Book Swap

May is the month for reader's choice! That means any book, any genre, on anything. It could be self-help, YA, biography, supernatural, romantasy, classics, disturbing horror, off the wall sci-fi, anything at all. This month we will be reading: Red Queen by Juan Gómez-Jurado Get it now!

London's Friendly Book Club's pick for March is **Project Hail Mary** by **Andy Weir**. A lone astronaut. An impossible mission. An ally he never imagined. Ryland Grace is the sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission - and if he fails, humanity and the earth itself will perish. Except that right now, he doesn't know that. He can't even remember his own name, let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it. All he knows is that he's been asleep for a very, very long time. And he's just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home, with nothing but two corpses for company. His crewmates dead, his memories fuzzily returning, Ryland realizes that an impossible task now confronts him. Hurtling through space on this tiny ship, it's up to him to puzzle out an impossible scientific mystery-and conquer an extinction-level threat to our species. And with the clock ticking down and the nearest human being light-years away, he's got to do it all alone. Or does he? 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.

New members are always welcome. :) **Description:** ***The Encyclopedia of the Dead*** ([Serbo-Croatian](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serbo-Croatian "Serbo-Croatian"): *Enciklopedija mrtvih*) is a collection of nine stories by Yugoslav author [Danilo Kiš](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danilo_Ki%C5%A1 "Danilo Kiš"). Combining history and fiction in what critics have seen as a postmodern fashion, the stories (which have been compared to the work of [Jorge Luis Borges](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jorge_Luis_Borges "Jorge Luis Borges")) have helped cement Kiš's legacy as one of the most important 20th-century Yugoslav authors.

The crew of the Six-Thousand Ship consists of those who were born, and those who were made. Those who will die, and those who will not. When the ship takes on a number of strange objects from the planet New Discovery, the crew is perplexed to find itself becoming deeply attached to them, and human and humanoid employees alike start aching for the same things: warmth and intimacy. Loved ones who have passed. Shopping and child-rearing. Our sheared, far-away Earth, which now only persists in memory. The Employees probes into what it means to be human, emotionally and ontologically, while simultaneously delivering an overdue critique of a life governed by work and the logic of productivity. Available from all good libraries and book shops. You don't have to have read it to join us - but it'll probably help. We will be meeting in The Ludski Bar in the Rio Cinema. [https://www.riocinema.org.uk/your-visit/](https://www.riocinema.org.uk/your-visit/) You are welcome to bring outside food in with you but please buy your drinks from inside the cinema. Thank you. We hope to see you there. ... To join the Brain Worms WhatsApp Group please click here: [https://chat.whatsapp.com/EvFibn1d6AsEwdVGmwkhko](https://chat.whatsapp.com/EvFibn1d6AsEwdVGmwkhko) (in order to stop spam bots this will take you to a Waiting Room. Once in please write your name and we will join you to the main chat). Meetup charges subscription fees. If you would like to make a donation please click here: [https://paypal.me/philosophycollective](https://paypal.me/philosophycollective)

In our regular feedback workshops, we have three writers sharing a sample of their writing for immediate feedback, advice and encouragement. Critique is led and moderated by your host. You learn more by listening to the writing of others and the feedback their piece receives on the night than you can imagine. We've been running these sessions since 2010 and there's a reason they fill up so fast! For reading samples, pieces must be **3,500 words or less** as you'll have about 45mins for reading and discussion on your excerpt from around the table. Most people bring an excerpt from their novel or a short story of all genres and styles. You must have booked your place before making a request to read. If you'd like to read, book your seat first and post a comment below with ***'I'd like to read'*** and I will confirm. It's a first request, first reading system so do check if there have been three requests made already. If this one has no reading spots left, you might like to book early for the next upcoming session. Reading spots go FAST but there are always more to come. That said, we don't allow the same people usually to share work in consecutive sessions. If you are reading, **please bring enough printed copies (at least 10)** of your pages so members can make additional feedback/editing notes for you during the reading. All copies will be returned to you after the feedback has concluded. New members are always welcome in these groups. Most people come along to a few sessions before offering feedback, commenting or requesting to read but it's up to you. If you want to read right away, great, but if you want to come along and see how we roll first, that makes sense too. Again, you'll be surprised by how much you can learn from others by listening to the pieces and their feedback. Most sessions have 50/50 split on new members vs regulars. After the workshop, most of us head to the bar for a social drink or two and extended conversation about the joys and woes of writing. **TICKETS:** £15.00 for venue arrangements, organising and hosting. Please follow the steps to pay via PayPal when you RSVP. **PLEASE NOTE:** **Refunds or credits will only be provided if the meetup is cancelled or rescheduled.** We cannot offer refunds or credit for another session if you decide not to attend on the day. Please change your RSVP if you no longer plan to attend. We often have people on the waiting list and we'd hate for others to miss out. Failing to show up means you'll be flagged as a 'no show' and potentially removed from the group if this happens frequently. It takes only a minute to change your RSVP before the meeting starts. Manners cost nothing, folks. Location: **Williamsons Tavern** is located in a tiny courtyard off Bow Lane in Cheapside, closest tube station is Bank. Address: 1 Groveland Ct, London EC4M 9EH. Grab a drink and come to the private room downstairs. We start promptly so please try and be on time. Try the official Meetup app to receive last-minute updates and notifications about our events as they happen to your phone. [Download it now](https://www.meetup.com/apps/). These workshops are hosted by me - Lisa Goll, Boss Lady at London Writers' Cafe - I'm a publishing professional with more than twenty years of working within the publishing industry. Added to that, I've been leading LWC workshops for writers since 2010 too. See more about [me on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisagoll/) or Insta me @LisasShare @LondonWritersCafe Question? Post a comment below.

