For generations, book clubs have offered more than conversation about the latest read. They’ve been a place for people to find each other and build lifelong connections.
In 2025, women in particular are turning to book clubs as a way to build friendship and community in an increasingly lonely world.
Just ask co-founder of Melbourne’s Amplify Bookstore, Jing Xuan Teo, who tells Women’s Agenda that the monthly book club run by her store has become a powerful way to bring the community together.
The book club launched in June this year and already has regulars who attend each month. Social connection is a key part of every event, Xuan says.
Amplify is Australia’s only bookstore that specialises in books written by people of colour. The book club takes place in the store’s designated ‘reading room’ and attracts a diverse group of people who are looking for deeper conversations and connection.
“There are a lot of book clubs out there, but [it’s not often] they feel like safe spaces for people of colour,” Xuan says.
“Amplify has really become a real safe space for people of colour, [where] they can express their ideas freely.”
Xuan says the book club has helped members to meet new people they otherwise may not have been able to connect with.
“After the first session or so, they might exchange Instagrams and numbers. It’s heartwarming to see,” she says.
“I’m really glad they’re making friends. And there’s always so much chatter before and after, and everyone’s getting along well.”
For Xuan, it’s also important to provide a space where people can come and be social but aren’t expected to drink alcohol.
“I think it’s really important in this day and age,” Xuan says. “[Many of us] are sober, or sober, curious, you know, I don’t always want to go out for a drink.”
“We always have snacks and also we provide a welcome [non-alcoholic] drink, like a mocktail, or a cup of tea.”
Sunday afternoon with The Cookbook Club
In Sydney, Mika Nakamura is the founder of The Cookbook Club, a self-proclaimed “no pressure” social club that brings like-minded people together once a month over a selected cookbook.
The premise is simple: pick a recipe from the book and bring a plate to share and meet new friends.
The Cookbook Club attracts mostly young women, who tend to come to the events solo in the hope of connecting with others. At a recent event, there was an undeniable buzz in the air as the group gathered to chat and eat.
“The Cookbook Club was initially a way for me to make friends,” Mika tells Women’s Agenda. “It was my own navigation of how to make friends in my 20s.”
“I was just out of high school, and the world was blocked off for that period [of life] when you’re supposed to be going out and meeting new people.”
“Not having those places where you can go and meet new people who are similar to you, was really hard.”
Loneliness, defined as the emotional experience that occurs when there is a gap between the social connections a person wants and the ones they actually have is a looming social problem.
According to the latest Medibank Loneliness Population Index, more than half of Australians feel lonely in a typical week. It’s quickly becoming a leading public health issue, with the World Health Organisation finding strong social connections can lead to better health and a longer life.
Mika says her events feel very communal, as everyone contributes by bringing a dish to share. The food is also a great segue to deeper conversations among people who tend more in common than they realise, she says.
“That shared experience of cooking and contributing to the table creates a real sense of belonging and community,” Mika says.
“It’s a beautiful way to help people form genuine friendships and feel part of something bigger, built around connection, warmth, and the simple joy of sharing food together.
‘A back door to friendship’: Gloss Book Club
Founder of the Gloss Book Club Erin Woodward, a Canadian, says the impetus for starting her very own book club came from feeling lonely in a new city.
“I was living in London, and I worked for a really small company. I worked with two other people my age and other than that, I didn’t really have a community,” Woodward tells Women’s Agenda.
“I thought ok, maybe I should join a book club. I went looking online for one and I couldn’t find one that spoke to specifically what I needed: I was looking for female friends.”
Her first book club event was held in London in 2008. She says there was immediate uptake, with so many women looking to connect. The Gloss Book Club has since become a global community of women, with book clubs held in locations across the world, including in Sydney and Melbourne.
“This was just something I was doing for myself and the women of London,” Woodward says.
“[Initially] we did have some British women in the book club, but I would say the majority were expats, and they had all come from elsewhere – Australia being one of those huge destinations.
“So, the women moved back to their own cities, and they just kept asking to take the book club with them.”
Woodward says one of the great things about the Gloss Book Club is how it helps women to step outside of their comfort zone in an increasingly digital world.
“Walking into a room full of people that you don’t know is terrifying, especially if you’re an introvert,” Woodward says.
“The book has always been that olive branch. If you don’t have anything in common with the person you sit next to, at least you can always talk about the book. It’s like the back door to friendship.”
Each month, between 15 and 20 women gather in Melbourne and Sydney for the book club.
Woodward also says the deeper conversations that arise during book discussions can help women to build more meaningful relationships with the others in the room.
“When you sit down and you have to discuss a character development or a big theme – it’s fascinating to sit beside someone you don’t know, and hear their opinion about it,” she says.
As the founder of Gloss, Woodward says the biggest thing she has to offer other women is human connection.
“Everywhere I go, we’re all on our phones. But I do feel like people put it on pause at the book club. They put it aside for at least a little while to connect in real life. And I think we need more spaces like that.”
Feature image credit: Olivia Gumienny.
To learn more about Medibank’s commitment to reducing loneliness head to We Are Lonely | Medibank.
Research commissioned by FiftyFive5 on behalf of Medibank. Research was conducted in July 2024, among a sample of (n=4,131) Australians.