Comic Book Clubs Melbourne

📚 #InPursuit – A Book Club for Builders, Thinkers, and Doers

📚 #InPursuit is a book club for entrepreneurs, creatives, and curious minds who know personal growth fuels business growth. **See a lot of RSPVPs and wonder how it works? We'll break up into groups of 6-8 to share our insights, then swap groups after 30-45min so you can maximise learning from everybody!** *Note: this even is not organised by or affiliated with The State Library of Victoria* **That's what #InPursuit is all about** It’s not a traditional book club, it’s a space for people who are actively designing a better life through the pursuit of business, creativity, and personal growth. This event is for anyone #InPursuit of better business, life and relationships. Instead of reading the same book, we each come prepared to share one powerful insight from something we’ve read in the past 3-months. Anything non-fiction that’s moved us forward. Whether it’s a mindset shift, a productivity system, a new philosophy, or just a truth that punched us in the gut. This is a place to unpack it together and hear what others are learning too. We’re not just here to *read*. We’re here to *integrate*. Because when we grow, our business and our lives grow too. **🔍 Why Join? You'll leave with:** * 5–10 fresh insights from books you may never have picked up * Deeper awareness of how others think, lead, and evolve * New connections with people walking a similar path toward purpose, results, and impact This isn’t a lecture. It’s a room full of people building themselves while they build the thing. **📖 How It Works** First time? No pressure to share, just come curious. We'll break up into groups of 6-8 and share our insights, then swap groups so you can maximise the learning! Returning? Bring one idea you’ve read about in the last 3-months and be ready to speak on: 1. What did you learn? 2. How did it shift your perspective about the world or yourself? 3. How has it changed the way you show up or behave? We keep it structured, but flexible. After sharing, we open up to Q&A, personal stories, challenges, and deep dives. Some of the best insights come from the conversations *after* the share. **🧠 Who This Is For** * Entrepreneurs or side-hustlers finding their footing * Business owners, and doers building toward better * Curious minds who love ideas but care more about action * People tired of shallow conversations and hungry for growth If you’re working on something—or becoming someone—this space is for you. It’s a practice ground for people who want to grow forward. We’re all #InPursuit of mastery, momentum, and the kind of success that starts from within. **Map on how to get there** We're in the Create Quarter on the ground level (back right of the Quad as you enter from Swanson St). We'll likely be on a long table together. https://www.slv.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/SLV-EnglishMap_Jan25.pdf

SILENT BOOK CLUB @ FITZROY GARDENS

Welcome! Now that Spring has arrived, we're moving our book club back outdoors to enjoy the sunshine and the feel of grass under our feet. **HOW TO FIND US** We'll be on the lawn outside KereKere Green Cafe and the Visitor Information Centre with our picnic blankets. **ITINERARY** 11am: Say hi and find yourself a spot to read. No obligation to sit together - we're introverts! Order a drink or snack to support the cafe. (Their toasties are yummy.) 12.15pm: Let's gather to chat about what we read, what we loved, and why. 1pm: End of event. [OPTIONAL EXTRA] For those who are not too tired, we can go for lunch together after the event. **COST:** There is an organizer fee of $5 for this event. You can bring cash on the day or PayID me at 0403 413 056 (Serena Low). **GETTING THERE:** The closest train stations are Jolimont (4 min) and Parliament (10 min).

North Melbourne Gay Speed Dating for Real Connections

**UPDATE: This event has been rescheduled and is moving to 8:00 PM on Sun, Oct 4 (local time).** Virtual gay speed dating via Zoom tailored for men in North Melbourne. Experience efficient individual rounds with fellow local gay men, organized by age group, all from the comfort of your home. Enjoy an easygoing night for gay singles that focuses on authentic dialogue without the need for a bar environment. [Register here to join](https://theliveround.com/product?productId=653.0&productType=onlineSpeedDatingGay&city=North%20Melbourne&groupurlname=triathlon-training-circle-and-social-crew&face_v=7.0) Please note: simply clicking RSVP is not enough to guarantee your attendance. You must finalize your registration using the link provided above because capacity is restricted and the gathering might be called off if participation is insufficient.

