English Books & Literature

✍️ **Launch Your AI Ebook Business – Workshop** Use AI to write and publish ebooks that sell while you sleep. ⚠️ Complete registration to claim your place. RSVP is not enough. ### [🔗 CLAIM YOUR PLACE](https://aiventurelab.org/product/AIEbookBusiness?city=Toronto&groupurlname=the-bookish-social-club-for-readers&startgmtdatetime=2026-06-24T22:00:00Z) --- What's covered: - Scale to multiple titles without burning out - Build a publishing pipeline that runs on autopilot - Format and list ebooks so they actually sell *Write once. Earn forever.* 📚

**📘 The Book Society: Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin — Open Discussion** We're making an evening of it to get stuck into the divisive and brilliant Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin in a relaxed room where no opinion is too odd, and the group always makes the evening worth it. Reading ahead is great but not required, and bring whatever section you're itching to discuss, and bring your feelings about it — because the most memorable moments here always come from real responses. The conversation follows whoever has something to add — with no pressure to arrive with a polished verdict, and something genuinely new nearly always surfaces. First-timers are warmly encouraged to come — and the conversation moves fast enough that settling in just happens, no prep beyond reading required, and the format is built to fold everyone in. --- **The evening in short:** 1. The night opens with a few minutes to settle before the discussion starts 2. Talk opens on a first question and flows on from there, no set agenda 3. Before closing, the group picks or confirms the next title ⭐ *"First night and I'd already booked the next — it's the rare book club you actually look forward to"* – monthly regular 💡 **Handy hint:** note where the book won you over or lost you, since it takes thirty seconds and pays off all night, and the night repays whatever small prep you put in. --- 🗯️ Good books are better with good company — RSVP and join the conversation and the talk does the heavy lifting. See you there. 🗯️

**\>\>Only Tabletop Tomodachi Toronto members allowed\. If you are not a member\, you will not be able to participate\.<<** 🗺️New Location: Hart House Chess Room! https://share.google/j708HiPuCTLBUiw5C Let’s play some games to practice Japanese/English! The organizers will bring some games, but feel free to bring your own if you like. **All levels welcome!** 簡単なゲームをしながら日本語/英語を練習しましょう！主催者がゲームを用意しますが、お持ちになりたい方はご自由にお持ちください。**すべてのレベルの方歓迎** ————— **Schedule / スケジュール** * 6:30PM - 7:30PM: Group Game グループゲーム ("Codenames" for example) * 7:30PM - 9:00PM: New Groups and New Game (if you want) ————— Games Available / ゲームリスト: * [Dixit Odyssey](https://youtube.com/shorts/xFVXX-2hCD4?si=izJ7U9PPs30w_OjV) (4-8 players) * [Telestration](https://youtube.com/shorts/ioKhpeFfkpc?si=Ws8OqRra8kIuuGQI) (6-10 players) * [Horrified](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/w6X5QZpWmc4) (2-5 players) * [Dutch Blitz](https://youtube.com/shorts/QvDTrpr7B_k?si=ErG5mvhbRNcnxsL0) (2-8 players) * [Code Names: Pictures](https://youtube.com/shorts/CV5jRa4OEYQ?si=yRS83LhfpVTvjOpq) (2-8 players) * [Incan Gold](https://youtube.com/shorts/nMJS94f5sKM?si=WL6z-eL-vNVeseq_) (4-8 players) Board Game Words / ボードゲームの言葉: https://drive.proton.me/urls/9JNDDGXYD0#MIdKiGhDemRe ————— **General Etiquette and Harassment Policy:** We do not tolerate harassment of our members, and will operate under a \*\*zero-tolerance rule and will promptly ban members who break it\*\*. This is your community too, so be sure to make use of all that it has to offer while taking care of it. Please reach out to organizers via Meetup chat to address any questions, comments, or concerns that you may have. メンバーへの嫌がらせは一切許容せず、\*\*ゼロトレランス方針のもと、違反者は即時排除します\*\*。このMeetupは皆様のものでもあります。大切にしながら、提供されているすべての機能を活用してください。ご質問・ご意見・ご懸念がございましたら、Meetupチャットを通じて運営者までご連絡ください。 (DeepLの翻訳です)

