Your book club, in one place.
Stoa is a free app for book clubs. Members join from one link, with nothing to download.
- Free for every club, for good
- No ads or trackers
- Open source, MIT licensed
How it works
A month in a club.
Members join from one link and use Stoa in any browser. Here is what they do there.
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To start
Choose the next book
Anyone can suggest a book. Then everyone ranks the choices, and the book most of you want wins.
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Week 1
Find a night that works
Everyone marks the nights they're free, and the organizer picks one. Stoa takes RSVPs and sends a reminder with the address.
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Weeks 2 and 3
Talk while you read
Each book has its own thread. Quote a line, reply, and keep spoilers hidden until people catch up.
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Meeting night
Meet up
Your club's home page shows the next meeting, who's coming and what you're reading. We call it the Porch.
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After
Remember what you read
Finished books join a record of everything the club has read, with everyone's reviews. We call it the Painted Wall. The name is explained below.
Why it's called Stoa
Named for a porch in Athens.
In ancient Athens, a stoa was a long roofed colonnade on the public square. Anyone could walk in, and people met there to trade, argue and listen.
One of them, the Painted Stoa, was hung with paintings of famous battles. Around 300 BC Zeno began teaching there, and his followers were named after the place: the Stoics.
Stoa is that kind of place for a book club. Its main pages are named for parts of one.
- The PorchYour club's home page, where everyone meets.
- The ShelfBooks suggested for the next pick, and the vote.
- The Painted WallEvery book you've finished, with reviews. Named for the Painted Stoa.
The living voice and the intimacy of a common life will help you more than the written word.
Questions
Something else? Write to hello@stoareads.app.
Does everyone need to download an app?
No. It works in the browser on any phone or laptop, and can be added to a phone's home screen.
Why are there two addresses, stoareads.com and stoareads.app?
This site explains Stoa. Your club lives at stoareads.app, where invite links point.
Is it really free?
Yes, every feature, for every club. There's no paid plan.
Can our club have its own name, colors and logo?
Yes. Organizers set them in Settings.
We already have a club elsewhere. Can we move?
Yes. Start a club, share the invite link, and add the books you've already read. It takes an evening.