Come Alone by Meet & Mint Events you can go to on your own

Book clubs & reading nights · Vienna

Book clubs in Vienna, come alone, bring a book.

16 upcoming book clubs, readings, poetry nights and author talks in Vienna at 16 venues — all easy to walk into on your own.

Architekturzentrum Wien1 upcoming

Wed2Dec
Free
CultureVienna
18:00–22:00

Was kann Architektur? Tribute to Angelika Fitz, Az W, Vienna

Architekturzentrum Wien

On Wednesday 2 December 2026 at 18:00 the Architekturzentrum Wien at Museumsplatz 1 in Vienna hosts Was kann Architektur?, a lecture, tribute and get-together. The evening is a tribute to Angelika Fitz, who ends her ten years as director of the Az W. The listing describes her as a curator, theorist and director who shaped the international architecture debate and developed the museum into one of the most distinctive institutions for current debates. She took office in 2017 under the motto Was kann Architektur? and started exhibition themes that look behind the scenes of planning and building, on standards, land and resources. Together with Elke Krasny she introduced the idea of care into architecture and urbanism. The evening looks back on ten years of the Az W with numerous guests. Admission is free and it runs from 18:00 to 22:00. A get-together after a lecture is easy to enjoy alone, since everyone there shares an interest in the same subject. «Der Abend lässt 10 Jahre Az W mit zahlreichen Gästen Revue passieren.» Starts 18:00, ends about 22:00. Source: Stadt Wien — Veranstaltungen on wien.gv.at (CC BY 4.0). The listing says admission is free and the evening runs from 18 to 22.

Bezirksmuseum Hernals1 upcoming

Wed9Dec
Free
CultureVienna
11:00–13:00

Shakespeare. Perfect Enough. Subtexte. Hernals., Vienna

Bezirksmuseum Hernals

On Wednesday 9 December 2026 at 11:00 the Bezirksmuseum Hernals at Hernalser Hauptstraße 72-74 in Vienna hosts the performance Shakespeare. Perfect Enough. Subtexte. Hernals. The listing says it consists of four monologues and two scenes, each pairing an original Shakespeare text with a subtext written by Lukas Johne, combined with songs. The voices are Temora, Shylock, Othello and Hamlet. It describes the evening as a mix of a staged reading and a performed monologue in which the actor Lukas Johne plays only one role, Hamlet, and lends his voice but not his body to the others. He reads, he does not act, and he sings, about grief, revenge, anger, despair, betrayal, prejudice and longing. Entry is free and the listing marks the venue as barrier-free. The session runs from 11:00 to 13:00. A reading like this is easy to attend alone, since the audience simply listens together. «Die Performance besteht aus 4 Monologen und 2 Szenen» Starts 11:00, ends about 13:00. Source: Stadt Wien — Veranstaltungen on wien.gv.at (CC BY 4.0). The listing gives the entry as free and the time as 11:00 to 13:00.

Bruno-Marek-Allee 51 upcoming

Sun13Dec
SocialVienna
19:30–22:00

Open Mic statt Stille Nacht!, Bruno-Marek-Allee 5, Vienna

Bruno-Marek-Allee 5

On Sunday 13 December 2026 at 19:30 an open mic evening called Open Mic statt Stille Nacht! takes place at Bruno-Marek-Allee 5 in Vienna, organised by the Verein Nordstern. The listing invites anyone who sings, reads, dances or has another talent to take the stage, and invites everyone else to spend a special evening together in the hall. Those who want to perform are asked to register by 1 December 2026 by email to the organiser. The audience is told to come, listen, marvel and applaud, with known and still hidden talents from the Nordbahnviertel promised. The ticket price is 5 euros, sold through Kupfticket, and the evening runs from 19:30 to 22:00. The venue is listed as accessible. An open stage evening is easy to attend alone, since the audience is there to listen and applaud together. «Die Bühne gehört den Mutigen - der Saal uns allen.» Starts 19:30, ends about 22:00. Source: Stadt Wien — Veranstaltungen on wien.gv.at (CC BY 4.0). The listing gives the price as 5 euros and the time as 19:30 to 22:00.

