, ALTA, and PureWow Best Book of the Month A BuzzF
Read More View in CatalogI'm Glad My Mom Died
Jennette McCurdy
A heartbreaking and hilarious memoir by iCarly and Sam & Cat star Jennette McCurdy about her struggles as a former child actor—including eating disorders, addiction, and a complicated relationship with her overbearing mother—and how she retoo
Read More View in CatalogWoman, Eating
Claire Kohda
A young, mixed-race vampire must find a way to balance her deep-seated desire to live amongst humans with her incessant hunger in this stunning debut novel from a writer-to-watch. Lydia is hungry. She's always wanted to try Japanese food. Sashim
Read More View in CatalogHow to Think Like a Woman
Regan Penaluna
From a bold new voice in nonfiction, an exhilarating account of the lives and works of influential 17th and 18th century feminist philosophers Mary Wollstonecraft and her predecessors who have been written out of history, and a searing look at the au
Read More View in CatalogPutterham Library
Council on Aging Book Group
Where: Putterham Library Meeting Room, meeting virtually -- register for the Council on Aging Book Group Zoom MeetingWhen: Third or fourth Monday of the month, 2 PM
Led by: Ginger
A book group for seniors to read together.
Women Talking
Miriam Toews
The basis of the Oscar-winning film from writer/director Sarah Polley, starring Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, with Ben Whishaw and Frances McDormand. INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER “This amazing, sad, shocking, but touching novel, based on a r
Read More View in CatalogPersepolis
Marjane Satrapi
Wise, often funny, sometimes heartbreaking, IPersepolis: The Story of a Childhood /Itells the story of Marjane Satrapi's life in Tehran from the ages of six to fourteen, years that saw the overthrow of the Shah's regime, the triumph of the
Read More View in CatalogOur Missing Hearts
Celeste Ng
An instant New York Times bestseller • A New York Times Notable Book of 2022 • Named a Best Book of 2022 by People, TIME Magazine, The Washington Post, USA Today, NPR, Los Angeles Times, and Oprah Daily, and more • A Reese's Book Club Pick
Read More View in CatalogA Thousand Mornings
Mary Oliver
The New York Times-bestselling collection of poems from celebrated poet Mary Oliver In A Thousand Mornings, Mary Oliver returns to the imagery that has come to define her life’s work, transporting us to the marshland and coastline of her beloved ho
Read More View in CatalogYear of the Tiger
Alice Wong
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • ONE OF USA TODAY'S MUST-READ BOOKS • This groundbreaking memoir offers a glimpse into an activist's journey to finding and cultivating community and the continued fight for disability justice, from the founder and
Read More View in CatalogThe Guncle
Steven Rowley
From the author of Lily and the Octopus comes a moving and deeply funny novel about a once-famous sitcom star who is left to care for his niece and nephew after an unexpected family tragedy. Patrick, or Gay Uncle Patrick (GUP for short), has always l
Read More View in Catalog