Join us for **& Juliet**, a hilarious new musical that flips the script on the greatest love story ever told. Get whisked away on a fabulous journey as Juliet ditches her famous ending! Critics and audiences alike are raving about this show! Check out the **[AUDIENCE VIDEO](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgjYUm8w7EE)**. Click on "Read more" below for full details. ***Our group will pay $39 up + service fee in Orchestra, Dress Circle and Balcony. Top price is $59 in Orchestra! Please click on "Read more" below and follow the HOW TO PURCHASE instructions to pay for your ticket(s).*** **The Show:** Created by the Emmy® Award–winning writer from “Schitt’s Creek”, this hit musical asks: What would happen next if Juliet didn’t end it all over Romeo? Join on the ride as Juliet leaves her famous ending behind for a fresh beginning and a second chance at life and love—her way.  Juliet’s new story bursts to life through a playlist of pop anthems as iconic as her name – all from the genius songwriter-producer behind more #1 hits than any other artist this century. Break free of the balcony scene and get into this romantic comedy that proves there’s life after Romeo. The only thing tragic would be missing it. Created by the Emmy® Award–winning writer from “Schitt’s Creek." *** **OUR DISCOUNT TICKETS** **OUR DISCOUNT TICKETS** *(Choose your price!)* * **$39** (regular $79 + $99 in Orch Q-S, Dress Circle G-H and Balcony A-E) * **$59** (regular $109 + $129 in Orch BB-P and Dress Circle A-F) **Service Fee:** $11 per ticket ***No Meetup Fee*** *** **HOW TO PAY** 1\. Sign up on this event page 2\. Send an email to **belindameetup@gmail** to request the payment instructions 3\. Specify you are inquiring about **& Juliet** 4\. Include the name you use on this Thumbs Up Theatre website\. 5\. Indicate how many tickets you need\. 6\. Belinda will email you the payment instructions 7\. If you don't receive the instructions in your inbox\, check your junk box in case it has gone there Members must pay for their tickets in advance. Pick up your prepaid ticket(s) from Belinda at the meetup spot. \*\*\* **OVERVIEW** **Date:** Wednesday, June 24, 2026 **Time:** Show starts at 7:30 p.m. Meet Belinda between 6:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. at the theatre. **Where:** Royal Alexandra Theatre, 260 King Street West, Toronto, Ont. (St. Andrews subway station) **Show Length:** 2 hours, 30 minutes with intermission *** **ACCESSIBILITY** The Royal Alexandra Theatre is an old theatre and does **NOT** have an elevator to take you upstairs to the Dress Circle or Balcony. Our group discount tickets are in Balcony, but you can purchase upgraded discount tickets in Orchestra if you have difficulty climbing stairs. *** **MEETUP ARRANGEMENTS** Meet Belinda any time between 6:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. on the left side of the lobby (as you enter the first set of doors) **inside** the theatre. She is very short and will be wearing a bright pink hat and bright pink glasses. Cell # (416) 879-7575 for use on day/time of show ONLY. **INTERMISSION MEETUP SPOT:** TBD **DINNER BEFORE SHOW:** Join other members at 5 p.m. at **[Lee Chen Asian Bistro](https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fleechenbistro.com%2F&data=05%7C01%7C%7C9717b412e1784d12b0b208db4e7b1fc3%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638190062940403133%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=7W3lGI7WduPzs72q4ITnGG0HdQwnP4s8WyQ516xaeBU%3D&reserved=0)**, a restaurant featuring authentic Chinese food at 214 King Street West, Toronto. The restaurant is located about a block from the theatre. Members will receive their theatre ticket(s) at the restaurant if they dine there. Please message Belinda if you want to be included in the reservation. **[PLEASE NOTE OUR ZERO-TOLERANCE CELLPHONE POLICY](https://www.meetup.com/thumbs-up-theatre-toronto/events/243426512/)**

⚡ **Launch Your AI Agent Today – OpenClaw Masterclass** Create a working AI agent from your browser in one session. No prior coding needed. ⚠️ Complete your registration below — RSVP is not a confirmed seat. ### [🔗 GET YOUR PLACE](https://aiventurelab.org/product/OpenClawMasterclass?city=Toronto&groupurlname=the-bookish-social-club-for-readers&startgmtdatetime=2026-06-24T22:00:00Z) --- What you get: - Practical skills to automate tasks that eat your time - Hands-on experience building AI workflows from scratch - Templates and tools to build more agents on your own *Real tools. Real agents. Built by you.* 🔧