Ehrbar Saal1 upcoming

Sat19Dec
MusicVienna
19:30–21:00

CroVox FEMMINA: Adriatic Songs & Passion, Ehrbar Saal, Vienna

Ehrbar Saal

On Saturday 19 December 2026 at 19:30 the Ehrbar Saal at Mühlgasse 30 in Vienna hosts CroVox Vienna 2026 - FEMMINA: Adriatic Songs & Passion. The listing presents three singers, the soprano Tanja Ruždjak and the mezzo-sopranos Martina Menegoni and Nina Tarandek, in a varied programme full of passion, poetry and Mediterranean sound colours. At its centre are works by Croatian composers and the link between art song, opera and musical tradition. The evening opens a musical dialogue between Croatian cultural heritage and European vocal art. CroVox Vienna is described as a new international festival platform that carries Croatian vocal art into the European cultural space. The listing does not give a clear ticket price, and it does not say how to book. The concert runs from 19:30 to 21:00. A vocal recital like this is easy to enjoy alone, since people are there to listen to the same music. «Die Sopranistin Tanja Ruždjak und die Mezzosopranistinnen Martina Menegoni und Nina Tarandek präsentieren ein facettenreiches Programm» Starts 19:30, ends about 21:00. Source: Stadt Wien — Veranstaltungen on wien.gv.at (CC BY 4.0). The listing gives the time as 19:30 to 21:00 but does not clearly state a ticket price.

Galerie des Polnischen Instituts Wien1 upcoming

Thu10Dec
Free
CultureVienna
18:30–20:00

Talk on Erna Rosenstein, painter and poet, Polish Institute, Vienna

Galerie des Polnischen Instituts Wien

On Thursday 10 December 2026 at 18:30 the Gallery of the Polish Institute at Am Gestade 7 in Vienna hosts a conversation on Erna Rosenstein as painter, poet and fairy-tale author. It is the second talk in a series that accompanies the exhibition Erna Rosenstein. Beyond Silence at the Lower Belvedere. The exhibition curator Stephanie Auer and the literary scholar Jarosław Borowiec discuss Rosenstein's layered work, the interplay between image and language, recurring motifs and how her personal and historical experiences are written into her art. The listing describes Rosenstein, who lived from 1913 to 2004, as one of the most important voices in twentieth-century Polish art and literature. Entry is free but online registration is required. The listing gives no end time, so the finish is estimated. A talk like this is easy to attend alone, since guests are there to listen and ask about one artist. «Gesprächsreihe zur aktuellen Ausstellung Erna Rosenstein» Starts 18:30, ends about 20:00. Source: Stadt Wien — Veranstaltungen on wien.gv.at (CC BY 4.0). The listing gives no end time, so the end shown is estimated. The listing says Gratis, gives the start as 18:30 and says registration is required online.

GenussSpiegel1 upcoming

Thu3Dec
Free
CultureVienna
19:30–21:00

Herlicek im Advent, staged reading at GenussSpiegel, Vienna Liesing

GenussSpiegel

On Thursday 3 December 2026 at 19:30 the small arts cafe GenussSpiegel in Vienna's Liesing district presents Herlicek im Advent, a staged reading with the author Bernd Watzka. The listing describes Herlicek as an invented figure, a grumpy Viennese original with a big heart who is both a quirky petty bourgeois and a heroic daredevil, and who never gives up. He appears in a new comedy series from Vienna created by Watzka, and this special edition is devoted entirely to Advent and Christmas time. The evening is supported by the culture budget of the district of Liesing. Entry is free, and the organiser asks for registration by email or phone. The listing gives a start from 19:30 and no end time, so about an hour and a half is expected. A small reading in a cafe is easy to attend alone, since the audience is small and friendly. «Ein grantiges Wiener Original mit großem Herz entdeckt Weihnachten» Starts 19:30, ends about 21:00. Source: Stadt Wien — Veranstaltungen on wien.gv.at (CC BY 4.0). The listing gives no end time, so the end shown is estimated. The listing gives free entry, a start from 19:30 and registration by email or phone requested.

Gleis 211 upcoming

Fri11Dec
LearningVienna
18:00–21:00

Alchemy symbols in the AI age, workshop, Gleis 21, Vienna

Gleis 21

On Friday 11 December 2026 at 18:00 Gleis 21 in Vienna hosts the first part of an interactive depth-psychology workshop titled Kollektive Symbole der Alchemie im KI-Zeitalter. The listing describes a bridge between analytical psychology after C.G. Jung, historical alchemical symbols and the current confrontation between humans and machines. The Friday evening runs from 18:00 to 21:00 and offers theory and background from literature, art and psychology. A second part follows on Saturday 12 December from 10:00 to 17:00, with practical creative self-exploration using multimedia in a protected setting. The workshop is led by Brigitte Koris-Keeling, a psychoanalyst and art therapist, and Stephen Louis Keeling, a university professor of mathematics and analytical psychology. The price is 130 euros in advance and 150 euros at the door. A workshop like this is easy to attend alone, because everyone arrives to explore the same ideas together. «Ein interaktiver Tiefenpsychologie-Workshop über das spannende Zusammenspiel von menschlicher Seele, uralten alchemistischen Symbolen und der modernen KI» Starts 18:00, ends about 21:00. Source: Stadt Wien — Veranstaltungen on wien.gv.at (CC BY 4.0). The listing gives an advance price of 130 euros and a door price of 150 euros, with the Friday session from 18:00 to 21:00.

