Burton Book Club

Meetings: third Monday of the month, 6pm

Each month, a lively, informal mix of readers gather — usually with a glass of wine nearby — for an hour of bookish conversation and great company. Our discussions are friendly, curious, occasionally passionate and always respectful. Whether you’re the kind of reader who devours every page or someone who would like to read more but doesn’t know where to start, you’ll fit right in.

Every member has a chance to nominate the Book of the Month, and we love being introduced to something unexpected — our reading list ranges across literary fiction, memoir, crime, speculative, thrillers and the odd wildcard.

To view the Book Club’s reading list: Book Club Reading.

Who we are

We’re a group of a dozen or so, though life gets busy and not everyone can make each meeting (and that’s absolutely fine). Some attend regularly, some dip in and out — all are welcome.

If you’re not quite ready to come along in person, you can always join the conversation online and leave your thoughts on the Book of the Month. And if you prefer to follow along without saying a word…you are also very welcome to do so. (But we will gently encourage you to pop in one evening — you might be surprised how much you enjoy it.)

Why join a book club?

A book club:

• Introduces you to books and genres you might never discover on your own.
• Challenges your assumptions and invites fresh perspectives.
• Gives you the chance to unravel plots, explore themes, debate characters, and delight in those books that demand to be discussed.
• Connects you with new friends – an incredibly warm, welcoming circle of all ages and backgrounds and all living in the Burton area.

Where to find the books

You can borrow the books from your local library, or support an independent bookshop (see our curated list on Bookshop.org). Many of our titles are also available on Audible for those who prefer to listen on the go.

Beyond the books

Our gatherings often lead to outings — theatre trips, cinema visits, gallery wanderings, and the occasional stately home or garden adventure.

Past highlights include:

• The Lord Chamberlain’s Men ‘Twelfth Night’ at Dyrham Park.
• A visit to the Tudors: Passion, Power & Politics exhibition at the Holburne Museum in Bath (a perfect tie-in with Hilary Mantel’s The Mirror & the Light).
• A summer ramble at Iford Manor. 

 Everyone is welcome to join any of our outings.

And in December, instead of our usual meeting, we celebrate the season with our Burton Book Club Christmas Lunch at the pub.

Iford Manor, 2021

In late Summer of 2021 the Book Club made our second visit to Iford Manor gardens which were designed by Harold Peto.

The Book Club: a retrospective

Further details

For further details about the book club generally, please leave a reply at the foot of this page. Even if we never see you at the meetings, please do use the comments section to add your thoughts on the Book of the Month, or perhaps to recommend a book you have read.

And if one book a month isn’t enough…

browse the Bookmark blog of literary news, reviews and reading highlights.