Folger's Virtual Book Club
Folger Book Club brings together readers for virtual discussions of novels that connect with Shakespeare and the Folger.
About the Book Club
Our informal Book Club is free and open to all. Our picks range from historical fiction to adaptations of Shakespeare’s plays, encompassing a wide variety of genres. Each session begins with a guest speaker exploring that month’s pick and highlighting items from the Folger collection related to the plot and themes of the novel. After the presentation, participants will be broken into smaller groups for breakout discussions, moderated by a team of staff and volunteers.
Fall book selections and dates
Folger Book Club is taking a break for the summer, but we’ll be back in August to discuss The Fraud by Zadie Smith. Read below to learn more about our upcoming discussions and purchase your copies of the books in advance from the online Folger Shop. Each Book Club discussion takes place virtually on Zoom and lasts about 90 minutes.
For a preview of the season, listen to this episode of The Perks of Being a Book Lover Podcast, in which the Folger’s Arts Engagement Program Manager emma poltrack discusses the history of Folger Book Club, explains how she selects books, and shares some thoughts on upcoming titles.
The Fraud by Zadie Smith
Thu, Aug 13, at 6:30pm ET
Registration opens Tue, Jul 7
Folger Book Club returns for a new season with this historical fiction novel set in 19th-century England.
Fair Rosaline by Natasha Solomons
Thu, Sep 3, at 6:30pm ET
Registration opens Tue, Aug 18
Our September selection offers a very different perspective on Shakespeare’s iconic couple, giving voice to Romeo’s forgotten “love,” Rosaline.
Diavola by Jennifer Thorne
Thu, Oct 1, at 6:30pm ET
Registration opens Tue, Sep 8
Folger Book Club’s traditional spooky read asks the question, what’s scarier: a Renaissance ghost bent on destruction, or spending a week-long vacation with your family?
Mona Acts Out by Mischa Berlinski
Thu, Nov 5, at 6:30pm ET
Registration opens Tue, Oct 6
In our November selection, a Shakespearean actor looks back on her life in the theater as she traverses present-day New York City one Thanksgiving morning.