Grand Café1 upcoming

Thu31Dec
Free
CultureVienna
19:00–21:00

Shakespeare. Perfect Enough. Subtexte., at Grand Café, Vienna

Grand Café

On Thursday 31 December 2026 at 19:00 the Grand Café at Lustkandlgasse 4 in Vienna's 9th district presents the performance Shakespeare. Perfect Enough. Subtexte. The listing says it consists of four monologues and two scenes, each pairing an original Shakespeare text with a subtext written by Lukas Johne, combined with songs. The voices named are Temora, Shylock, Othello and Hamlet. The evening is described as a mix of a staged reading and a performed monologue. The actor Lukas Johne plays only one role fully, Hamlet, and lends his voice and thoughts to the others, reading rather than acting, and he also sings. The themes include grief, revenge, rage, despair, betrayal, prejudice and longing. Entry is free, and the evening runs from 19:00 to 21:00. The organiser is the association Piercèd Heart. A reading with songs in a café is easy to attend alone, since everyone is there to listen. «Die Performance besteht aus 4 Monologen und 2 Szenen, jeweils einem Originaltext von Shakespeare und einem Subtext aus der Feder von Lukas Johne.» Starts 19:00, ends about 21:00. Source: Stadt Wien — Veranstaltungen on wien.gv.at (CC BY 4.0). The listing gives the price as Gratis and the time as 19:00 to 21:00.

Haus Hofmannsthal1 upcoming

Thu17Dec
CultureVienna
19:30–21:30

Es wird scho' glei' dumpa, Trude Marzik, Haus Hofmannsthal, Vienna

Haus Hofmannsthal

On Thursday 17 December 2026 at 19:30 Haus Hofmannsthal in Vienna presents Es wird scho' glei' dumpa, an evening of Christmas around the writer Trude Marzik. The listing says the festival of peace, joy and love is prepared literally and musically, with Wolfram Huber reading and Daniel Pusterhofer playing the Styrian accordion. According to the page it is by now a tradition in the house that the two artists tune their audience to the season with contemplative and cheerful texts and carols to sing along. This year Huber devotes himself mainly to the Viennese writer and her distinctive humour, while other authors report strange happenings at the manger. The evening runs from 19:30 to 21:30 at Reisnerstraße 37 in the third district. The price is 20 euros for students and association members and 25 euros as the standard ticket. A reading with songs is easy to enjoy alone, since the audience sings and laughs together. «Dem Fest des Friedens, der Freude und der Liebe wird an diesem Abend literarisch und musikalisch der Weg bereitet.» Starts 19:30, ends about 21:30. Source: Stadt Wien — Veranstaltungen on wien.gv.at (CC BY 4.0). The listing gives 20 euros for students and members and 25 euros as the standard price, from 19:30 to 21:30.

Kulturcafé Tachles1 upcoming

Wed23Dec
Free
CultureVienna
19:00–21:00

Culture Beats, staged reading with music, Kulturcafé Tachles, Vienna

Kulturcafé Tachles

On Wednesday 23 December 2026 at 19:00 the Kulturcafé Tachles at Karmeliterplatz 1 in Vienna hosts Culture Beats, a staged reading with Daniel Landau and Lukas Johne. The listing asks how strongly the culture that surrounds us as teenagers shapes our later lives, and where cultural history ends and religious history begins. In three episodes, Hollywood stars, dictators and homicide victims talk about their lives and longings, and the listing names Hedy Lamarr, Josef Stalin and Sharon Tate among the figures who meet in an abstract space for surprising dialogues. It promises respectful, quietly humorous entertainment with depth, plus music, as the two performers read and sing. The organiser is the association Piercèd Heart. Entry is free, and the evening runs from 19:00 to 21:00. A staged reading like this is easy to enjoy alone, since everyone is simply there to listen and take part in the conversation afterwards if they wish. «Wie sehr prägt die Kultur, die uns als Heranwachsende umgibt unser späteres Leben?» Starts 19:00, ends about 21:00. Source: Stadt Wien — Veranstaltungen on wien.gv.at (CC BY 4.0). The listing says entry is gratis and the event runs from 19:00 to 21:00.

