There are numerous book clubs located in counties across England. In the list below, we’ve featured 8 top book clubs in Kent.
1. Appledore Book Club
The Appledore Book Club meets every second Wednesday of the Month at the Black Lion Pub in Appledore. Members suggest and vote on a variety of fiction and non-fiction to discuss. The founder, Phillipa Perkins, can advise the time for the next gathering.
This informal book club is open to anyone who wants to join. The group is very casual and as much about socialising as it is about book discussion. If you want to join in, you can just drop into a meeting, even if you have not read the book selection for the month.
Contact the book club.
2. Dartford Books and Culture Club
This book club aims to read a broad selection of books and foster participation in their book discussions. The organisers require that members read the books selected and participate in a certain number of discussions to maintain their place in the book club.
Meetings take place on Saturday mornings at 10:30 a.m. in the Dartford Library. The discussion is usually over by 12:30 p.m. and members are offered the chance to go out to lunch and socialise with other club members.
Get in touch with the book club.
3. Sevenoaks Evening Book Club
If you are looking for a book club in Sevenoaks that you can participate in from the comfort of your home, check out the Sevenoaks Evening Book Club. Sponsored by the Sevenoaks Bookshop, members of the public can join by purchasing the book online from the shop.
Meetings are held via Zoom at 8 p.m., usually on the third Monday of each month. Details are sent to participants who have purchased the book online on the day before the meeting. You can listen in or actively join in on the conversation.
Buy the book to get started.
4. Sevenoaks Lunchtime Book Club
For those who prefer an in-person book club, the Sevenoaks Bookshop holds a book discussion on the last Wednesday of the month at 12 p.m. Those who wish to attend can buy the upcoming book selection on the bookshop’s website.
The group usually meets in either the Writer’s Café at the bookshop or as part of a casual stroll around Knole. There is no official membership to this book club. Members of the public are invited to view the upcoming book selection and decide if they want to join in each month.
Learn more online.
5. Quarterhouse Book Group
Stuart Sheach created the Quarterhouse Book Group as part of the Creative Folkestone Book Festival. The book club meets the second Wednesday of every month from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. The choices of the group are diverse suggestions voted on by the group.
The venue for meetings changes depending on the weather and available accommodations. If you would like to join in, talk to the organisers to reserve a seat, find out what book is being discussed, and the location in Folkstone where the meeting will take place.
Email the book group.
6. Hythe Remainers Book Club
Some friends got together in 2019 and formed the Hythe Remainers Book Club. The group originally consisted of those interested in reading books by European authors, in European settings, or with a Brexit theme. Since then, they have expanded their reading choices.
The group meets locally in one of the pubs located in Hythe. The location, time, and date of the next meeting can be found by joining their private Facebook group where they post the information after their next book choice has been finalized from the previous meeting.
Visit the group on social media.
7. Tunbridge Wells 20s and 30s Book Club
If you are looking for a group of younger adults to join for monthly book discussions, visit the Tunbridge Wells 20s and 30s Book Club on Meetup. Organised by a Tunbridge Wells native named Jess, this book club reads a broad selection of books.
Meetings are usually held in a pub where members can kick back with a cuppa joe or something a bit stronger if they prefer. The group aims to make new friends and mingle while sharing their thoughts on the selected book. The next meeting location, time, and date can be found on Meetup.
Get in touch with the group.
8. Tunbridge Wells U3A Book Club
Barbara Cresswell coordinates this book club for University of the Third Age (U3A) members in the Tunbridge Wells area. The group meets at 2 p.m. on the third Friday of each month at one of the local cafes for a light snack and coffee or tea.
A list of books is compiled every November for the coming year. Choices include a broad selection of fiction and non-fiction. Everyone is welcome to attend, even if they have not read the book, but they must be a member of U3A.
Get involved with this book club.