Reading Group Choices climbs to Denver and the Rocky Mountains for the next stop on our Book Group City Tour!
Most people are familiar with Denver as the “Mile High City,” a great place to visit to eat quality fresh food, explore natural sights, and bask in the near-constant sunshine. But did you know Denver is also home to a lively bookstore and book group scene? This city goes the extra mile when it comes to providing a variety of choices for reading groups. From digital clubs to meetings with acclaimed authors, we give you a run down of where to find other readers up in the mountains. Join the discussion!
(And don’t forget to browse the list of the other great cities we’ve visited!)
Tattered Cover Bookstore
Tattered Cover Bookstore remains one of Denver’s most famous independent bookstores. The store first opened in 1971, and now has three locations in Denver, which host multiple author and guest speaker events every month. Tattered Cover also hosts several book groups, from the Travel Lover’s Book Club to the Mystery Book Club to the Denver7 Book Club, hosted by Denver Channel 7’s meteorologist Lisa Hidalgo. Visit Tattered Cover’s website to find the right book group for you.
Denver Public Library
The Denver Public Library hosts a number of book groups at a variety of days and times, so participants can choose a book group that works best for their schedule. Some of the groups, like RADA (Read. Awareness. Dialogue. Action), focus on books about current political and social issues, while others, like the Yak, Snack, and Read group, pair good reads with tasty treats! For readers who can’t make it to meetings in person, the library offers online book clubs through their website. Upon sign-up, members are emailed small sections of books to read every day, Monday through Friday. These online groups may be a great option for readers who want to test the waters before joining a book group that meets regularly in person!
BookBar
Interested in grabbing a bite to eat while enjoying a good book? BookBar offers a selection of snacks and drinks (including beer and wine) in their independent bookstore. The store has gathered many accolades, from being recognized as a Certifiably Green Business in Denver to their charity efforts through BookBar’s non-profit sector, BookGive, which donates books to over half a dozen local organizations. Of course, BookBar has a number of book groups, too—Silent Book Club, Books in Translation Book Club, BookKid Book Club, and more. The store hosts events for local authors and writers as well, including a bi-monthly writing meet-up. Through their website, Readtribe, BookBar also provides networking to readers and book groups, and they offer to host book group meetings at the store. Interested groups should contact them for more information!
Pen & Podium Book Club 
Pen & Podium is a lecture series established by The Denver Post, where well-known writers are invited to speak about their work. The series has also formed its own book group, which discusses a book the week prior to an author’s visit and lecture. Authors featured in the 2019-2020 season include Andrew Sean Greer, author of Less, and Min Jin Lee, author of Pachinko (recommended in the Reading Group Choices 2018 guide!). This book group has limited space, so interested readers should join the Pen & Podium email list for updates regarding the group’s next meeting.
Alliance Française de Denver
Alliance Française de Denver offers classes and services to people interested in learning more about the French language and its culture. And what better way to accomplish this mission than through book groups? The European Book Club reads translated works by European authors, while the French Book Club reads French works (and holds discussions about them entirely in French!). Both groups are led by AFD members and volunteers.
Want more options? Check out our Book Store Group Tour, which visits some of the best independent bookstores to spotlight their book groups!