Lesesaal der Wienbibliothek im Rathaus1 upcoming

Wed16Dec
Free
CultureVienna
18:30–20:00

Ernst Krenek Multitalent, music and readings, Wienbibliothek, Vienna

Lesesaal der Wienbibliothek im Rathaus

On Wednesday 16 December 2026 at 18:30 the reading room of the Wienbibliothek im Rathaus in Vienna hosts the evening Ernst Krenek Multitalent. The listing describes Krenek as one of the most important and many-sided composers of the 20th century, who was also a thinker, writer and teacher. The evening marks the 35th anniversary of his death on 22 December 1991 and keeps memories of him in focus. It combines a reading from Krenek's texts by the actor Stephan von der Decken with music, including his last completed composition, the Suite for mandolin and guitar, op. 242, played by Erika Hörwertner on mandolin and Olivia Mayer-Niepel on guitar. Marie-Therese Rudolph hosts the programme, which is run in cooperation with the Ernst-Krenek-Institut-Privatstiftung. Entry is free, and the evening runs from 18:30 to 20:00. A quiet reading and chamber music evening like this is easy to attend alone, since everyone comes to listen. «Er war ein herausragender Musiker, Denker, Literat und Pädagoge.» Starts 18:30, ends about 20:00. Source: Stadt Wien — Veranstaltungen on wien.gv.at (CC BY 4.0). The listing gives free entry and an end time of 20:00.

Palais Wilczek1 upcoming

Fri4Dec
Free
LearningVienna
18:15–20:30

Tag des 18. Jahrhunderts, lecture evening, Palais Wilczek, Vienna

Palais Wilczek

On Friday 4 December 2026 at 18:15 Palais Wilczek in Vienna is the setting for the Tag des 18. Jahrhunderts, the annual festive event of the Austrian Society for the Study of the Eighteenth Century, known as ÖGE18. The listing invites visitors to the evening and gives a three-part programme. First comes the presentation of the 2026 yearbook, titled Attributing Value to Space. Then new members of the society are welcomed. The main item is a keynote lecture by Sofia Baramova, titled Empire at a Crossroads, about the Habsburg monarchy and its failed expansion in the Balkans in the 18th century. The event is free of charge and runs from 18:15 to 20:30. Contact for questions is the society's secretary by email. A lecture evening like this is easy to attend alone, since the audience is there for the same subject and the pauses invite conversation. «Festvortrag von Sofia Baramova» Starts 18:15, ends about 20:30. Source: Stadt Wien — Veranstaltungen on wien.gv.at (CC BY 4.0). The listing gives free entry, 18:15 to 20:30, at Palais Wilczek.

Theater-Center-Forum1 upcoming

Tue15Dec
CultureVienna
19:30–21:30

Joesi Prokopetz, Filetspitzen, Theater-Center-Forum, Vienna

Theater-Center-Forum

On Tuesday 15 December 2026 at 19:30 the Theater-Center-Forum at Porzellangasse 50 in Vienna presents Filetspitzen, a cabaret reading with Joesi Prokopetz. The listing describes the evening as a delicacy, tender and tasty, and adds with a wink that Prokopetz cannot guarantee the tenderness, since the programme is in places somewhat awkward and, as the text puts it, pointed. It promises an evening full of pleasure that should leave the audience hungry for more, with laughter guaranteed but not at an intellectual basement level. The price is 39 euros, and the venue can be reached through its box office by email at kassa@theatercenterforum.com or by phone on +43 1 310 46 46. The evening runs from 19:30 to 21:30. A cabaret reading is easy to enjoy alone, since the shared laughter in the room does the work of breaking the ice. «Lachen? Selbstverständlich! Aber nicht im intellektuellen Souterrain.» Starts 19:30, ends about 21:30. Source: Stadt Wien — Veranstaltungen on wien.gv.at (CC BY 4.0). The listing gives the price as 39 euros and the hours as 19:30 to 21:30.