💰 **Build a Self-Running Store with AI – eCommerce Blueprint** Discover how to launch and automate an e-commerce store with AI tools. ⚠️ Register below to secure your place — RSVP alone is not enough. ### [🔗 REGISTER NOW](https://aiventurelab.org/product/AIEcommerce?city=Toronto&groupurlname=the-bookish-social-club-for-readers&startgmtdatetime=2026-06-24T22:00:00Z) --- What you'll build: - AI-powered product research and ad creation workflows - An automated AI-driven store system - A marketing funnel that runs on autopilot *Build it once. Scale it forever.* 🚀

Join Lawrence, your top hatted host, for an evening of post game celebration of Canada's win over Switzerland (wishful thinking) with a FIFA inspired menu at the Duke of York, followed by a visit to the Gardiner Ceramic Museum to see three exhibits. At 6 pm, we will meet at the Duke of York, to enjoy some of the items on their FIFA inspired menu. They have an Oh Canada burger with cheese curds, peameal bacon, beef gravy and french fries. https://dukepubs.ca/duke-of-york/ 39 Prince Arthur Ave, Toronto, ON M5R 1B2 At 7pmish, we will walk over to the Gardiner Ceramic Museum for free Wednesday entry to see the International Ceramic Art Fair (ICAF). https://www.gardinermuseum.on.ca/event/international-ceramic-art-fair-2026/ At 8 pmish, I will depart as I work at 7 am the next morning. Don't let me leaving keep you from enjoying the museum, as it closes at 9 pm.

Join us for the first meeting of **World Fiction Club**, a new monthly book club in Toronto focused on fiction from around the world, published between 1500 and 1950. For our June pilot meeting, we are beginning locally with Canada. **Book:** Sinclair Ross, *As For Me and My House* **Region:** The Americas **Country:** Canada **Period:** 1900–1950 **Date:** Sunday, June 28, 2026 **Time:** 2:00–4:00 PM **Location:** Dineen Outpost - 1042 Gerrard St E, Toronto, ON M4M 1Z5 *As For Me and My House* was first published in 1941 and is now considered a major Canadian prairie novel. Written as a diary, it follows a minister's wife in a small prairie town during the Depression. **Discussion focus** * Voice and diary form * Marriage and emotional repression * Religion and small-town life * Prairie isolation * Depression-era Canada * Artistic ambition and failure * What makes a "Canadian" novel You do not need an academic background. Come prepared to discuss the book, ask questions, and listen carefully to others. Please RSVP only if you are reasonably sure you can attend. Spots are limited to keep the discussion focused.

**Meet & Greet – Books Up Circle** Join us for Books Up Circle meetup! This will be a relaxed, informal gathering where we chat, get to know each other, and share our love for books. **What to expect:** * Casual introductions and open conversation * Socializing with fellow book lovers **What to bring:** * Your book ideas or favorite recommendations * An open mind and a love for reading Come to socialize, discover new books, and make friends along the way. Sounds like a good deal to us—**come join the circle!** 📚

Note you will need to RSVP to attend our event this Saturday June 13 at Danu Social House. You can RSVP here: [https://luma.com/s3thypo0](https://luma.com/s3thypo0)

**✨ Reading Circle: Circe by Madeline Miller** Drop in as we gather to open up a conversation around Circe (Madeline Miller) in a discussion-first setting where the book drives the conversation, and the format keeps things moving naturally. Whether you read one chapter or the whole thing, and bring your reactions however raw they are, and bring your analysis — since genuine impressions beat polished opinions every time. New members are always welcome — and the discussion moves fast enough that settling in happens naturally, just turn up — the rest takes care of itself, and most people leave wanting to book into the next one. No facilitator or moderator runs the table — with every reader given room to share what mattered to them, and the session almost always goes in a direction no one predicted. --- **Helpful to bring:** - Any notes or passages you flagged while reading - An open mind and a willingness to debate - The book — whatever format works for you --- 🌿 A great discussion changes how you see a great book — sign up and bring your reading experience however partial and the conversation is always worth showing up for. We will see you on the night. 🌿

