Bookworms Unite: San Francisco's Best Book Clubs for Seniors

Looking to connect with fellow book lovers in San Francisco? Joining a book club can be a fantastic way to explore new literary worlds, engage in stimulating discussions, and forge lasting friendships. Whether you're a seasoned reader or just starting your literary journey, there's a book club in San Francisco to suit your interests.

Best-selling author Ann Patchett once wrote that book clubs are just excuses for friends to get together. And she’s right.

But they can be so much more. In fact, joining a book club is a way to make new good friends. You already share that deep love of reading, and interacting with other members – often older adults – enriches the reading experience, adding a layer of shared insight.

And, today, it’s never been easier to participate in book clubs – which are often formed around general reading or, sometimes, specific genres, from historical fiction and biographies to mysteries and science fiction. If there’s an interest, there’s a club.

Here are suggestions for finding a like-minded group that will offer numerous opportunities for enjoyment and making new friends. 

Your first start is the most logical (we’re talking about books, right, so let’s begin at the source). San Francisco has an enthusiastic, vibrant reading community, with a library system that, in 2023, broke all records by serving an average of 10,000 patrons per day. In addition to its gorgeous main hub on Larkin Street, the library has dozens of local, neighborhood branches that host book clubs as part of their outreach. The library website has a wealth of information about clubs throughout the city, many of which hold convenient daytime meetings. At Glen Park, there’s the Check ’em Out Bookclub, at West Portal there’s the West Portal Great Books Group and at the Presidio, there’s the Cozy Capers & Mysteries. 

There are even several Read Together/Silent Reading Clubs, including one in the Richmond branch. This new twist on book clubs began in 2012 in San Francisco and has gone global (54 countries and counting). Participants meet and bring a book, which they sit down and read in companionable silence, followed by a socialization period where they discuss what they’re reading with others. (These are amusingly referred to as BYOB clubs and Introvert Happy Hours!)

Yes, these bookstores still exist and are thriving. Bookshop West Portal offers a monthly Sunday morning book club that’s free and welcomes new members. B-Sides is a book club hosted by The Booksmith in the Haight neighborhood that specializes in non-mainstream books by lesser-known authors. Held after hours in the evening, it features cocktails and menu items. Rather than book clubs, some independents, such as Book Passage in the Ferry Building, host ticketed author events and readings, which allow book lovers to mingle before or after the event and enjoy the Q&A.

It seems there’s a MeetUp group for every interest, and book clubs are no exception. You can search for groups by genre (for instance, SF Bestseller Book Club, which devotes itself to fiction only from the “New York Times” bestseller list). This one meets monthly somewhere in San Francisco at a restaurant, where you can dine (or not). Or, say, San Francisco Fantasy and SciFi, which meets monthly at cafes and pubs around the city.

Ardent Facebook followers can scroll through the popular social media site and come up with online options such as the SF Book Discussion group, a local option that chooses classics, modern fiction and nonfiction. You can also try community-based pages such as Bay Area Book Lovers for suggestions. 

While online book groups don’t necessarily offer in-person opportunities for friendships, they still can create connections that may cross over to in-person. Book Passage’s Bibliophile Group, which is focused on contemporary literature, meets monthly via Zoom and has two expert, local group facilitators (plus, it’s always fun to visit the Ferry Building and stop into the store personally).

Community social groups can also be helpful in your search. The Jewish Community Center of San Francisco, which has offered an Evening Book Group for many years, recently restarted its afternoon group, which focuses on a mixture of fiction and nonfiction selections chosen by members.

Once you’re in a group, it’s fun to swap books among members to read for the next meeting if there’s time. Short of buying the next book and selling it afterward to a bookstore such as Green Apple for cash or credit, the San Francisco Public Library is still the best option to find that month’s selection. However, there’s likely to be a big demand for books on the shelf locally, so be sure to check them out quickly (some libraries will set aside copies of their book club selections for members – just ask). Some clubs publish the year’s monthly calendar, so you can always read ahead. And don’t forget, with just your (free) library card, you can download (also free) audiobooks and e-books, where you can adjust the volume, brightness and font size to suit your needs.

Finding a book club to join takes some effort, but the rewards are not only a good read, but also the possibility of making new friends to share your book with.