| Status: | Active, full but can join waiting list |
| Coordinator: |
Joyce Winwood
Tel: 01452 715099
|
| Group email: | Book Club / Literature group |
| When: | 2:00 pm Third Monday of each month |
| Venue: | The Methodist Church, Churchdown |
| Cost: | £20.00 payable in September to cover costs for the year. |
Churchdown u3a Book Club discusses the book that has been selected for each month (one book per month, so quite doable). Our discussions are always broad and lively - it is rare when we all agree, which only makes our chats more interesting, but we are always respectful of one another's views. There are huge benefits for us all in enjoying a good read, and because we all suggest a book we are challenged to try new authors and read a variety of styles.
On months where we do not have an additional activity, or two books to discuss, one of us will say something about our favourite ... (this can be a book, a film, a TV series). At the July meeting we plan together for our next year's programme. This is accompanied by a delicious cream tea. At the December meeting we have a Christmas lunch and a Secret Santa.
Please feel free to take a look at our programme below, as there may be a title that you may fancy reading.
"A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies ...
The man who never reads lives only one"George R.R. Martin, A Dance with Dragons
July Book Review: "The Garden of Evening Mists" by Tan Twan Eng
This was generally agreed to have been well written, but despite receiving 4 x 9 grades it wasn't to everyone's liking (the joy of being in a Book Club). It averaged a score of 8.
Programme for 2026/27
| Date | Book | Author | Proposer | My Favourite ... |
| September 21st | The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie | Muriel Spark | Mary | Andy |
| October 19th | The House of Mystery | Joy Ellis | Pat | Chris |
| November 16th | Too Many Reasons to Live | Rob Burrow | Jilly | Jenny |
| December 21st | Winter Swallows Christmas Lunch & Secret Santa | Babs Horton | Lorraine | |
| January 18th | Small Bomb at Dimperley | Lissa Evans | Norman | Secret Santa Review |
| February 15th | It Started with a Kiss | Lisa Hobman | Janette | Joyce |
| March 15th | Someone Else's Shoes | Jojo Moyes | Maggie | Mary |
| April 19th | Amsterdam | Ian McEwan | Andy | Robbie |
| May 17th | The Ghost Tree | Barbara Erskine | Pat T | Pat D |
| June 21st | Call of the Camino One Grand Summer | Suzanne Redfearn Ewald Arenz | Jenny B | Norman |
| July 19th | The Island of Missing Trees Gabriel's Moon Planning & Cream Tea | Elif Shafak William Boyd | Joyce |
The BorrowBox app from the Library is a good place to obtain your books. You can also download audio books from there. If you would prefer to purchase used books, we have found that Amazon and Awesome Books are useful sources, among others.
The next Cheltenham Literature Festival will be running from 9th-18th October 2026 at various venues around Cheltenham. There should be some good books coming out, which you may like to read.