Next meeting : 12th October at 2.00pm
Still Life by Sarah Winman

We have 2 vacancies - New members welcome

Book groups have broad appeal because they turn reading from a solitary pleasure into a shared experience. Through lively conversation, they offer fresh perspectives and the simple joy of gathering with others who love books and stories. Many of our members find our book groups motivating too, providing a gentle nudge to read more widely, try new authors and enjoy thoughtful discussion in a relaxed, sociable setting.

Scroll down for our current and previous reading lists

If you would like to find out more about this group,
please contact Jane by clicking the link at the top of this page.

Date	Book Title	Author	Chosen by
12th Oct	Still Life	Sarah Winman	Sheila Phillips
9th Nov	Dear Leader	Jang Jin-Sung	Amanda Bond
14th Dec	Social: Members' Book of the Year		ALL

Format of our Meetings:

One week before the meeting, the convenor emails members with a reminder of the meeting date/time/venue. This is also sent out via WhatsApp.

Our sessions are very relaxed. Usually, the member who selected the title introduces the book by giving a short synopsis of it, their opinion of its relative strengths and weaknesses, and why they chose it. Other members are then invited to join in the open discussion.

After the meeting, the convenor sends a reminder to members of the title/author for the next month. All details are kept up-to-date on this webpage (see below).

We communicate by email. We also have a WhatsApp group called "READ or DEAD" !!

Access to books: Members are responsible for acquiring their own copy of each book (potential sources are Barrett’s Book Shop, Wadhurst library, local charity shops, second-hand book shops (such as those at Bayham Abbey, National Trust), Kindle and audio versions from Amazon and used copies can also be bought online from various sellers..

Accessibility: Some of our members with sight difficulties may find it easier to use audiobooks. We always try to find venues that offer easy step-free access but, on occasions, this may not be possible. For any member who is confined to home, we may be able to arrange for you to join our meetings online.

Previous Books during 2026

2026	Previous Titles
Jan 2026	Invasion	Frank Gardner	Amanda Bond
Feb 2026	The Romantic	William Boyd	Jane Austin
Mar 2026	Hamnet	Maggie O'Farrell	Laura Forster
Apr 2026	The Island of Missing Trees	Elif Shafak	Veronica Thomas
May 2026	The Scapegoat	Daphne du Maurier	Tom Maynard
Jun 2026	A Case of Mice and Murder	Sally Smith	David Roche
July 2026	The Prodigal Summer	Barbara Kingsolver	Sue Petrie
Aug 2026	Summer Break	-	-
Sept 2026	The Extraordinary Lives of Medieval Women	Hetta Howes	Pauline