Men’s Groups in Nashville
Meriwether Academy is a community of men in Nashville who meet to read, argue, eat well, and get outside together. Some come for a dinner lecture and stay for the book club. Some start on the trail. Most are looking for the same thing: friendship with men who take ideas and character seriously, and a reason to see them every week.
Three ways in
1. The weekly book club (free)
The Gentlemen’s Classics Book Club meets every week over coffee at 7 AM: Wednesdays in West Nashville and Tuesdays in Chattanooga. This fall the chapters are reading Plutarch’s Lives, one Life a week, in the Dryden translation. It costs nothing, and you can sign up at any point in the calendar. Join the Nashville chapter or the Chattanooga chapter.
2. Dinner lectures and workshops
Through the year we host evenings in Nashville built around a speaker, a good dinner, and the argument that follows. Recent guests include Dr. Alex Petkas on Plutarch’s Lysander, Dr. Benjamin Smith on Aquinas and citizenship, Dr. Mark Anderson of Belmont University on the ancient Greek path to a calm soul, Dr. Jason Pedicone of the Paideia Institute, Justin Shubow on civic architecture at Belmont Mansion, and author Joe Allen on technology and the Antichrist myth. Dinners are for gentlemen. See upcoming events.
3. Expeditions
We lead guided overnight trips into Tennessee’s wild places: a 16-mile backpacking trip through Savage Gulf State Park for men 18 and up, canoe voyages on the Buffalo River, and father-and-son campouts at Montgomery Bell State Park for boys 8 and up. Gear and food are provided on our backpacking trips, with a carpool from Nashville.
Who comes
Young professionals new to Nashville, fathers, veterans, tradesmen, students, and retirees. What they share is an appetite for serious conversation and a willingness to show up. No background in the classics is required; the reading is the preparation.
What men say
Meriwether Academy is rated 5.0 on Google from 44 reviews (October 2026). Two of the men who have joined us:
I’ve been looking for a group like this for a long time.
Nick
I didn’t think this was for me, now I’m glad I came.
Bill
Watch their stories and more in stories from past attendees.
Frequently asked questions
Is Meriwether Academy a school?
Not yet. Today Meriwether Academy is a Nashville 501(c)(3) community for men: the lectures, book clubs and expeditions on this page. Our long-term goal is to found a classical, screen-free boarding school for boys in Tennessee. Read about the school we are building.
How much does it cost?
The weekly book club is free. Dinner lectures and expeditions are ticketed; each event page lists the price and what it includes.
Is it a religious group?
Meriwether draws on the Western and Christian tradition; men of all faiths are welcome.
Where do events take place?
Dinners are held at private venues across Nashville; the exact location is sent to registered guests. The Nashville book club meets at a West Nashville coffee shop, and the Chattanooga chapter downtown. Expeditions depart from Nashville.
Do I need to know anything about the classics?
No. If you are new to Plutarch, start with How to Read Plutarch’s Lives. And yes, come to the book club even if you have not finished the week’s reading.
Why “Academy”?
We take our name from Meriwether Lewis, who led the Corps of Discovery across an unmapped continent. The community you can join today is the first part of a larger work: forming men, and in time founding a school where boys are formed the same way. Every dinner and every trip helps build it. Meet the board and Fellows.
Take the first step
See upcoming events · Join the Nashville book club · Or subscribe to our weekly letter below for essays, readings and invitations.