5 Reasons to Try Big Book Club

With all that’s going on in the world these days, for many, it’s a time to ponder what has been, what is and what could be—both for our inner lives and the larger worlds we find ourselves in. That has a lot of us turning to…books.
What a perfect time, then, to open the doors to Big Book Club!
Building on Literary Kaleidoscope’s 30 years of books, lively discussion and impact, Big Book Club is taking this community of readers and its rich conversations forward.
If you’re new to this wonderfully welcoming and eclectic group, what makes Big Book Club so special, and why might you want to give it a try this September?
Here are 5 reasons to join Big BookClub:
1. Expert speakers & authors guide discussions
At Big Book Club, illuminating guest speakers help us consider contemporary issues in new and exciting ways—asking questions we might not have considered on our own and taking us all deeper, together.
Sometimes the speaker is a subject matter expert, sometimes it’s the author of the book.
For example, our first fall 2025 pick isThe Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley—and our speaker is Kelly Hewson.Big Book Club’s recent newsletter shared that Kelly taught composition, poetry, film, and post-colonial literatures at MRU—and that The Ministry of Time is “a witty romp through the ages, and a provocative look at colonialism, surveillance, love, and the question of who gets to write history. “

In October, our book pick is TheWidow’s Guide to Dead Bastards: A Memoir by Calgary writer Jessica Waite, whois also our guest speaker. November’s pick, Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt, is presented by guest speaker Natalie Meisner, a local poet/playwright and MRU professor.
- SEPTEMBER 17: Kelly Hewson presents The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley
- OCTOBER 15: Jessica Waite presents The Widow’s Guide to Dead Bastards
- NOVEMBER 19: Natalie Meisner presents Remarkably Bright Creatures
- JANUARY 21: Aritha Van Herk presents The Island of Missing Trees
We can’t wait to see what questions and ideas arise in these conversations.

2. It’s perfectly great if you haven’t read the book!
Our book picks set the stage for the conversation, and while reading ahead can help deepen your understanding of a book’s themes, you can absolutely delight in the discussion and have ‘aha’ moments if you haven’t read the book.
3. It’s more than a book club: it’s supporting a reading ecosystem
Yes, we read and we debate and we laugh. But a big part of Literary Kaleidoscope’s tradition goes beyond what’s on the page. Together, we’re:
*modeling the joy and importance of reading for one another and for future generations
*uniting early literacy supporters who also donate books and volunteer with Book Bank, CalgaryReads Big Book Sale, Rotary Club of Calgary and other organizations/initiatives that help us get kids reading
*uplifting emerging writers with scholarships to local English and Creative Writing students
Book by book, we’re fostering a love of reading and a thriving, reading city.
4. Big Book Club is the Calgary bookclub that meets in the morning
If you are a morning person, this is the Calgary book club for you! Many readers love to save late evenings for reading and getting ready for sleep, and this book club lets you protect that time.
We meet at 10:00-11:30 am at Marda Loop Community Hall—giving you plenty of time to enjoy the rest of your day plus lighter traffic.
5. The books and meet-ups are on the cheap
Owl’s Nest Books has been generous to give Big Book Club-goers a 10% discount on our book picks, and joining us is only $10 at the door to help cover the cost of the hall rental. Head to our website to join our newsletter for the upcoming links to register to guarantee your spot, or just bring $10 to the door.
That’s a fantastic deal on the talk and the book—and you can pay it forward by donating your copy to Calgary ReadsBig Book Sale, the proceeds of which help fund Big Book Club and early literacy initiatives that get kids reading!
What else is there to know? Learn more and get our monthly meeting dates in your calendar! We can’t wait to talk ideas with you.

volunteer
Help us collect, sort and sell books – or bring your energy to the clean-up party.
Learn morebuy books
Create your best to-be-read pile yet! Book a spot on Day 1 and 2—or enjoy a smaller crowd and great sales on other days.
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