Volkstheater Wien, Rote Bar1 upcoming

Thu10Dec
Free
LearningVienna
20:00–21:00

Silvia Federici lecture, Capitalism in Ruins, Volkstheater, Vienna

Volkstheater Wien, Rote Bar

On Thursday 10 December 2026 at 20:00 the Rote Bar of the Volkstheater Wien in Vienna hosts a lecture by Silvia Federici titled Capitalism in Ruins and Feminist Alternatives. The listing describes Federici as a feminist scholar, author and activist who has for decades contributed to the theory and practice of struggles around social reproduction, gender, labour and the commons. The lecture is given in English and is presented by the Vienna Mosse-Lectures, whose contact is listed as burkhardt.wolf@univie.ac.at. The venue address is Arthur-Schnitzler-Platz 1 in the seventh district, and the listing marks the event as barrier-free. Entry is free, and the evening runs from 20:00 to 21:00. A single hour of talk is easy to attend alone, since the audience gathers around one speaker and one subject, and the listing does not mention any booking arrangement. «feministische Wissenschaftlerin, Autorin und Aktivistin, die seit Jahrzehnten einen Beitrag» Starts 20:00, ends about 21:00. Source: Stadt Wien — Veranstaltungen on wien.gv.at (CC BY 4.0). The city listing gives free entry, a start at 20:00 and an end at 21:00, with the talk in English.

ifk Arkade1 upcoming

Wed9Dec
Free
LearningVienna
18:15–19:30

ifk Lecture: Radical Transactions, ifk Arkade, Vienna

ifk Arkade

On Wednesday 9 December 2026 at 18:15 the ifk Arkade at Reichsratsstraße 17 in Vienna hosts an ifk Lecture by Miguel Llanos de la Guardia titled Radical Transactions. Broken Coins, Silver Flows, and the Problem of Intercultural Translation in the Early Modern Pacific. The listing explains that from the late sixteenth century huge amounts of silver flowed from the New World into China under the Ming and later the Qing dynasty. Manila played a central role as an intermediary, linking the mining regions of New Spain and Peru with Chinese markets and allowing wealth to circulate on a scale never seen before. The event is organised by the International Research Center for Cultural Studies. Entry is free, the talk runs from 18:15 to 19:30, and the listing also offers online participation by Zoom. A lecture is easy to attend alone, since the audience comes to listen and think about one subject. «flossen riesige Mengen Silber aus der Neuen Welt in das China» Starts 18:15, ends about 19:30. Source: Stadt Wien — Veranstaltungen on wien.gv.at (CC BY 4.0). The listing says Gratis and gives the time as 18:15 to 19:30, with online participation by Zoom also offered.

Österreichische Gesellschaft vom Goldenen Kreuze1 upcoming

Thu3Dec
Free
LearningVienna
18:30–20:00

Lecture on stroke prevention, Goldenes Kreuz society, Vienna

Österreichische Gesellschaft vom Goldenen Kreuze

On Thursday 3 December 2026 at 18:30 the Österreichische Gesellschaft vom Goldenen Kreuze in Vienna hosts a lecture titled Schlaganfall, meaning stroke. The listing says strokes are among the most common and most serious illnesses in Austria and asks which risk factors favour them, which warning signs must never be ignored and how a healthy lifestyle and targeted prevention can lower personal risk. Senior physician and lecturer Dr. Julia Ferrari answers these questions and shows what modern medicine offers in prevention, acute treatment and rehabilitation. She explains why fast action is vital in an emergency and why up to 90 percent of strokes could be avoided by influencing known risk factors, and the talk ends with practical everyday advice. Entry is free, and the listing offers registration. The lecture starts at 18:30 and is expected to last about an hour and a half. A talk like this is easy to attend alone, since everyone is there to learn. «Wie lässt sich das persönliche Schlaganfall-Risiko senken?» Starts 18:30, ends about 20:00. Source: Stadt Wien — Veranstaltungen on wien.gv.at (CC BY 4.0). The listing gives no end time, so the end shown is estimated. The listing gives free entry, a start from 18:30 and a registration link.

First time?

How to join a book club alone

  1. Check the book, then relax. Many groups welcome people who have not finished it — the official page says if reading ahead matters.
  2. Arrive five minutes early and tell the host it is your first time; they will introduce you.
  3. Say one thing — a line you liked or a question. That is enough for a first evening.
  4. Nothing that suits you? Host a silent reading night: 60 minutes silent, 15 minutes talk, phones away, any book, finish at a café.

Phrases in the local language for your evening: Phrases for tonight

Questions people ask

Where can I join a book club in Vienna?

This page lists 16 upcoming book clubs, readings, poetry nights and author talks in Vienna at 16 venues, from city open data. Public libraries and bookshops run most of them, and most are free.

Can I go alone to a book club in Vienna?

Yes. Most people at public book clubs and readings come alone; the host opens the conversation, and having finished the book is often optional. Arrive early and say it is your first time.

Is there a silent reading party in Vienna?

If none is listed, host one: create a free invite on party.comealone.app, pick a café, read silently for 60 minutes, talk for 15, phones away, any book.

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