Virtual Book Club - Books set in Russia or Eastern Europe

Our theme for the next month was chosen in recognition of the terrible situation at the moment in the Ukraine. We're asking our members to read a book set in Russia or Eastern Europe. There are a huge range of options available here. You could choose something along non-fiction lines, there are a lot of books looking at the political situation and how things have got to the current war and there are also some really interesting books about Chernobyl. Alternatively there are many classic books i.e. Tolstoy, Bulgakov, Dostoevsky - if you want an excuse to tackle one of those. There are a series of books written by Ukrainian author Andrey Kurkov and many more. We can't wait to see what our members pick this month.

What happens at the book club:

A small group meet on a regular basis, we review a book of your own choice matching the chosen theme. Each person takes it in turn to review their book, good points and bad points, what we enjoyed and writing styles. We then choose the next theme and meeting date. It is a great opportunity to brush up your presentation skills, boost your confidence and network with new or existing contacts.

You can get your books from all sorts of sources including:

• Supporting your local bookshop
• Charity Shops
• Libraries (many libraries provide online borrowing now as well - Here is a link to a borrowing website linked to Leeds Libraries.

• Kindle/Kobo Books
  • Audio Subscriptions such as Audible
  • Free books online from places such as Project Gutenberg -Click here

Given our current theme we would encourage our members to donate to one of the many appeals in place to help support those suffering due to the conflict in the Ukraine. There are many great sites that you could choose whether that is Unicef, the British Red Cross or the UN Refugee Agency.

If anyone wants a quick chat about how things will run or any thoughts on the future for the book club feel free to get in touch with current president Melanie Jordan via LinkedIn.

Zoom link details will be received with your booking confirmation. We ask for you to choose a book in this theme and inform the office with your choice, via your booking.