Book Swaps Sydney

The Curious Mum: Baby-Friendly Books & Ideas Circle (Book via Humanitix)

Have you ever wished there was a space where you could reconnect with the part of yourself that existed before motherhood? I created The Curious Mum after searching for a community where I could discuss books, explore new ideas and connect with like-minded mums—all while bringing my baby along. When I couldn’t find it, I decided to create it. This is a relaxed, baby-friendly gathering for mums with babies and young toddlers (approximately 0–3 years) who enjoy meaningful conversation and lifelong learning. 📖 Our first book: Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman No pressure to finish the book—come along even if you’ve only read a chapter or listened to part of the audiobook. Expect thoughtful conversation, curious minds, and a welcoming space where babies are part of the experience. 🎟️ Places are limited, so registration is essential. Please register via Humanitix using the link in this event. https://events.humanitix.com/the-curious-mum-a-baby-friendly-books-and-ideas-circle

Books and Bevvies

Welcome to **Books & Bevvies** — a casual book swap and drinks social in the Sydney CBD. This is not a book club with homework. It’s a simple, low-key way to meet people, chat about what you’ve been reading, and walk out with something new. **HOW IT WORKS** Bring a book you’re happy to part with. Pop it on the swap table when you arrive. Mingle, chat, and swap recommendations. When the swap opens, take a book that catches your eye. Stay for a drink and a conversation after. **WHAT TO BRING** One book, any genre and any reading level. **GOOD TO KNOW** The venue relies on accurate numbers for staffing, so if you can’t make it, please change your RSVP to “not going”. Repeated no-shows may result in removal from the group. The venue is kindly not enforcing a minimum spend, but please support them by buying a drink, soft drink, or some lunch during the swap if you can. There is no mandatory entry fee, but voluntary contributions are **very much** appreciated. The group costs around **$65 a month to keep running**, so if you enjoy the swap and are in a position to chip in, even $5 or $10 makes a real difference. I’ll have a jar near the sign-in list on the day. Please feel free to contribute at any stage through the swap. **WHERE WE’LL BE** We’ll be in the Market Street Garden Bar, with a table full of books and bevvies.

SEPTEMBER BOOK –'The Invention of Wings' by Sue Monk Kidd

Tough Guy Book Club - Balmain NSW

Join us for the Balmain Chapter of Tough Guy Book Club. You can find out this month's book here [https://toughguybookclub.com/books](https://toughguybookclub.com/books?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExcTVleWRsd0ZYSWdqZXV4QXNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR5aL8E3xpn05czDIaY5kEiHH3oABs4hICFLOrNXUsW-0gY5HePBTW1ni0SYzw_aem_qNxAzG9ij-sVr5-Rf8Uw3Q) If you have the chance, try to pick up the book and read a couple of pages before the night. If you haven’t, come anyway, no one gives a damn. We are not your boss. If you got one, make sure to bring your copy of the books down, it’ll help you talk about bits of it, we suggest underlining stuff that sticks out to you as important. Also like all months, we will be announcing next month’s book at the meeting and handing them out to those of you who were wise enough to pre-order last month. See you there. Want to know more about Tough Guy Book Club? Read this - [http://toughguybookclub.com/about-us](http://toughguybookclub.com/about-us?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExcTVleWRsd0ZYSWdqZXV4QXNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR5QrDxxQmsaiuIfgbomTP4b6948UogKCm9U4Dudq5-VU_8aUx5RnTiUjO_R1Q_aem_n5AIic3b6NMTZ5TUJGTLkw)

