Reading Clubs in Singapore
Singapore's book club scene runs on Meetup groups and National Library Board (NLB) programs, spanning silent-reading meetups, food-and-wine literary discussions, and clubs built around reading the world one country at a time. Whether you want a casual Saturday afternoon with strangers and a book of your choosing, or a themed monthly discussion of a shared pick, Singapore's reading community meets in cafes, libraries, and community spaces across the island. As a small, densely populated country with English as a common working language, Singapore supports a reading culture that draws both local residents and the city-state's large expatriate population, and its book clubs reflect that mix — some built around casual, no-pressure meetups, others organized through the National Library Board's structured adult programming, and still others run through independent bookshops with a specific cultural or religious lens. If you're looking to join a book club in Singapore, the scene ranges from quiet, introvert-friendly formats to lively discussions paired with food and drink, with most groups open to newcomers regardless of how much they've read.
Reading Clubs in Singapore, Singapore
From the National Library's Central branch to cafes in Tiong Bahru and Orchard, Singapore hosts a mix of silent-reading meetups, classics-and-wine discussion groups, and clubs dedicated to contemporary and world fiction. Groups like the Silent Book Club Singapore and We Read Together lean into quiet, bring-your-own-book formats, while The Hungry Hundred Book Club pairs classics and world literature with food and wine, and the Contemporary Reads Singapore Book Club works through award-winning international fiction with an ambition to eventually cover every country. Independent Muslim-owned bookshop Maktaba Books runs three distinct clubs of its own, The Saturday Book Club has built Singapore's largest dedicated nonfiction community out of the National Library, and the British Association and The Gloss Book Club add expat-oriented options. For readers who prefer a library setting, the NLB's Book Lovers' Club meets bimonthly at Central Public Library. Whether you're new to Singapore or have lived here for years, here are real, currently active reading clubs to join in Singapore.
Silent Book Club Singapore
Bring your own book: a 30-minute mingle followed by 90 minutes of quiet reading together, capped at 25 attendees.
- Where
- Chai Tea, 16 Collyer Quay, #02-08
- When
- Monthly, Saturdays 2:00pm
The Hungry Hundred Book Club
Classics and world literature discussed over food and wine — running since around 2010; the attendance fee is now split between platform costs and a donation to the Singapore Book Council.
- Where
- Rotating venues (recently Merci Marcel and komyuniti, Yotel)
- When
- Monthly, roughly last Sunday, 7:00pm
Contemporary Reads Singapore Book Club
Contemporary and award-winning international fiction, with an ongoing mission to read a book from every country in the world.
- Where
- Singapore (venue shared with members)
- When
- Monthly
We Read Together
Casual reading-backlog co-working and silent-reading sessions rotating across cafes island-wide, plus scheduled buddy-read discussions.
- Where
- Rotating cafes (Great World, Marina Square, Outram Park, Upper Thomson, Serangoon)
- When
- Multiple sessions weekly
Book Lovers' Club (National Library Board)
A library-run English-language adult discussion group covering relationships and inspirational reads.
- Where
- Central Public Library
- When
- Bimonthly
The Saturday Book Club
Singapore's largest dedicated nonfiction reading community — bring-your-own-book small-group discussion, running since 2022.
- Where
- National Library Building, Possibility Room (Level 5)
- When
- Monthly, Saturdays
The Silent Reading Book Club by Maktaba Books
Bring-your-own-book quiet reading sessions of about 1h45m — no discussion required.
- Where
- The Balcony by Mahmud's Tandoor (Level 3)
- When
- Roughly every 2–4 weeks, Sundays
No Readgrets Book Club
A discussion group working through contemporary fiction, cross-posted with independent bookshop Wardah Books.
- Where
- Rotating venues (recently Wardah Books, Singapore Botanic Gardens)
- When
- Roughly monthly to bimonthly
British Association Singapore Book Clubs
Two membership-based clubs (~S$150/yr) run by the British Association — a morning group and an evening East Coast group.
- Where
- Shangri-La hotel lobby (Thursday club); members' homes, East Coast (evening club)
- When
- Monthly — 2nd Thursday, 10:00am; 3rd Thursday, 7:30pm
The Gloss Book Club — Singapore
A wine-and-books format chapter of the global Gloss Book Club network, relaunched in 2024.
- Where
- Venue shared with members
- When
- Monthly, 4th Thursday, 6:30pm