Join a book club at the Des Moines Public Library! All our locations have discussions each month. Check out the upcoming discussions below. Books may be picked up at the information desks of their respective libraries. Books & Bites books can be picked up at the Central Library.
To learn more about each book discussion, click "learn more".
Books & Bites
Tuesday, January 17, 6:30 PM | The Walnut (1417 Walnut Street)
Gods of Jade and Shadow, by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
The Mayan god of death sends a young woman on a harrowing, life-changing journey in this dark, one-of-a-kind fairy tale inspired by Mexican folklore
South Side Book Discussion
Thursday, January 19, 2 PM | South Side Library
Miss Benson's Beetle, by Rachel Joyce
From the bestselling author of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry comes an uplifting, irresistible novel about two women on a life-changing adventure, where they must risk everything, break all the rules, and discover their best selves - together.
YA for Adults Book Club
Thursday, January 19, 6 PM | Central Library
Cemetery Boys, by Aiden Thomas
A trans boy determined to prove his gender to his traditional Latinx family summons a ghost who refuses to leave.
East Side Book Discussion Group
Monday, January 23, 2 PM | East Side Library
The Lincoln Highway, by Amor Towles
The bestselling author of A Gentleman in Moscow and Rules of Civility and master of absorbing, sophisticated fiction returns with a stylish and propulsive novel set in 1950s America.
Forest Avenue Book Discussion
Monday, January 23, 6 PM | Forest Avenue Library
A gripping set of stories about the forces that shape girls and the adults they become. A wise and brilliant guide to transforming the self and our society.
Books That Will Change Your Life: A Nonfiction Book Club
Wednesday, January 25, 6 PM | Central Library
Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know, by Adam Grant
The bestselling author of Give and Take and Originals examines the critical art of rethinking: learning to question your opinions and open other people's minds, which can position you for excellence at work and wisdom in life.
Introverts Book Club
Tuesday, January 31, 6:30 PM | North Side Library
Love books and hate talking to people? Join like-minded readers as we sit quietly and read. Discussion optional and icebreakers forbidden. Bring your own book.
Reading on the Margins Book Discussion
Thursday, February 9, 6:30 PM | Franklin Avenue Library
Love in Color, by Bolu Babalola
In her debut collection, internationally acclaimed writer Bolu Babalola retells the most beautiful love stories from history and mythology with incredible new detail and vivacity. Focusing on the magical folktales of West Africa, Babalola also reimagines Greek myths, ancient legends from the Middle East, and stories from long-erased places.
Franklin Afternoon Book Discussion
Monday, February 13, 1 PM | Franklin Avenue Library
All That She Carried: The Journey of Ashley's Sack, a Black Family Keepsake, by Tiya Miles
A renowned historian traces the life of a single object handed down through three generations of Black women to craft a deeply layered and insightful testament to people who are left out of the archives.
Books & Bites
Tuesday, February 14, 6:30 PM | The Walnut (1417 Walnut Street)
The Secrets We Kept, by Lara Prescott
A thrilling tale of secretaries turned spies, of love and duty, and of sacrifice--inspired by the true story of the CIA plot to infiltrate the hearts and minds of Soviet Russia, not with propaganda, but with the greatest love story of the twentieth century: Doctor Zhivago.
South Side Book Discussion
Thursday, February 16, 2 PM | South Side Library
Read Dangerously: The Subversive Power of Literature in Troubled Times, by Azar Nafisi
The New York Times bestselling author of Reading Lolita in Tehran returns with a guide to the power of literature in turbulent times, arming readers with a resistance reading list, ranging from James Baldwin to Zora Neale Hurston to Margaret Atwood.
North Side Book Discussion
Tuesday, February 21, 2 PM | North Side Library
For anyone who has ever felt like they don't belong, Sigh, Gone shares an irreverent, funny, and moving tale of displacement and assimilation woven together with poignant themes from beloved works of classic literature.
Books That Will Change Your Life: A Nonfiction Book Club
Wednesday, February 22, 6 PM | Central Library
How to Be An Antiracist, by Ibram X. Kendi
From the National Book Award-winning author of Stamped from the Beginning comes a groundbreaking approach to understanding and uprooting racism and inequality in our society--and in ourselves.
East Side Book Discussion
Monday, February 27, 2 PM | East Side Library
The Secret Lives of Church Ladies, by Deesha Philyaw
The Secret Lives of Church Ladies explores the raw and tender places where Black women and girls dare to follow their desires and pursue a momentary reprieve from being good. The nine stories in this collection feature four generations of characters grappling with who they want to be in the world, caught as they are between the church's double standards and their own needs and passions.
Forest Avenue Book Discussion
Monday, February 27, 6 PM | Forest Avenue Library
Seek You: A Journey Through American Loneliness, by Kristen Radke
From the acclaimed author of Imagine Wanting Only This-- a timely and moving meditation on isolation and longing, both as individuals and as a society.
Introverts Book Club
Tuesday, February 28, 6:30 PM | North Side Library
Love books and hate talking to people? Join like-minded readers as we sit quietly and read. Discussion optional and icebreakers forbidden. Bring your own book.