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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Check out reading events happening today here. These are in-person gatherings where you can meet fellow enthusiasts and participate in activities right now.
Discover all the reading events taking place this week here. Plan ahead and join exciting meetups throughout the week.
Absolutely! Find reading events near your location here. Connect with your local community and discover events within your area.
Reading Events Today
Join in-person Reading events happening right now
Book Club - The Coming Wave by Mustafa Suleyman
We are reading Mustafa Suleyman’s The Coming Wave to learn more about AI and tech this month 🤖
June online read: 'The Temptation of St Anthony' by Gustav Flaubert
Dive into a meaningful **online discussion** at the Literature & Theology Reading Group's next meetup as we explore 'The Temptation of St Anthony' by Gustav Flaubert.
Flaubert spent fifty years of his life working and reworking this story about the temptation of a 3rd century hermit. The final work incorporates great poetry, theology, philosophy and ethical meditation.
**Each session is accompanied by a lecture** from Dr Aidan Cottrell-Boyce, exploring its spiritual and theological significance.
Please make sure you have **[sign up for this session](https://londonjesuitcentre.churchsuite.com/events/da1b7zhk)** on our online portal.
All are welcome to be a part of this vibrant community dedicated to exploring the intersection of faith and literature!
Drinks at the Castle Tooting
Join me at the Castle ! Hopefully the weather will be nice and we can sit outside !
Art Club
Artists of all ability are welcome at the All Good Bookshop Art Club. Each session has a theme to inspire creativity but there is no set image to create, allowing attendees to explore their own skills and interests. A range of art materials are supplied, but bringing your own supplies is also welcomed. Suggested donation £5
In person meetup to critique work submitted by members.
This is a live session at The Mitre in Greenwich.
The purpose of this meeting is to provide and receive critique on submitted extracts of members' creative writing, whether they're working on a novel, screenplay, poetry, a memoir or short story, etc. We share our extracts via email ahead of the meeting to give us all a chance to read the work in our own time and reflect upon it so as to be able to provide useful critique. If you want to submit an extract mail me at gpatrick66@hotmail.com to book a slot.
If you are new to the group we ask that you participate in at least two of the Wednesday critiquing sessions before you submit work for review so that you get to know us and have a good understanding of how we operate. This will help you to get the most from a critique of your own work.
Extracts should be approx 3,000 words and the full document (extract plus blurbs, questions etc) should not exceed 3,500 words in total. Extracts must be mailed to me (gpatrick66@hotmail.com) at the latest by 9pm on the Saturday before the session so that I can share your work with the rest of the group. We have a limit of 4 extracts per session to give adequate time to review work properly. Feel free to give guidance on any specific areas on which you would like feedback. E.g. Plot, pacing, structure or character development etc. (If you have not received the extracts by the Sunday before the session, mail me.)
The group is friendly and relaxed, so please don't feel nervous about sharing your work!
We will normally review extracts according to the order in which they are sent to me but if you need a particular slot let me know when you submit your extract and we will try to accommodate that.
Please note that all phones MUST be switched to silent mode for the duration of the meeting.
June Gophers @ Meta!
**Hello There! And welcome to our June Gophers @ Meta event!**
It's immensely exciting that we'll be visiting Meta for our June event, but with great big office comes great responsibility, so it is **CRITICAL THAT YOU HEED THESE ENTRY REQUIREMENTS!**
* You MUST bring Government Issued Photo ID with you, matching the name with which you sign up to this event
* You MUST complete the NDA that will be emailed to you in advance of the event, before arrival
* You MUST be over 18 years old
* You MUST NOT record when inside the venue
* You MUST wear the lanyard provided to you on the night at all times
And needless to say, if you satisfy all of those criteria and manage to make it through security without being tackled, you MUST have a lovely time otherwise you know I'll be giving you a hard stare. A massive thank you to Meta for hosting!
See you all there!
==== 📓 **Agenda**📓 =====
(Certain timings and orders may be subject to change)
**5:30pm onwards:** Sign-In, Food & Refreshments
**6:55pm:** Introduction
**7:00pm:** 🗣️ **Jon Bodner: Testing Go: From the Basics to synctest**
Testing is fundamental to software engineering and as a language focused on software engineering, Go includes a wide variety of tools to ensure your code is working as expected. I’ll walk through the basics of testing in Go, and then cover some of the more advanced tools: benchmarking, fuzzing, and the new synctest package.
**7:40pm:** Raffle and Break
**8:00pm: 🗣️** **Oleg Obleukhov: Time @ Meta**
Discover how Meta uses Go to build PTP and NTP - open-source, highly efficient time synchronization systems that achieve nanoseconds precision.