Paranormal Romance Book Club and Culture

Hi all, Welcome to the October Paranormal Book Club!! If you love books that are lighter and fluffier to read, with supernatural elements (magic, vampires, werewolves, etc.) then you will enjoy this group. After book club we head off and become a tourist in our own city, by attending an exhibition or some other cultural activity. For October, we are going to meet at Market Lane Coffee at Queen Vic Market, where we will buy food/coffee and then go find somewhere to chat about books. After book club we will go for a walk around Queen Vic, find any second hand books we need, more food, and other interesting stalls to look at... or we might just stay seated and chat for a while! The books for Sunday 11 October 2026 are: Zucchini Cake & Zombies by RaShelle Workman [Zucchini Cake and Zombies (Broomstick Bay #1) by RaShelle Workman | Goodreads](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61260200-zucchini-cake-and-zombies) The Wolf King by Lauren Palyphreyman [The Wolf King (The Wolf King, #1) by Lauren Palphreyman | Goodreads](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/196920718-the-wolf-king) The Dark Lord's Guide to Dating (and Other War Crimes) by Tiffany Hunt [The Dark Lord's Guide to Dating (and Other War Crimes) by Tiffany Hunt | Goodreads](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/236900512-the-dark-lord-s-guide-to-dating-and-other-war-crimes) If you would like to look at all the books that we have read so far, click [here](https://1drv.ms/x/s!Am2wjNpl1c1ijCNvt-hrWM8gPaem?e=riV48x). Finally, if you can't make it, please change your RSVP to a NO. Spaces are limited, so it will give other people a chance to attend. Happy reading until then!! 🤓

Dirt Music, Tim Winton (Miles Franklin, 2002)

Shortlisted for the Booker and turned into a film (not great), Tim Winton's Dirt Music is his eighth novel and the second of his three Miles Franklin wins. The story centres on two broken characters living in a coastal town North of Perth. Some critics complain about cliched rough blokes and sheilas and a slowish plot. But others claim Winton is the "most important writer of his generation." I wouldn't go that far, but this is a beautifully written novel evoking cinematic landscapes. And I know a few members are looking forward to going back to Tim Winton again after Cloud Street. Since starting this book club a few years ago we have formed a nice core membership. If you haven't come yet, please look out for the books on the table, pull up a chair, order a wine and join us. We like to hear what everyone has to say and enjoy the conversation, we're not cliquey at all! Oh, and to defray the Meetup monthly bill I will accept gold coin contributions or wine if you want to pay for multiple in one hit. I hope to see everyone again at this one with some new faces.

September 2026 - Flesh *Note: At Standard Hotel!*

Hello book lovers, We return to the Standard Hotel in September! Our book for September is Flesh by David Szalay. David Szalay's captivating and astonishingly moving novel about the forces that make and break our lives. Through chance, luck and choice, one man's life takes him from a modest apartment in Hungary to the elite society of London – in this captivating new novel about the forces that make and break our lives. Fifteen-year-old Istvan lives with his mother in a quiet apartment complex in Hungary. New to the town and shy, he is unfamiliar with the social rituals at school and soon becomes isolated, with his neighbour – a married woman close to his mother's age – as his only companion. As these encounters shift into a clandestine relationship, Istvan's life spirals out of control. **Winner of The Booker Prize 2025** https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781529932423/flesh--david-szalay--2026--9781529932423

Magda Szubanski: I Can't Tell You But I Will

Book swap brunch meet up

Yarra and Botanics Walk discussing 'My Friends' by Fredrik Backman

We'll meet at the spot where Fed Square meets the Princes Bridge over the Yarra (near the pedestrian crossing closest to the river from Flinders St, on the Fed Square side). We'll walk for about 6km along the Yarra River, through the Botanic Gardens and back along the river to Federation Square for a coffee after the walk. This month, we're reading and talking about 'My Friends' by Fredrik Backman. **The Blurb:** **"#1 *New York Times* bestselling author Fredrik Backman returns with an unforgettably funny, deeply moving tale of four teenagers whose friendship creates a bond so powerful that it changes a complete stranger’s life twenty-five years later.** Most people don’t even notice them—three tiny figures sitting at the end of a long pier in the corner of one of the most famous paintings in the world. Most people think it’s just a depiction of the sea. But Louisa, an aspiring artist herself, knows otherwise, and she is determined to find out the story of these three enigmatic figures. Twenty-five years earlier, in a distant seaside town, a group of teenagers find refuge from their bruising home lives by spending long summer days on an abandoned pier, telling silly jokes, sharing secrets, and committing small acts of rebellion. These lost souls find in each other a reason to get up each morning, a reason to dream, a reason to love. Out of that summer emerges a transcendent work of art, a painting that will unexpectedly be placed into eighteen-year-old Louisa’s care. She embarks on a surprise-filled cross-country journey to learn how the painting came to be and to decide what to do with it. The closer she gets to the painting’s birthplace, the more nervous she becomes about what she’ll find. Louisa is proof that happy endings don’t always take the form we expect in this stunning testament to the transformative, timeless power of friendship and art." Goodreads rating: 4.35 How does a walking bookclub work? Like a normal bookclub, we talk about the book, what else we're reading, have read, or want to read (as well as a few tangents into life outside literature!) but we do it while walking around Melbourne and then over a coffee. We often split into smaller groups as we walk, but we also regroup through the walk. Should I read the book beforehand? The conversation will be more interesting if you do, but you can still come along if you haven't finished it yet! Do I need to bring anything? **Comfy** walking shoes, drinking water, some money for coffee or a bite to eat after if you wish. No need to bring the book unless you want to. No shows No shows (RSVPing yes and not attending) mean the group waits unnecessarily for those who are not coming, thinking you are running a little late. It’s absolutely fine to change your rsvp for any reason up until the walk begins, and you don’t need to leave a comment, send a message or give a reason, but if you don't click that 'change rsvp' button, you may be removed from the group. Membership Fee Did you know that while it is free to attend most events, Meetup charges organisers about $600 a year to organise a group? Members of the Walking Book Club are asked to pay a membership fee of $10 per year (not per event) to help cover this cost. When you join the group, you'll be automatically given a three month trial so you can see what the group is like, without needing to make any payment. If you would like to continue attending events after this, please follow Meetup's instructions to pay the $6.50US/approx $10AUD fee once per year (or contact group organisers if you would prefer to make payment using paypal, payID, cash or bank transfer).

