Do you need help in finding a book club? We’ve featured 10 top book clubs in Scotland for your perusal below.
1. Aberdeen Science Fiction Book Club
Aberdeen Science Fiction Book Club is a book club based in Aberdeen, Scotland, in the United Kingdom. The group is led by organizer Kevin Hume and welcomes men and women who appreciate science fiction writing to join their ranks.
A few examples of the science fiction novels Aberdeen Science Fiction Book Club goes through include “The Sparrow” by Mary Doria Russell and “A Song for a New Day” by Sarah Pinsker. Book club meetings are usually held online, and members are asked for a £1 payment before attending the meeting to help cover the costs for administration on Meetup.com.
Connect with Aberdeen Science Fiction Book Club!
2. Aberdeen Book Lovers Club
Based in Aberdeen, Scotland, Aberdeen Book Lovers Club is a book club that meets monthly at various venues around the city in the evening. The book club is passionate about sharing ideas and opinions about the shared book that is agreed upon in advance. Interested participants can look forward to inspiring discussions about the various genres of books that the Aberdeen Book Lovers Club reads collectively.
“The Bread the Devil Knead” by Lisa Allen-Agostini and “Snow Country” by Yasunari Kawabata are a pair of books that should give an idea of the kind of literature Aberdeen Book Lovers Club likes to go through. In addition to book club meetings, Aberdeen Book Lovers Club members often get together for pub quiz nights and dinners.
Speak to Aberdeen Book Lovers Club!
3. Paisley Book Club
Paisley Book Club is a book club serving book lovers within the town of Paisley, Scotland. Organizer Myra Scott is ready and able to field any questions potential joiners might have about this book club, which welcomes readers of any genre. Book club meetings are usually held on Saturday afternoons in person at different locations in town.
Rather than specify a book to read before their monthly book club meetings, Paisley Book Club encourages book club members to read books they are passionate about and share those with the group. In addition, their monthly book club meetings often have themes, such as ‘the sea,’ ‘animals’ or ‘books with a red cover’.
Contact Paisley Book Club!
4. The Bean Bag Book Club
Located in Glasgow, Scotland, in the United Kingdom, The Bean Bag Book Club is a book club that meets in person with an online component that allows for membership from anyone anywhere in the world. Their active membership on Meetup.com has grown to exceed 800 members.
The Bean Bag Book Club adopts an interesting format for its book club meetings. Its monthly meetings do not revolve around a single, agreed-upon book. All readers are welcome to join and bring books they enjoy reading, both fiction and non-fiction. Book club members can also enjoy other activities at The Bean Bag Book Club, including quiz nights and creative sessions with other book club members.
Learn more about The Bean Bag Book Club!
5. Heid’s Mince Book Club
Heid’s Mince Book Club is a book club run by group organizer Melisa Kelly and based in Glasgow, Scotland. The book club welcomes anyone who might be interested in reading and making new friends but might not feel completely up to the task. Interested participants will find that most of the book club members at Heid’s Mince Book Club are in the same boat, which should allow you to relax and focus on reading.
Heid’s Mince Book Club’s monthly book club meetings are themed by genre, with one month focusing on fantasy novels and the next on murder, science, fiction, young adult fiction, etc. The book club also incorporates other activities such as movie nights to change up the pace and feel of book club meetings.
Discover what else Heid’s Mince Book Club can offer!
6. The Edinburgh Poetry Book Club
Situated in Edinburgh, Scotland, The Edinburgh Poetry Book Club is a book club focused on the appreciation of a kind of writing that doesn’t usually find its way into book clubs: poetry! Readers who love poetry, whether in English or translated from another language, modern or ancient, rhyming or free verse, are welcome to join.
The Edinburgh Poetry Book Club has over 700 passionate poetry lovers and is managed by group organizer Michael. The group encourages book club members to bring a poem that they’ve been appreciating to their monthly book club meetings, which usually take place on Tuesday evenings in person at various venues around Edinburgh.
Check out The Edinburgh Poetry Book Club!
7. The Women of Scotland Book Group!
The Women of Scotland Book Group is a book group for women in Edinburgh, Scotland, who are passionate about reading. Participation is £2 for every in-person meeting to help group organizer Edie manage the Meetup.com website and pay for its regular maintenance fees.
The Women of Scotland Book Group is open to any woman over the age of 18. The books that this book group covers various genres and the book of the month are selected by popular vote and taking into consideration what other members think.
Find out more about The Women of Scotland Book Group!
8. Bitches with Books
Edinburgh, Scotland is home to Bitches with Books, a book club for LGBTQ+ women. Today, the group has over 100 members and continues to be a supportive, welcoming environment for LGBTQ+ women who are looking for a community. Book club meetings happen monthly on Tuesday evenings at Woodland Creatives bar in Leith.
In the past, Bitches with Books has read books like “The Lost Daughter” by Elena Ferrante and “The Dispossessed” by Ursula Le Guin and many others. Bitches with Books reads both fiction and non-fiction, as well as the occasional poem.
Plan a visit to Bitches with Books!
9. Bonanza Non-fiction Book Club
Bonanza Non-fiction Book Club is a book club operating out of Edinburgh, Scotland. The group of over 200 active members is run by a number of group organizers including Michael, David and Gavin. Since 2000, Bonanza Non-fiction Book Club has been a gathering place for people who enjoy reading non-fiction books.
Bonanza Non-fiction Book Club meets online on Tuesday evenings and usually meets about twice a month. They look forward to returning to in-person book club meetings, which are usually held in the Blue Blazer on Spittal Street, a pub that fits the social, casual nature of Bonanza Non-fiction Book Club. For an idea of the style of book that Bonanza Non-fiction Book Club usually reads, look at “The Secret History of Wonder Woman” by Jill Lepore and “We are Bellingcat” by Eliot Higgins.
See if Bonanza Non-fiction Book Club is something that you might be interested in joining.
10. The Glasgow Book Club
With over 4,000 active book club members, The Glasgow Book Club is one of the most established book clubs in Glasgow, Scotland. The book club is led by a dedicated team of leaders, including Rachel H, Julia and David Hartley. Meetings are held on Monday afternoons online, and attendance costs £1.50.
The Glasgow Book Club’s book members include many well-read individuals who can recommend excellent book choices for those struggling to find a next book to read. “The People in the Trees” by Hanya Yanagihara and “All My Friends Are Superheroes” by Andrew Kaufman are a few books recommended by the book club members at The Glasgow Book Club.
For more information about The Glasgow Book Club, reach out to them on their Meetup.com page.