What we’re about
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is this for me?
• This group is here for anyone who enjoys reading, chatting, and making friends. We welcome people of all ages and walks of life. :)
What events typically look like...
• It's relaxed conversation, usually with guided prompts and questions to facilitate the conversation and to help people get to know one another. We meet for about 1-2 hours at a time at a designated location in Hamilton (as of 2025, Williams on the Pier 8, every last Thursday from 7 to 8:30 pm) or via video chat.
May I come even if I didn't finish the book?
• While the conversation is guided around the book, this is equally a social space so please don't let not having been able to finish a book stop you from coming out!
Location
• Details & a map for the venue (in Hamilton, ON or surrounding area) can be found on the event page, or a link will be provided there if it is an online meetup.
Event Updates
• Please keep an eye on events as things shift. Some events may change locations (e.g., moving outside), be deferred, or moved online.
Cost:
• TBD.
Limit of people.
• The limit of people per event is listed on each event page.
What if I forget to update my RSVP?
• Please RSVP appropriately. We will start marking no-shows, so that we can accurately predict how many to expect at each book club - especially due to venue limitations.
I'd like to facilitate a meeting. Where do I begin?
• If any of you who have previously attended a meetup wish to facilitate a meetup please shoot me a message on here. If you're interested but are nervous/overwhelmed/not sure how or where to start, I'm happy to help along the way.
Community Rules/Guidelines
By attending any of our meetups, you agree to abide by our following community rules/guidelines:
• Respect and tolerance of others and their perspectives (no harassment of any persons; no hate speech);
• Adherence to local legislation and by-laws, including COVID-19 rules/guidelines.
Release of Liability
Lastly, in consideration for being allowed to participate in any of this group's activities, you release from liability and waive your right to sue Hamilton Book Club, its associates and volunteers and agents (collectively “HBC”) from any and all claims, including claims of HBC's negligence, resulting in any injury, illness (including death) or economic loss you may suffer or which may result from your participation in HBC events, travel to and from HBC events (including air travel), or any events incidental to this HBC events.
Upcoming events
4
BOOK CLUB EVENT: Book launch JOE HILL & LINWOOD BARCLAY
Playhouse Cinema, 177 Sherman Ave N, Hamilton, ON, CAIMPORTANT! PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO ORDER YOUR OWN TICKET PRIOR TO THE EVENT. Link to purchase the ticket: gritLIT presents: Joe Hill and Linwood Barclay | Playhouse Cinema
Welcome to book club events! We invite you to join us for TOUR DE FEAR! New York Times bestselling authors Joe Hill and Linwood Barclay join together to launch their new novels King Sorrow (Hill) and Whistle (Barclay). This one of only THREE stops they will be doing in all of Canada! Epic Books will be on site with a selection of novels from both authors, as well as both Hill and Barclay will be available after the event for book signings! This is one you don’t want to miss!
We will be meeting outside of Playhouse Cinema at around 615. This will give us a chance to explore Epic Books The Sequel (which is attached to the theatre), as well as give us time to get refreshments and grab our seats before the event starts at 7pm.
If you cannot make it beforehand and will be meeting us closer to 7, please message Kyle or Adam and we will save you a seat! Look forward to seeing you all soon!
10 attendees
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
The Pheasant Plucker, 20 Augusta Street, Hamilton, ON, CAFor our last book club of the year, we will be reading Pachinko by Min Jin Lee. Our book club for December will be a potluck / Christmas party. To help us finalize a date and time, please click here.
Book synopsis from Goodreads: In the early 1900s, teenaged Sunja, the adored daughter of a crippled fisherman, falls for a wealthy stranger at the seashore near her home in Korea. He promises her the world, but when she discovers she is pregnant—and that her lover is married—she refuses to be bought. Instead, she accepts an offer of marriage from a gentle, sickly minister passing through on his way to Japan. But her decision to abandon her home, and to reject her son's powerful father, sets off a dramatic saga that will echo down through the generations.
FAQ:
How does this book club work?
Read as much of the book as you can prior to all of us meeting on the last Thursday of the month. If you've read 0% of the book, then you can absolutely attend - just be prepared for spoilers and a good time! When we meet on the last Thursday of the month, the two hosts will lead a discussion about the book, and we will also share ratings! Some hosts like to come with a list of questions, some go with the flow. Asking what others thought about a certain thing in the book is okay, but openly criticizing how the hosts are running the book club will not be tolerated.
Can I host?
You can host if you have attended at least one book club in-person, which will be verified against attendance records.
Why is the list limited to 15 participants?
It is limited to 15 due to limited seating at Pheasant Plucker (especially if we are sitting on the first floor near the back), and to ensure a smooth conversation where everyone has an opportunity to speak. We do sometimes have more than 15 signed up, as we do expect some people to have last minute conflicts. Please read the book even if you are on the waitlist, as people's RSVPs do change.If you find yourself on the waitlist by Wednesday, November 26th, 2025 at 7 pm, please reach out to Basma by 8 pm. Otherwise, you will be moved to "not going".
16 attendees
Past events
48
Group links
Organizers
Members
801
