Meets 3rd Monday of the month at 10.15 

CDC Room C 

CONTACT: Carol (u3acapcoast@gmail.com)

We are reading "The Strays" by Australian author Emily Bitto for our next meeting on 16 February 2026.  This is Bitto's debut novel, and it was published in 2014 and won the Stella Prize in 2015.  One review states that it "weaves the past and the present in a complex and compelling exploration of belonging, loyalty and ambition."   With Robyn's guidance, we will find out if we agree.

We give scores (out of 10) to the books and put reviews on this page (see below), with an archive of reviews for all the books we've read, going back to November 2022. 

The Book Club has an arrangement with Livingstone Shire Council’s Yeppoon library to access sets of books from the State Library of Queensland. We are very appreciative of this service, as it allows members to read and discuss a particular book from the range each month.  

The books from a set are distributed to members of the group one month and the following month we meet to discuss that book and receive the book for the next month. Being in a Book Club encourages us to read a broader range of genres than we might otherwise, and allows us to learn from each other, not just about writing skills, but also the diverse range of topics raised in the books. We don’t always strictly stay on-topic, but that’s part of the enjoyment! 

This year, for some of our meetings, we will read a book chosen from the ABC's Top 100, thus adding some more popular, contemporary items to the range of books we read.

All group members are encouraged to contribute to the discussions which are respectful of others’ views, but also are usually lively, as every book produces a range of opinions. 

A different volunteer from the group opens and leads the discussion each month, which means fresh approaches and ideas are regularly introduced, so the Book Club doesn’t become stale.

Carol, Book Club Coordinator