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July 21, 2021

Another month, another monthly challenge, and for July we leaned into the whole “book club thing” and made the challenge about getting more books, and supporting local libraries at the same time. That’s right, July’s challenge was to get a book from the library...

July 04, 2021

Welcome to Diamond Creek, about twenty clicks northeast of Melbourne, where they have parks and trees and wildlife, mud brick houses, more coffee and fish and chip shops than you can poke a stick at, a local barber who serves Laphraoig, and a bullock...

July 01, 2021

Dry July 2021 It’s been said by some that we’re actually a drinking club with a reading problem. Although this is usually said in a tongue in cheek fashion, it’s often a good idea to assess one’s drinking habits, and perhaps even take a...

June 23, 2021

On Finishing The Book by A. Goon I'm not in Tough Guy Book Club because I don't read enough. If anything I read too much. On the train, in bed, while brushing my teeth. I used to listen to audiobooks every night to fall...

May 15, 2021

#checkit Those who are familiar with TGBC, know we have a challenge every month; something other than reading that helps us lift our eyes and make sure we’re taking note of our surroundings; our loved ones, our hobbies and our health. June 2021. Winter....

April 30, 2021

The Age By Carolyn Webb April 30, 2021 It’s 7pm on a weeknight and 13 blokes are talking raucously over beers at a Collingwood pub once frequented by standover man Mark Brandon “Chopper” Read. Some wear black hoodies and scarves emblazoned with their logo...

April 15, 2021

As April rolled in it was time for a new monthly challenge, and this month it was #beerwithastranger (or “beer with a stranger” for those who don’t speak hashtag). Those who have been around awhile would know two things. One: we have a challenge...

March 31, 2021

Furphy Anthology 2020 Book Launch – March 2021 The Furphy Analogy 2020. Selected short stories from the Furphy Literary award. Existing and emerging writers, drawing on Australian experiences, events and tones. Tough Guy Book Club (TGBC) can take you places. Not just in the...

March 17, 2021

With the continuous growth of the club’s Geelong Chapter, we saw a great opportunity to expand geographically while also accommodating more Goons. And although Geelong is a great place, we wanted a bit of a sea change and looked a little further for this...

March 15, 2021

March brought one of the favourite monthly challenges, #otherhobby, and it’s been damn good seeing what Goons get up to when they’re not reading. We’re a book club for men, so it’s pretty obvious we all like sitting down with a book now and...

February 15, 2021

Seems a bit silly to say out loud but I’ve never been keen on going to see the doctor. I’m an Australian male and therefore tough, resilient and a “good ol’ common sense” mostly sees me right. I feel ok today so that must...

January 15, 2021

Ever had a favourite thing and wanted everyone to love it too? Yeah, we all have. A song, a film, a...book. TGBC isn't just a book club. It helps men connect. To be more social - to socialise, be part of a community. And...

November 18, 2020

Here we go again with yet another new Tough Guy Book Club chapter! The club has continued to expand far and wide, but this time we’ve expanded a little closer to home with a new chapter in Thornbury, in Melbourne’s inner north. It was...

November 01, 2020

With the gradual opening back up of Victoria it was time to get back into the pub. And with that, a new pub with a new chapter. The Royal Hotel in Mornington to be specific. In the lead up to the first meeting there...

October 01, 2020

The Tough Book Club camp is significant for many reasons, it’s a chance for goons from all over the country to catch up, do a lot or not much at all. It’s a chance to get away from whatever grind you face day to...

August 15, 2020

This month's challenge was relevant and tricky. It was about making the effort to recognise someone in service work doing a good job and exceeding expectations regardless of being noticed or not. Goons were asked to take notice of those quiet achievers out there...

July 30, 2020

We don’t normally like to pat ourselves on the back that much, but 2020 was an extraordinarily shit year for us all so we’re going to take some comfort in celebrating a win. Covid lockdown consumed a lot of our time and though as...

July 15, 2020

Name: James Barry aka JB JB Chapter: Footscray VIC Who are you: Fiancé, Goon, Chapter Sarge, Chapter Prez How long have you been with TGBC: Feb '16: Neil Gaiman "American Gods". Makes it 7 years. How did you end up coming to TGBC: Saw...

June 24, 2020

Tough Guy Book Club is a club for men who don't read enough. Or men who want to read more. Or men who read too much and need somebody to talk to about all the amazing and interesting shit they've been reading... look, you...

June 03, 2020

That's our thing, always has been, right from day one. We like to read, pubs, chat, think about what's going on with ourselves and the world around us, drink beer and read. So, what do we do when the pubs are all closed? And...

May 07, 2020

The challenge for May 2020, apart from finding a path through your hoarded toilet paper, was to show us something at home. How do you make your signature dish?, are you working on a renovation project?, an instrument or langauge you are learning, building...

April 01, 2020

TGBC is more than just a book club. Each month TGBC sets a challenge – a suggestion on an activity, thought or task - always angled at making a positive difference in a man's life. Somehow always topical; it might be a blood pressure...

March 17, 2020

2020 has thrown up more than its share of curveballs. Pressure around jobs, income, cancelled plans, changing circumstances and breaks in our day to day structure and routines impacted most people. True to the nature of Tough Guy Book Club - it’s much more...

January 09, 2020

Name: Lucas Earl Chapter: Southbank Who are you: I'm just your average late 20s early 30s bloke struggling to balance work, friendships, hobby and starting my own family. How long have you been with TGBC: Somewhere close to 4yrs, longer than I’ve been with...

December 20, 2019

Anticipation. End of Year Book Swap is all about anticipation. It’s not just about what treasure you’ll get in the mail from some far away Goon, it’s about the book that you source from your own collection, or that you buy and send off...