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.

We are reading Mustafa Suleyman’s The Coming Wave to learn more about AI and tech this month 🤖

Hi ladies and gentlemen! My name is Ken and I am the organizer of this group. My birthday party is coming up on the 30th May at 7 p.m in 100 Queens Gate Hilton Hotel in South Kensington. I would like to invite my dear friends from the book club to join my special day. Unlike the usual events I organize, there will be special rules and restrictions for this one. You will not be able to enter if you don't fulfill these requirements. 1. Since the venue is a 5 star hotel, an appropriate attire is required. Smart casual or smart is preferred. If you are underdressed, you won't be able to enter. 2. You have to be a person who knows me and came to my events before. If I dont recognize you, you will not be accepted. 3. This is an obvious thing but you will have to bring a birthday present no matter how small or big to be able to enter. I want to make sure that everyone who comes will have a great time including myself. I am very excited for it and want to share my joy with you.

We will be meeting at The Racketeer! We will divide into smaller groups to discuss this month's book. It will be very obvious when you arrive to the pub, where our group is, but please feel free to give me a call if you are struggling to find us. For new members, shoot me a message on meetup and I will send through my phone number!

In the second meeting in May, we discuss Isabella Hammad's *Enter Ghost*. Published in 2023, the novel sees a 'woman reeling from a disastrous love affair finds love and hope in Shakespeare and Palestine.' 'The author of the bestselling *The Parisian* delivers a moving, thought-provoking story about family, resistance and reconciliation, as a London actress returns to her native Palestine to visit her sister and joins a production of Hamlet in the West Bank.' -Waterstones https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/183932814-enter-ghost We will hold our meeting at Caravan City (in the Bloomberg Arcade). Please join us for some delicious food as we dive into this intriguing novel. N.B. We will be charging an event fee of £3, non-refundable, to discourage no-shows and contribute to the running costs of the group. Please only sign up if you intend to come along as space is limited to make for an effective discussion!

Big Ohio Book Con "A convention for book lovers all over Ohio (and beyond)! Author panels, signings, bookish vendors, meet & greets, and more!" Featuring more than 100 authors, more than 50 bookish vendors, and plenty of exciting activities throughout the event! Travel with fellow book lovers or meet us at the event. Park for free at the Medina Convention Center, 735 Lafayette Rd., Medina, Ohio 44256, then hop aboard one of the free shuttles whenever you’re ready for your next bookish adventure! The convention spans three neighboring locations, giving you even more to explore and enjoy.

Welcome, readers! Our May read is **_Kindred_ by Octavia E. Butler.** The story follows Dana, a Black woman living in 1976 California, who is suddenly pulled back to a Maryland plantation before the Civil War. She learns her survival is tied to a white slaveholder’s son. Forced to move between centuries, she must endure the brutal realities of slavery while fighting to hold on to her identity. Tense, intimate, and unforgettable, Kindred explores how the past refuses to stay buried. Looking forward to discussing with everyone! We will meet at Zaftig Brewing Co in their event room in the back. We are welcome to bring in our own food, but **drinks must be purchased at the bar.** Happy reading! 📖

The theme for May is Thriller. • The book we will be discussing is A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson. (determined by votes from April Book Club. Let me know if you'd like a free digital copy of the book) • This event will be at the main library. Feel free to come whether or not you've started or finished the book. • Small snacks will be provided. You're welcome to bring your own snacks & drinks too! Let me know if you’d like to volunteer to bring snacks or drinks for the group.

[Columbus library link to book](https://cml.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S105C3351321) Location: The Goat River South 219 S High St, Columbus, OH 43215 Street parking is free on Sundays [Menu](https://static1.squarespace.com/static/686d3ed16745133042482c5f/t/68ff654dbb03b96875430bde/1761568077220/all_brunch-20250311.pdf) Book summary: On a hot day in Bethlehem, a twelve-year-old Palestinian-American girl is yelled at by a group of men outside the Church of the Nativity. She has exposed her legs in a biblical city, an act they deem forbidden, and their judgement will echo on through her adolescence. When our narrator finally admits to her mother that she is queer, her mother's response only intensifies a sense of shame: 'You exist too much,' she tells her daughter. Told in vignettes that flash between the U.S. and the Middle East--from New York to Jordan, Lebanon, and Palestine--Zaina Arafat's debut novel traces her protagonist's progress from blushing teen to sought-after DJ and aspiring writer.

Join us for Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn! Fresh from a brief stay at a psych hospital, reporter Camille Preaker faces a troubling assignment: she must return to her tiny hometown to cover the unsolved murder of a preteen girl and the disappearance of another. For years, Camille has hardly spoken to her neurotic, hypochondriac mother or to the half-sister she barely knows: a beautiful thirteen-year-old with an eerie grip on the town. Now, installed in her old bedroom in her family's Victorian mansion, Camille finds herself identifying with the young victims—a bit too strongly. Dogged by her own demons, she must unravel the psychological puzzle of her own past if she wants to get the story-and survive this homecoming.

Let’s meet and share discussion of the James Baldwin short story collection, Going to Meet The Man.