～English description below～ イベント参加費として、日本人の方(日本で生まれ育ち、現在英語を勉強している方)は2、日本人以外の方(日本語を勉強している方)は5頂いております。 皆さんから頂いたお金は、こちらのサイトの維持費や将来のランゲージエクスチェンジ施設利用料やソーシャルイベント等のために使われます。ご理解の程、よろしくお願いいたします。 予約受付開始：土曜日5:00PM 予約取消締切：土曜日14:00PM(当日) 予約受付締切：土曜日15:00PM(当日) スケジュール 5.15 PM - 5:30PM - チェックイン、グループ分け 5:30 PM - 6:15PM - 日本語の時間［または英語の時間］ 6:15PM - 7:00 PM - 英語の時間［または日本語の時間］ 【イベント内容】 Language Exchangeへようこそ！このグループでは、皆さんのレベルに応じて、3〜4名のグループにわかれ、同じ席になった人たちで各45分間、それぞれ英語と日本語でフリートークを行なっていただきます。決まったディスカッショントピックなどはございませんので、気軽に質問をしながらそれぞれのセッションを楽しんでいただければと思います。 開催場所：Atrium フードコート TJEXのサインボードを持ったオーガナイザーにお声がけください。(もしサインがなかったり、わからなければメッセージをお願いします！) 予約規約（⚠️重要） ・当日の不参加、もしくは15分以上の遅刻、また予約取消締切後の変更は原則不参加(No-Show)とみなします。不参加(No-show)が3回になりますと会員登録が抹消され、退会となりますのでご注意ください。 ・イベントに遅れそうな場合は必ずオーガナイザーまでメッセージをお願いします。イベント開始時間にいるメンバーでグループを組み直すこともあるので、連絡なしで到着された場合はイベントに参加できない可能性もあります。原則、30分以上遅れての参加はご遠慮いただいております。あらかじめご了承ください。 キャンセル待ち ・満席の場合、”キャンセル待ち”リスト(waiting-list)にご登録いただくことが可能です。“参加予定”リスト（going-list)中に空席が発生した場合は、”キャンセル待ち”への登録が早かった方を優先に、オーガナイザーが”参加予定”へ移動しますので、当日の参加状況の変更がないかご自身でご確認ください。 ※ご注意※ ・空席ができた際は、自動的に”キャンセル待ち”より”参加予定”へ変更されます。この時にMeetupよりお知らせがあるかはわかりません。 ・システムにより自動的に”参加予定”とされ、それに気づかずに参加しなかった場合でも、不参加とみなされますのでご了承ください。 Instagramアカウント @tjex.ca 最新情報やミートアップの様子を掲載しています。 ぜひこちらもフォローお願いします！ ***Although our group is a non-profit organization, we collect $ 5 per English Speaker for every event. All the proceeds are used to run this website and for social events*** *Canadian English speakers must be Native or Fluent in English in order to participate* RSVP: RSVP open: 5:00 PM RSVP cancel deadline: Saturday, 2:00 PM (day of the event) RSVP close: Saturday, 3:00 PM (day of the event) Day of Event: 5:15 PM - 5:30 PM - Check-in and Group placement 5:30 PM - 6:15 PM - Japanese conversation 6:15 PM - 7:00 PM - English conversation Event Description: This is an in-person language exchange! Members are placed into groups of three or four based on their language level. Each 45 minute session consists of friendly casual conversation, and/or informal study. Optional Dinner : After the Language event, we usually go for Dinner. Dinner is optional, you may or may not join the Dinner, it depends on you. However, Dinner is only for Participants that joined on the day of the event. Event Location: Atrium Food Court The food court is directly connected to the Dundas subway station. Leave the subway station and walk west along Dundas Street. At the intersection of Bay Street and Dundas Street, you will find an entrance. Proceed down the escalator. The food court is on the basement floor. Please talk to the organizer with the signboard showing TJEX. (If you can’t find them, please send a message to the organizer.) ⚠️RSVP & Late Policy: If you are unable to join on the day of the event, please change your status from 'going-list' to 'not going-list'. Failure to Not show up will result in 1 No -Show. Also, in case of arriving 15 mins late to the event will result in 1 No-Show. Members are removed from the group after 3 No-Shows. Waiting List: Members can join the waiting-list even if an event is full. When a spot becomes available, we will move you to the going-list. Going List: Only Members on the going-list can participate on the day of the event. Group Instagram - @tjex.ca Feel free to follow us!

**🦋 Neighbourhood Read: Circe by Madeline Miller • Relaxed and Inclusive** We're meeting up to open up a conversation around Circe, our selection by Madeline Miller in a friendly low-key environment, and there is always more to discover in a good book together. No requirement to finish — come wherever you are in the book, and note any characters or moments you want to unpack, and bring your reading experience — since there is no wrong reading and every response is worth hearing. The evening is shaped by who is in the room — with the conversation moving where it naturally wants to go, and the most interesting moments never come from the planned questions. Every session is a good first session — and regular members are consistently enthusiastic about welcoming new readers, the only requirement is showing up ready to talk, and first-timers rarely feel like first-timers for long. ⭐ *"The group is warm and the conversation is always great — the discussion always produces at least one reading I had not considered"* – new to the group --- 💬 A great discussion changes how you see a great book — sign up and bring your reading experience however partial and the rest sorts itself out in the room. The group grows every time someone new joins. 💬