September Book of the month - Lola in the Mirror

Book Club: [Lola in the Mirror](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/167582092) by Trent Dalton What if the person staring back at you in the mirror could reveal a life you never imagined? In Lola in the Mirror, Trent Dalton weaves a powerful and deeply Australian story about identity, family, friendship, grief, and the possibility of reinventing yourself. The novel follows a young woman and her mother, two fugitives constantly on the move, as they navigate life on the margins of Brisbane. Their unstable existence is shaped by poverty, crime, addiction, and the ever-present fear of being caught. Yet amid the chaos, they find moments of humour, love, loyalty, and hope. At the heart of the story is a mysterious girl who appears only in a mirror—a figure who seems to offer a glimpse into another possible life. As the protagonist becomes increasingly fascinated by this stranger, the boundaries between reality, memory, and possibility begin to blur. The mirror becomes more than a reflection; it becomes a symbol of the lives we might have lived and the choices that shape who we become. Dalton combines a gritty portrayal of life on the fringes of Australian society with moments of magical realism, creating a story that is both heartbreaking and hopeful. Lola in the Mirror explores how people survive difficult circumstances, how family can both hurt and sustain us, and whether it is ever possible to escape the story written for you by your past. Discussion Points: * How does Lola in the Mirror explore the idea of identity? How much of who we become is shaped by our circumstances, and how much is within our control? * What does the mysterious girl in the mirror represent? Is she a literal character, a symbol, or something more ambiguous? * How does the relationship between the protagonist and her mother evolve throughout the novel? What do they owe each other? * The novel explores poverty, homelessness, addiction, and crime without reducing its characters to stereotypes. How effectively does Dalton achieve this? * What role do friendship and found family play in helping the characters survive? * How does Brisbane function almost as a character in the story? What does the novel reveal about the city and the people who live on its margins? * The mirror is a recurring image throughout the novel. What does it suggest about alternate lives, regret, possibility, and self-discovery? * How does Dalton balance the novel’s darker themes with humour, tenderness, and hope? * Were there moments when you questioned what was real? How did the uncertainty affect your reading of the story? * Ultimately, is Lola in the Mirror more a story about escaping your past or learning to accept and reshape it? If your group enjoys discussing identity, family dynamics, social inequality, magical realism, and the idea of alternate lives, Lola in the Mirror offers plenty to unpack. It is also a great opportunity to explore how Australian fiction portrays people living outside the conventional boundaries of society—and what it means to find hope and connection in unexpected places.

Books & Bites - a bookish dinner for women in Melbourne (September)

You love books. Your friends…not so much 😬 Or maybe they read, just not the way you do. Either way, you've been looking for your people — and this is where they are. 📚 Busy with Books is hosting another one of our monthly Melbourne bookish dinners: good Italian food, good conversation, and a table full of women who actually want to talk about what they've been reading. We're gathering at [Il Mercato Centrale](https://www.mercatocentrale.com.au/) — Melbourne's beautiful Italian food hall in the CBD (close to Southern Cross) — where everyone orders what they fancy from the stalls, and we spend the evening doing what we love most: Talking about books. (And eating. Obviously 💁🏼‍♀️) **What to expect:** * A relaxed, informal dinner * Great food from Il Mercato Centrale (your order, your tab) * A small goodie to take home * Good conversation with women who get it * A cap of 10 guests to keep it intimate We won't have a set book, so there's no pressure or homework. Just show up, order something delicious, and talk books with strangers who are about to become your favourite reading friends. Your ticket secures your spot and helps us keep building BWB events in Melbourne. Can't wait to meet you 📚 **About Busy with Books:** *[BWB](https://www.busywithbooks.com/) is a reading community for women across Australia & New Zealand.* *Since 2024, we've hosted sold-out reading retreats in New Zealand (coming to Australia soon!), run an online book club, and been featured in NZ Herald, Stuff, Woman's Day, and more.* *Now we're starting out in Melbourne, and this dinner club is our first step ♥️*

Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak - Thursday 17 September 2026