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Book clubs & reading nights · Rouen

Book clubs in Rouen, come alone, bring a book.

6 upcoming book clubs, readings, poetry nights and author talks in Rouen at 3 venues — all easy to walk into on your own.

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Venue by venue

Reading nights in Rouen and where

Bibliothèque Simone de Beauvoir (3) · Bibliothèque Aretha-Franklin (2) · Bibliothèque Émilie-du-Châtelet (1)

Bibliothèque Simone de Beauvoir3 upcoming

R
Sat16Jan
Free
MusicRouen
17:00–18:15

Bourvil song cabaret with a pop-up choir at a city library, Rouen

Bibliothèque Simone de Beauvoir

A cabaret of humour, poetry and tenderness built on the famous songs of Bourvil, the much-loved Norman singer. Amélie Affagard and the Chorale Ephémère sing, backed by violins, viola, cello, double bass, clarinet, electric guitar and keyboard, with instrumental surprises between the songs. A slow, gentle Saturday-evening hour in a neighbourhood library. Free, registration through the libraries' agenda. «Bourvil Cabaret» Starts 17:00, ends about 18:15. Source: OpenAgenda — Rouen Bibliothèques (open data).

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Sat23Jan
Free
LearningRouen
10:00–12:00

Rouen Libraries' Book Club: Birds in Literature

Bibliothèque Simone de Beauvoir

The city libraries' reading club meets on a Saturday morning to swap favourites and critiques around a theme, and January's theme is birds in literature. Bring a book you loved or simply come to listen. It is free with registration, and a themed swap is an easy way to talk with strangers.

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Sat30Jan
Free
CultureRouen
14:30–16:30

«Génération Body Horror»: two authors on the genre, Rouen

Bibliothèque Simone de Beauvoir

Do you like it when it cracks, warps, tears and reveals bodily monstrosities? Then you are a body-horror fan, and this afternoon is for you. As part of the Mycéliades science-fiction festival, researcher Fleur Hopkins-Loféron and novelist Morgane Caussarieu present their book «Génération Body Horror», tracing the sub-genre from Cronenberg to today's literature and cinema, with questions from the floor. At the Simone de Beauvoir library on the left bank of the Seine. Free; register through the Rouen libraries website. «Génération Body Horror» Starts 14:30, ends about 16:30. Source: OpenAgenda — Rouen Bibliothèques (open data).

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Bibliothèque Aretha-Franklin2 upcoming

Sat19Dec
Free
CultureRouen
10:00–12:00

Rouen Libraries' Book Club 'Cannibales lecteurs'

Bibliothèque Aretha-Franklin

The Rouen libraries' book club meets to share favourites and critiques, and December's theme is photography as a character in fiction. It is free, with registration on the libraries' website. Book clubs give everyone something to talk about from the start, which suits people coming alone.

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Sat6Feb
Free
CultureRouen
17:00–18:00

«Temps suspendu»: poetry reading at Aretha-Franklin library, Rouen

Bibliothèque Aretha-Franklin

What if time had no hold on us: no timetables, no appointments? Over four sessions in late January and early February, poet Sarah Masson (author of «Désexister») led writing games and word collages around Henri Michaux's poem «La Ralentie» and the theme of slowing down. On Saturday at five the participants read their poems aloud to the public at the Aretha-Franklin library in the Grand-Mare district: an hour of fresh, unpolished poetry by neighbours rather than professionals, in a warm room. Free; register through the Rouen libraries website (bibliotheques.rouen.fr). «Temps suspendu - la restitution» Starts 17:00, ends about 18:00. Source: OpenAgenda — Rouen Bibliothèques (open data).

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Bibliothèque Émilie-du-Châtelet1 upcoming

Sat20Feb
Free
SocialRouen
10:00–12:00

«Cannibales lecteurs» book club, Châtelet library, Rouen

Bibliothèque Émilie-du-Châtelet

You like reading and talking about it? Join the Rouen libraries' book club, «Cannibales lecteurs», to share your favourite reads and your critical opinions with other readers. Each session has its own theme, and the group meets on Saturday morning at the Châtelet library, two hours with coffee-shop energy and plenty of reading tips to take home. Free; register on the Rouen libraries website (bibliotheques.rouen.fr). In French. «Cannibales lecteurs» Starts 10:00, ends about 12:00. Source: OpenAgenda — Rouen Bibliothèques (open data).

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First time?

How to join a book club alone

  1. Check the book, then relax. Many groups welcome people who have not finished it — the official page says if reading ahead matters.
  2. Arrive five minutes early and tell the host it is your first time; they will introduce you.
  3. Say one thing — a line you liked or a question. That is enough for a first evening.
  4. Nothing that suits you? Host a silent reading night: 60 minutes silent, 15 minutes talk, phones away, any book, finish at a café.

Phrases in the local language for your evening: Phrases for tonight · Library events in Rouen

Questions people ask

Where can I join a book club in Rouen?

This page lists 6 upcoming book clubs, readings, poetry nights and author talks in Rouen at 3 venues, from city open data. Public libraries and bookshops run most of them, and most are free.

Can I go alone to a book club in Rouen?

Yes. Most people at public book clubs and readings come alone; the host opens the conversation, and having finished the book is often optional. Arrive early and say it is your first time.

Is there a silent reading party in Rouen?

If none is listed, host one: create a free invite on party.comealone.app, pick a café, read silently for 60 minutes, talk for 15, phones away, any book.

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