Top Book Clubs In Philadelphia

The telling of tales has been around since man first walked this earth. People love a good story and love to learn new things. Books, therefore, have multiple functions as companion, entertainment source and educator to nearly everyone at one point or another. But book clubs exist for those who love books just a bit more and want to discuss them with others. In Philadelphia, there are several book clubs that fit not just all tastes, but also many different schedules.

Metro Philadelphia Book Club
Fado Irish Pub & Restaurant
1500 Locust St.
Philadelphia, PA 19103
www.meetup.com

The Metro Philadelphia Book Club has over 1,100 members and meets at various locations throughout the city over dinner. This is the club for you if you want to get out for a good meal as well as discuss a book. This coming September, the group will meet at Fado Irish Pub. The Metro Philadelphia Book Club has previously read titles such as "The Road," "Running with Scissors" and "The Gathering." For September, the title will be Ernest Hemingway's "The Sun Also Rises."

Greater Philadelphia Thinking Society
Starbucks
1600 Arch St.
Philadelphia, PA 19103
www.meetup.com

The Greater Philadelphia Thinking Society has over 1,600 members and encourages the civil banter between minds on all topics, from politics and religion to culture and art. Meetings are held every Sunday, mostly at Starbucks. The September 8 meeting will focus on science and technology on a broad scope, and more details will be decided as the date gets closer. RSVPs are open two weeks prior to the meeting date. This club is for those who really want to debate in a constructive and healthy setting.

Lower Bucks Redbook Club
Barnes & Noble
300 Neshaminy Mall
Bensalem, PA 19020
www.meetup.com

This club meets in Lower Bucks County and in the Northeast. Most often, the meeting locations range from either the mall or Barnes & Noble to another library or coffee house. The Redbook Club has 276 members and reads a wide variety of classics and modern books. The Northeast Philly Redbook Club meets monthly. Sometimes it discusses a book that is also a movie and then compares and contrasts which is better. The most recent book discussed was Bill O'Reilly's "Killing Lincoln."

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Philly Sci Fi 
Cherry Hill Crowne Plaza
2349 W. Marlton Pike W.
Cherry Hill NJ, 08002
(887) 656-3914
www.meetup.com

The Sci-Fi book club has over 400 science fiction fans who love to discuss all things sci-fi. The book club covers all stories in the science fiction genre, whether it is Phillip. K. Dick or books from the Star Wars or Star Trek series. Members also join in for other events, such as the upcoming sci-fi convention in November in Cherry Hill, NJ.

Philadelphia Classics Book Club
Meeting locations TBA
Philadelphia, PA 19103
www.meetup.com

The Philadelphia Classics Book Club has 169 members and meets monthly to discuss a predefined classic book. Upcoming in September (date not set yet) is "Pride and Prejudice." The group most recently read "Light in August" by William Faulkner. This book club likes to discuss titles that are, by definition, classics because they have changed society and influenced the future. Previous authors include Dickens, Shakespeare, Oscar Wilde, Toni Morrison and Hemingway. This book club is more intimate and may be the right one for you if you are also looking to meet a new friend.

Related: Best Book Clubs To Join In Philadelphia

Christina Dagnelli is a freelance writer in Philadelphia and the author of Little Squares with Colors: A Different way to look at autism. Her work on examiner can be found here Examiner.com.