How it works

Amsterdam Book Club brings together people who enjoy discovering books, sharing perspectives and meeting fellow readers. We’re an international community based in Amsterdam, and our conversations take place in English. Whether you’ve lived here for years or have recently arrived, you’re welcome to join us.

Absolutely—many people do! You don’t need to know anyone beforehand. Having a book in common gives us something to connect over, and coming along is a lovely way to meet other readers in Amsterdam.

Yes! Alongside our regular book discussions, we also get together for other bookish and social activities. That might mean hearing from an author, seeing a story brought to life on screen, or simply spending time together beyond our usual discussions. You’ll find upcoming events on our Our Picks page.

We read widely across fiction and nonfiction, from literary and historical novels to science fiction, memoirs and biographies. Our picks include prize-winning books and current favourites, with room for discoveries you might not have picked up yourself. What connects them is the potential for a thoughtful conversation.

Browse our past reads to get a feel for the books we’ve shared.

We put together a shortlist around changing themes and genres, then members vote in our WhatsApp community to help decide what we read next. It gives our reading some direction while leaving room for the community to shape our choices.

We choose books available in English, whether originally written in English or translated from another language. As an international community, we’re happy for you to read the book in whichever language you prefer. Our meetup discussions take place in English.

We ask everyone to finish the book before the meetup so we can have a thoughtful, informed discussion that everyone can contribute to. If you occasionally haven’t quite managed to finish, you’re still welcome to join us. Just bear in mind that we discuss the whole book, including the ending!

We meet in cafés around Amsterdam to talk about the book and hear what everyone made of it. Our conversations explore its themes, the characters’ choices, what stayed with us and how the story connects to our own experiences. Different reactions are part of what makes each discussion interesting.

Our book discussions usually bring together around 10–15 readers — a lovely size for hearing different perspectives and getting to know the people around the table.

Find a discussion you’d like to attend on our Our Picks page, then follow its Meetup link to reserve your place. There’s an RSVP confirmation fee, which includes a drink at the café. See the individual event listing for the fee and booking details.

You can join the waiting list on Meetup or message the host to see whether there’s any possibility of a place. Spaces sometimes become available when someone’s plans change.

If you can no longer attend, please update your RSVP on Meetup as soon as possible so someone else has the chance to join. The RSVP confirmation fee is non-refundable if you cancel.

Yes! Our monthly newsletter brings together upcoming reads and meetups, highlights from our discussions, and other news from around the club. You can subscribe through the signup form on our website.

It’s an easy way to follow along, even during months when you can’t join us. To attend an event, you’ll still need to reserve your place separately through Meetup.

Scammers have impersonated Amsterdam Book Club to contact authors and request payment. We never charge authors or their publishing representatives for book selection, promotion or discussion opportunities.

If you’ve received a suspicious message, our Scam Notice explains how to verify our official communication channels and what to do next.