Events

Since June 2026, Literary Luddite hosts in person discussion groups known as the "Offline Book Club".

A place where phones are tolerated, but notebooks are preferred.

Information and links to register for the book club will be shared first to subscribers via the newsletter, and later via Instagram.

June session: Fruit Fly by Josh Silver

July session: Learned Behaviours by Zeynab Gamieldien

August session: Good Intentions by Jessy Wu, featuring a Q&A with the author (a second session was added for 1 September due to demand)

If you are an author, a publisher, or a bookshop / event space interested in collaborating on, or hosting an Offline Book Club event, please contact: partnerships@literaryluddite.com

Rules

1. Finish the book: this is a book club that's really about the book!
2. Disagreement is welcome, but devil's advocates need not apply
3. Phones tolerated, notebooks preferred: there's no explicit ban on using a phone and we understand that it is sometimes necessary, but please minimise use that would disrupt the event for others. This is an event we hope you experience; not capture.

Testimonials

"It's really heartening to see people (who don't know each other) coming together without a phone in sight" - July Session Attendee

"I’ve loved the experience of being surrounded by other intellectually curious readers, the excuse to put my phone away and the time to just DISCUSS. The conversations are so fulfilling and everyone is so welcoming! After each event, I’ve left with a new appreciation for the craft of the book and an expanded perspective. It’s the book club for people wanting an authentic community reading experience without performance or pretentiousness. By luck of the algorithm (ironically!) the Offline Book Club is the perfect space for like-minded people in Sydney with brilliant taste who want to get off their phones and connect over books in real life." - Attendee from June and July Sessions

"Speaking as someone who is relatively shy and had never before attended a book club that (1) involved strangers and (2) was done in-person, the offline book club was an incredibly warm and welcoming forum for a first timer to the format. I went in thinking that I would meet people similar to me or similar to people I know; delightfully, I did not. I found that the people who attended were drawn to the book (and the book club) for reasons completely different to my own. Different opinions were expressed, different tastes were shared, I was in complete alignment with some takes and was caught wholly off guard by others (in the best way!). Ruby was also a fantastic host who allowed conversations to flow but never meander, and moved the discussion along at a nimble gallop that allowed the chat to undulate between heavy and light over the evening!" - July Session Attendee