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.
Upcoming sessions
Folger Book Club: 'The Fraud' by Zadie Smith
Folger Book Club: 'The Fraud' by Zadie Smith
From acclaimed and bestselling novelist Zadie Smith, this kaleidoscopic work of historical fiction is set against the legal trial that divided Victorian England.
Thu, Aug 13, 2026, 6:30pm
Folger Book Club: 'Fair Rosaline' by Natasha Solomons
Folger Book Club: 'Fair Rosaline' by Natasha Solomons
Our September selection offers a very different perspective on Shakespeare’s iconic couple, giving voice to Romeo’s forgotten “love,” Rosaline.
Thu, Sep 3, 2026, 6:30pm
Folger Book Club: 'Diavola' by Jennifer Thorne
Folger Book Club: 'Diavola' by Jennifer Thorne
Our traditional spooky reads asks the question, what’s scarier: a Renaissance ghost bent on destruction, or spending a week-long vacation with one’s own family?
Thu, Oct 1, 2026, 6:30pm
Folger Book Club: 'Mona Acts Out' by Mischa Berlinski
Folger Book Club: 'Mona Acts Out' by Mischa Berlinski
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.
Thu, Nov 5, 2026, 6:30pm