**💡 Reading Meetup: Circe by Madeline Miller • Casual and Friendly** The book club is meeting to open up a conversation around the thought-provoking Circe by Madeline Miller with a friendly group who enjoy good conversation, and everyone leaves with something new to think about. The format is relaxed and member-led — with all opinions treated as equally valid, and the energy in the room tends to build as the evening goes on. Come however far through the book you are, and note any characters or moments you want to unpack, and bring your reading notes — because the book looks completely different through a new set of eyes. You do not need to have been before — and no introduction is required beyond showing up, your presence is the only requirement, and the relaxed setting means there is no pressure on you. --- **The session at a glance:** - Introductions are short and the book takes over within the first few minutes - Discussion opens with an initial question and flows from there without a set agenda - At some point toward the end the group votes on or suggests next month's read 💡 **Before the session:** mark the page you most want to talk about, because having one concrete thing to say takes the pressure off everything else, and the rest of the conversation will take care of itself. --- ☕ A good discussion is worth fifty pages of rereading — come along and join a conversation worth having and the discussion takes it from there. See you at the table. ☕

💰 **Build Passive Income with AI Ebooks – Masterclass** Build a passive publishing business with AI — from idea to income. ⚠️ Your spot is only held once you complete registration below. ### [🔗 SAVE YOUR SEAT](https://aiventurelab.org/product/AIEbookBusiness?city=Columbus&groupurlname=network-of-book-lovers-and-discussion-meetups&startgmtdatetime=2026-06-30T22:00:00Z) --- What's covered: - Publish across platforms for passive income - Format and list ebooks so they actually sell - Find profitable niches using AI research tools *One system. Recurring income.* ✍️

Welcome, readers! Our June read is ***Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible*** ***Voyage*** **by Alfred Lansing.** A work of nonfiction, and one of the most astonishing survival stories in history, we follow Sir Ernest Shackleton and his crew after their ship is crushed by Antarctic ice. Stranded in one of the harshest environments on Earth, the men endure months of isolation, freezing temperatures, and near starvation—yet refuse to give up hope. Lansing brings their ordeal to life through vivid detail and firsthand accounts, capturing both the brutality of nature and the resilience of the human spirit. At its core, the story is a powerful testament to leadership, perseverance, and the unbreakable will to survive against impossible odds. 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 **all** **drinks must be purchased at the bar.** Happy reading! 📖

This month we’ll be reading Goddess of the River by Vaishnavi Patel. Feel free to come even if you don’t finish the book!

**Our July novel is: *Listen for the Lie* by Amy Tintera** **This month’s novel was named one of the best books of 2024. It’s a domestic thriller with crime, mystery, and murder, told from women’s perspectives. The story includes a detective, an unreliable narrator, and plenty of suspense. The book is 352 pages in print and 9 hours and 18 minutes on audiobook.** What if you thought you murdered your best friend? And if everyone else thought so too? And what if the truth doesn't matter? After Lucy is found wandering the streets, covered in her best friend Savvy’s blood, everyone thinks she is a murderer. Lucy and Savvy were the golden girls of their small Texas town: pretty, smart, and enviable. Lucy married a dream guy with a big ring and an even bigger new home. Savvy was the social butterfly loved by all, and if you believe the rumors, especially popular with the men in town. It’s been years since that horrible night, a night Lucy can’t remember anything about, and she has since moved to LA and started a new life. But now the phenomenally huge hit true crime podcast "Listen for the Lie," and its too-good looking host Ben Owens, have decided to investigate Savvy’s murder for the show’s second season. Lucy is forced to return to the place she vowed never to set foot in again to solve her friend’s murder, even if she is the one that did it. The truth is out there, if we just listen.

Based on the novel Roadside Picnic, it is NO picnic, but rather one of the masterpieces of world cinema. Andrei Tarkovsky's 1979 Soviet sci-fi classic, recounts the expedition of a writer and professor led by a mysterious guide called "The Stalker." to a futuristic wasteland called "The Zone." Dripping with existential dread, it continually presents strange occurrences that will have us debating the meaning of what we've just viewed right through the ending. *Stalker* (1979) can be streamed for free on HBOMax, the Criterion Channel or Kanopy. It's also available for rent on Amazon Prime and AppleTV. The Columbus Library has two copies on disc.