**8:30pm:** Break
**8:40pm: 🗣️** **Simon Emms: Failure Happens. Your Code Shouldn't Care**
As Gophers, we expect our code to be retried, restarted and run more than once. The challenge is making that safe and maintainable without layers of defensive plumbing. Temporal lets us write reliable workflows in Go that automatically recover from crashes and restarts, while still looking and feeling like normal Go code. In this talk, I’ll explain how it works and prove it with a live demo that treats failure as just another code path.
**9:10pm:** Raffle Winners!
**9:30pm:** Pub / Socialize
==== 🎉 **Prizes & Discounts!** 🎉 =====
**JetBrains Raffle!** \- We have 3 free JetBrains Product licenses to give away to some of our lucky attendees\!
**Ardan Labs Raffle!** \- We're giving away one course license for Ardan Labs' Ultimate Go Bundle\!
**Manning Publications Raffle!** \- We're giving away 4 free Go e\-books\!
**45% Manning Publications Discount** \- a massive discount provided by the fine people at Manning\! You can also support London Gophers Events by purchasing via our affiliate link [HERE](https://mng.bz/oKqM) \- Use Code "**LGMeetup45**" for 45% off!
**GopherConUK Raffle!** \- We're giving away one free ticket\!\!\!
**10% GopherConUK Discount** \- The lovely people over at GopherConUK have provided a discount code for [GopherConUK 2026](https://www.gophercon.co.uk/tickets)! At checkout, use code "**GCUK26LGM"** for 10% off!
==== 💡 **Priority Queue** 💡 =====
We reserve 20% of the attendee spots at our events for those who are underrepresented in tech.
If they join the waitlist and there is a reserved spot open they will be bumped into going!
These spots are reserved until the last Sunday before the event.
How do we define underrepresented? We use public surveys done by the tech community such as the ones linked below.
https://survey.stackoverflow.co/2022/#section-demographics
https://www.jetbrains.com/lp/devecosystem-2022/#gender-and-development
==== [📢](https://emojipedia.org/loudspeaker/) **Become a Speaker!** [📢](https://emojipedia.org/loudspeaker/) =====
Have something to say? We want to listen! We are always looking for new speakers who want to share their adventures with Go and have mentors who can help.
You can sign up to be a speaker here: https://gophers.london/apply
==== 🧳**Looking For a New Adventure?** 🧳 =====
On the Gophers Slack (https://gophers.slack.com) there is a **#london-jobs** channel where company and recruiters can post job opportunities.
==== [📞](https://emojipedia.org/telephone-receiver/) **How To Reach Us** [📞](https://emojipedia.org/telephone-receiver/) =====
**Email:** contact@gophers.london
**Linkedin:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/london-gophers/
**Twitter / X:** https://x.com/LondonGophers
**YouTube:** https://www.youtube.com/c/LondonGophers
📜 **All London Gophers events operate under the Go Community Code of Conduct** \- https://golang\.org/conduct
* **Treat everyone with respect and kindness.**
* **Be thoughtful in how you communicate.**
* **Don’t be destructive or inflammatory.**
**Please do not message members without their consent**
If you encounter an issue, please mail contact@gophers.london or conduct@golang.org
Rio Film Night 005 / Speed Racer
The All Out of Bubblegum Film Club presents SPEED RACER, the legendary 2008 kaleidoscopic cult classic.
Speed Racer is aiming to be the best driver in the world. The only thing in his way is Royalton Industries and the unassailable might of money. But this kid was born to race and nothing is going to stop him. A visceral, eye-popping rush that breaks all the rules of how a film is supposed to look and sound, Speed Racer remains as fun and forward-looking as the day it was released. Go Speed Go!
For fans of popcorn and philosophy, The All Out of Bubblegum Film Club is like a book club - for films with wide-ranging, mind-expanding and fun analytical conversations guaranteed. So why not meet new people, discover new classics and rediscover old favourites?
SPEED RACER will be introduced by film club organiser Joel.
Book your tickets here: [https://riocinema.org.uk/Rio.dll/WhatsOn?f=2582591](https://riocinema.org.uk/Rio.dll/WhatsOn?f=2582591)
To get £5 tickets please use the discount code: **CHEWBUBBLEGUM**
Hope to see you there
...
To join the All Out of Bubblegum Film Club WhatsApp Group please click here: [https://chat.whatsapp.com/J2to1MBd4Ct7kQTFFVnyML](https://chat.whatsapp.com/J2to1MBd4Ct7kQTFFVnyML) (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).
If the link doesn't work then please send me a message with your phone number and I can add you directly.
Meetup charges subscription fees. If you would like to make a donation please click here: [https://paypal.me/philosophycollective](https://paypal.me/philosophycollective)
Reading Events This Week
Discover what is happening in the next few days
Cosy Silent Reads☕️📚📖
Hello, This event is for anyone who enjoys reading and wants to do it in the quiet company of others. We’ll be reading together in complete silence no pressure to talk, just bring whatever you’re reading and settle in.