📚🍷 Drinks & Cookbook Swap Social

Cookbooks are more than collections of recipes. They're full of ideas, memories, and inspiration waiting to be shared. Join Kitchen Catch-Up for a relaxed social & cookbook swap session at **Hive Bar in Erskineville**. **How it works:** • Bring a cookbook you'd be happy to pass on. • Choose another cookbook to take home. • Don't have a cookbook? That's absolutely fine! Come along anyway to join the conversation with fellow kitchen enthusiasts. Whether your shelves are filled with baking books, regional cuisines, restaurant cookbooks, or modern favourites, there's every chance you'll head home with something that inspires your next meal. It's a fun, easy-going way to refresh your cookbook collection, meet fellow food enthusiasts, and spend an evening talking about the thing we all love most... creating foodie memories! The Hive is in the heart of Erskineville, a very short walk from the Erskineville train station. Nearby parking is also available. Address: 93 Erskineville Rd, Erskineville NSW 2043 We've reserved the upstairs room. Drinks & Nibbles: Available for purchase at The Hive bar. Looking forward to catching up and exploring all the wonderful cookbooks you have to share ! Cheers, Natia \-\-\- Kitchen Catchup Code of Conduct The Kitchen Catchup community is a space for all members, of all skill levels to, both in person and online, \>\> safely discuss\, cook and eat all types of foods from around the world\, \>\> be treated fairly\, equally and with respect by all members\, and \>\> socialise & learn in an environment free from all forms of harassment and discrimination\. If you do not care for a certain ingredient, dish, cuisine or cooking technique (we all have these!), there is no issue with mentioning that you don't like it; however, please avoid negative reactions (verbal or otherwise) that could make other members in the group feel uncomfortable. If any further questions or to raise any concerns from any of our events, please feel free to get in touch with the event and/or meetup organisers. Thanks for helping to keep our community amazing!

Bhagavad Gita (c.200 BCE)

The second in our **Journey to the East** reading series exploring texts from the Middle East, India, China and Japan. *Join the Really Old Books Whatsapp to see the full schedule - the Meetup site only allows me to advertise one event at a time:* [https://chat.whatsapp.com/IzXLwdM1Fa33dNe4suamLV](https://chat.whatsapp.com/IzXLwdM1Fa33dNe4suamLV) \-\-\- To be honest, I don't actually have any witty or thoughtful descriptions of what we'll be reading this time - the Bhagavad Gita is one of those famous really important books that belongs to a whole tradition I know essentially nothing about. I could quote the Wikipedia article at you but what of it? Consider this event, above all we've done so far, to be a comfortable space for grappling with the unfamiliar. Join us on this adventure through this 200\~ page text, a book that is not only central to Hindu tradition and broader Indian culture, but has also inspired luminaries such as Albert Einstein, Mahatma Gandhi and Will Smith. As always, read whatever translation you have closest at hand - I'll be reading Eknath Easwaran's translation which I picked up in Dymock's and I assume therefore is readily available. Please reach out if you have any trouble finding a copy or need anything else.

The Night Listener by Armistead Maupin

Meeting at the usual place, upstairs at The Shakespeare Hotel, Surry Hills, Sydney, we will be discussing The Night Listener by Armistead Maupin. The book is a psychological novel about a successful radio storyteller who develops a close relationship over the phone with a gravely ill teenage boy named Pete, only to become increasingly uncertain whether Pete and his story are real. Inspired in part by a real-life literary hoax, the novel explores loneliness, trust, and the unreliability of memory. The novel is relatively short and has been described as one of Maupin's most accessible standalone novels. It was later adapted into the moderately faithful 2006 film *The Night Listener*, starring Robin Williams. Available from the usual places including Amazon and Ebay (about $30) and for free from our friend Anna. Otherwise, contact me for a free pdf at dalemills@cantab.net Trove says that there are about 5 copies available from local libraries through an inter-library loan (City of Sydney charges $3.50 for this service). We meet upstairs in a semi private room conducive to group discussion. There will be about 10 of us there. Look for the sign or ask at the bar.

Happy Ending | The Curious Readers Club #Meetup2

For this month’s gathering, we’re switching things up from our last non-fiction read and diving into something a little lighter, warm, and easygoing—perfect for a cozy, feel-good break. We’ll be reading Happy Ending by Chloe Liese, a contemporary romance that blends humour, heart, and emotionally grounded characters navigating love, connection, and personal growth. It’s a breezy read that still gently explores deeper themes around relationships, vulnerability, and what it means to choose love in today’s world—without giving away too much, of course! 📖 In our discussion, we’ll chat about: * Our favourite moments and character dynamics (no spoilers!) * Modern dating culture—what’s changed, what hasn’t * The pros and cons of single life vs committed relationships * How we define love, independence, and emotional connection today Most importantly, it’s a space to unwind, share perspectives, and enjoy thoughtful conversation in a relaxed, welcoming setting. Come along for books, honest conversations, and a bit of laughter along the way 💛

Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Meeting at the usual place, The Shakespeare Hotel, 200 Devonshire St, Surry Hills, at 7.00pm on Thursday 3 September 2026, we will be discussing *Anne of Green Gables* (1908). We are very lucky to welcome back Susannah Fullerton, The President of the Jane Austen Society of Australia, who spoke at our August meeting. Anne of Green Gables is one of her favourite books, and she has conducted 'Anne' tours of where the book was set, in Avonlea, Prince Edward Island, Canada. More info about Susannah can be found at https://susannahfullerton.com.au/ Montgomery wrote a novel called *Anne of Green Gables*. She also wrote another 19 novels, 530 short stories, 500 poems, and 30 essays. *Anne of Green Gables* was the first in a series of Anne stories by Lucy Maud Montgomery about the young orphan. Adapted many times for TV and movies, it is the story of an older brother and sister who live on a small farm in the 1870s. They want to adopt a strapping young boy to help with the labouring on the farm. Due to a confusion in communication and much to their disappointment, they get a skinny 11 year-old girl. Their disappointment at getting a girl is replaced with a growing affection and they allow her to stay at their home. Often seen at first glance as little more than a 'girly novel,' it is a very moving story with very grown-up themes: life and death, duty and sacrifice, loyalty and loss, and the celebration of beauty in the commonplace. There will be 5 mins of introductory remarks followed by Susannah's presentation, where she will be happy to answer questions. The meeting then formally ends, with almost everyone staying back and talking more about the book in small informal groups. Please arrive by 7.00pm. About 30 people are expected to attend. People normally start turning up at about 6.30pm. The book is easily available from shops and local libraries. Contact Dale for more information on MeetUp or at dalemills@cantab.net

Bellow’s Gift: a reading of Saul Bellow and Anthroposophy

With Andrew Hill. Saul Bellow won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1976. At about the same time, he read Owen Barfield and discovered Anthroposophy. In Humboldt’s Gift, which won the Pulitzer Prize, this celebrated American novelist, famous for his glittering prose, fictionalised his struggles to study Steiner’s work in the midst of a frenetic lifestyle moving between Chicago and New York. The result is an entertaining account that weaves satire of American life into a rich vein of comedy, while celebrating the moments when a contemporary soul has glimpses of eternity. The talk will be based around readings from Humboldt’s Gift in a conversational format. This talk will also be Zoomed.

The Many-Colored Land by Julian May | Sun 6 Sep 2026

The End of the World is Just the Beginning by Peter Zeihan

Meeting at the usual place, upstairs at the Shakespeare Hotel, 200 Devonshire Street, Surry Hills, on Thursday 27 August 2026, at 7.00pm, we will be discussing The End of the World is Just the Beginning: Mapping the Collapse of Globalisation (2022) by Peter Zeihan. This book is highly relevant in the shadow of the blockage of the Strait of Homuz and the interruption to the world's energy supplies. The book argues that the globalisation in trade was only possible after World War 2 because the US Navy guaranteed the free flow of international shipping. Now that the USA is unwilling or unable to keep the supply chains open, there will be an inevitable fall-back to regional trade blocs. Some countries have the resources to look after themselves (the USA has the best geography, energy, food and demographics) while other countries are more import-dependent and vulnerable (China, Germany). Australia would muddle through, as it is largely energy and food self-sufficient, but would be vulnerable to the international supply of manufactured goods and medicines. The format of the meeting is that we speak about the book in a fairly structured way for about 45 mins, with one person speaking at a time, and where everyone gets to have a say. Dissenting opinions are given a lot of space. The meeting then formally ends, where almost everyone stays back in smaller informal groups to speak more about the book, or anything else! Under our new R̶e̶i̶g̶n̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶T̶e̶r̶r̶o̶r̶ updated policy, only those people who have read the book are encouraged to come. Do check out our Social events for those wanting to meet up without reading a book. Contact our friend Anna for soft copies or dalemills (at) cantab.net for a free pdf.