Cincinnati is located on the boarder of Ohio and Kentucky in the Midwest of America. Its famous for its chili, which is sauce like and eaten with spaghetti – don’t knock it because it’s bloody good, but mostly because they take it very seriously! The city has a great library system, was briefly home to Mark Twain, and has a fantastic brewery scene and is fittingly home to a new Tough Buy Book Club (TGBC) chapter. TGBC is a network of men’s book clubs held pubs around the world, committed to putting decent conversation back in the pub and getting men reading books that lead to rowdy discussions.

Guy Wilkin is the president and founder of the Cincinnati chapter of TGBC. The journey began with a google search for ‘men’s book clubs.’ “There are a lot of book clubs in the city,” said Guy when asked why he started a chapter. “But the type of books and general vibe of them didn’t appeal to me.” After some online research of TGBC of the website and Pool Hall Facebook page, Guy reckoned he found the club he was looking for, and that there was a place for it in his community. “It appealed to me, so I was sure there must be others that would be into it too,” Guy said. It can be a daunting experience starting up a chapter. On the first night it was Guy and one other bloke, who found the Facebook event. “He hadn’t read the book, so we chatted about TGBC, and I told him about the book, so all in all it was a success.” We think so too! Some chapters start out with a single goon in attendance for a month or two, so Cincinnati was ahead of that from the start and now, only five meeting later, they are up to 6 in attendance and growing.

And it hasn’t all been confined to club nights, the Cincinnati chapter has already organized events outside of the first Wednesday of the month, which is bloody great to see. It makes for a tighter crew. In January all chapters were tasked with organising a social event, like a BBQ or picnic. With temps getting into the brass monkey territory of 20F (-7C), they decided a trip to Krohn Conservatory, an indoor botanical garden, would be a wise option – with a venture around tropical and desert environments. Four goons showed up and two brought their wives, ending the day in a brewery with an awesome vibe for a beer and chat. Challenges have also been enthusiastically embraced. “Me and another goon planted a tree together which was cool. I checked my blood sugar, and it was a little high but not concerning. In general, I need to be more proactive about my health at my age. Things are going to start falling apart quicker if I don't stay on top of them.” said Guy. “I'm going for the challenge coin this year (2024). I may not succeed but I'm going to try!”

So, what about the pub? When choosing a venue Guy looked for a convenient location, reasonable prices, locally owned, and somewhere with a laid-back vibe. This was all found at the Three Spirits Tavern. They have beer, wine, bourbon, and food, and the tables are great for conversation - you are sitting in a space that used to be the living room of a house that was built in the 1880s. The woodwork gives a cozy vibe for the colder months, and there is an outdoor patio (beer garden in metric) for the warmer months. Sounds fucking perfect! If you are in the Cincinnati area and looking to join some good blokes for some boisterous discussion – come along to the Three Spirits Tavern on the first Wednesday of the month, there is room for you at the table.