When you arrive, grab a drink from the café if you like, find a comfy spot, and start reading. We’re usually there for about 2 hours, but feel free to come and go whenever it works for you. Looking forward to meeting you!
Dee
June Book Club: Kin by Tayari Jones
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!
Reading Events Near You
Connect with your local Reading community
July Book Club Meetup
Welcome, readers!
Our July read is ***A Short Walk Through a Wide World*** *by Douglas Westerbeke*.
We'll follow a young woman bound by a mysterious condition that forces her to keep moving across the globe. As she journeys through vibrant cities, quiet landscapes, and centuries of time, each stop reveals new connections, fleeting relationships, and deeper questions about belonging. The novel blends adventure with introspection, exploring what it means to search for home when you can never stay in one place. It’s both a love letter to the vastness of the world and a poignant meditation on identity, memory, and human connection.
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!
June Book Club Meetup
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! 📖
The Prophets by Robert Jones Jr
You might check out the [Columbus Book Festival](https://www.columbusbookfestival.org/) the weekend prior!
Celebrating Pride Month and Juneteenth
[Columbus library link to book](https://cml.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S105C3366564)
We're going some place new! (to us)
Location: [Tupelo Honey](https://tupelohoneycafe.com/)
1678 W. Lane Ave., · Columbus, US
[Menu](https://tupelohoneycafe.com/columbus/menu/)
Book summary:
A singular and stunning debut novel about the forbidden union between two enslaved young men on a Deep South plantation, the refuge they find in each other, and a betrayal that threatens their existence
"Tusk Love" by Thea Guanzon
Come join us to discuss our July pick "Tusk Love" by Thea Guanzon!
Book description:
A merchant’s daughter who yearns for adventure gets more than she bargained for when she falls for a broodingly handsome stranger in this saucy romantasy from the New York Times bestselling author of The Hurricane Wars.
“A true delight of a book! Spicy and heartfelt—this one is a winner all around.”—Katee Robert, author of Neon Gods
As the daughter of an ambitious merchant, Guinevere’s path has been predetermined: marry into a noble house of the Dwendalian Empire, raise her family’s station, and live quietly as a lordling’s obedient wife. But Guinevere longs for a life unbounded by expectations, for freedom and passion and adventure.
Those distant dreams become a sudden reality when her caravan is beset by bandits, leaving her guards slain and Guinevere stranded alone on the dangerous Amber Road. Her only chance of survival is to travel alongside Oskar, the aloof half-orc who saved her during the attack.
Unlike Guinevere, Oskar’s path is not so set in stone. With his mother dead and his apprenticeship abandoned, all that’s left is a long, lonely walk to a land he’s never seen to find family he’s never met. The last thing he needs is a spoiled waif like Guinevere slowing him down—even if the spark between them sizzles with promise.
Despite his cold exterior, Oskar is brave and thoughtful and unlike anyone Guinevere has ever met. And while Guinevere may be sheltered, she brings out a softness in him that he has never dared to feel before. As the flames of their passion grow, they realize that soon they’ll need to choose between their expected destinations or their blossoming romance.
Written by New York Times bestselling author Thea Guanzon at the behest of Critical Role’s Jester Lavorre, Tusk Love brings the most romantic story on Exandrian bookshelves to life.
Paint by Numbers (Dire Bound by Sable Sorenson)
Join us to discuss our August read, Dire Bound, as we paint small canvases!
Book description:
Fourth Wing meets The Hunger Games in this spicy, page-turning romantasy where humans and direwolves forge unbreakable bonds and fight for survival at all costs.
Only the worthy survive the Bonding Trials. She’ll risk her life—and her heart—to be one of them.
Meryn Cooper has always hated the Bonded, elite warriors who form mental links with the massive, vicious direwolves they ride. While they live in luxury, Meryn struggles to keep her family out of poverty. When her little sister, Saela, is kidnapped—stolen across the border by the immortal monsters her country has spent centuries fighting—Meryn’s world falls apart.
Desperate to cross the front and save her sister, Meryn enlists in the army and is thrown into the deadly Bonding Trials, where any mistake will cost her life.
Now Meryn must survive four months of training at the castle. She is bound to a feral direwolf who refuses to communicate. The other trainees would love to spill her common blood. And her cold and beautiful instructor, Stark Therion, is eager to punish any weakness.
Everything is a competition, and everyone is out to get her—everyone except the dangerously handsome crown prince, whose attention adds another target to her back. In the castle, every smile hides a knife…and the halls hide dark secrets.
It’s bond or bleed. Duel or die. Failure is ruin.
Monthly Meet Up (Goddess of the River)
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!


















