While many of us have been reading for a long time, there’s no denying that reading has become an extremely popular pastime, just as books have become one of the hottest new accessories. With a whole ecosystem of celebrity book clubs and book recommendations, and bookish campaigns from major brands like Coach and Dior, books are becoming a huge part of culture, which is great news. What’s even greater is that people are using an often solitary activity to build community—whether through book clubs, online communities like Bookstagram and #BookTok, or even through reading retreats, fan conventions, book trivia and more.
I’ve already written about some of our most anticipated bookish events coming up this Fall, and profiled Book Bar, Toronto’s newest bookish venue that aims to make reading a community experience. Now, I wanted to dive deeper into another type of bookish community that’s been growing in popularity: silent book clubs.
While all silent book clubs operate differently, many offer more flexibility to readers. You don’t always have to read the same book or read at the same pace as others. Silent book clubs are often free to attend, and often support small businesses by partnering with local cafes, bars, and restaurants to host events. These events are becoming more and more popular for people looking to build and grow their bookish communities, with iterations popping up in Toronto, Mississauga, Ottawa, and around the world.
I spoke to a few people to understand the phenomenon of silent book clubs, how they work, and why people are drawn to them. I spoke with Milana and Lizz, founders of Silent Book Club Kitchener; Mikaela, a publishing professional and silent book club organizer and attendee; and Jordyn, a publishing professional who participates in a more casual version of a silent book club by going to cafes to read with her friends.
Why do you think people are drawn to silent book clubs?
Milana (Silent Book Club Kitchener – SBCK): After the pandemic, people were quite isolated, and I think many are craving connection with others and a sense of community. There’s something about those slower moments and that intentional, dedicated time to reading that brings people together. The craving for slower moments may also be why analogue activities are on the rise again.
Lizz (SBCK): It’s a great way to get out of your typical environment and spend time doing something you love with like-minded people! You get to read without being interrupted while visiting what might be a new cafe, enjoying treats, and chatting with folks afterwards.
Mikaela: I think some people feel intimidated by traditional book clubs because the expectation is that they should have read the mutually agreed-upon book before they meet with their group to discuss. Not everyone is able to read at the same pace and not everyone is gonna love the book that the club decides to read. A silent book club removes that pressure and offers more flexibility and accessibility to folks who want that communal reading experience.
Jordyn: I like to think of it as a parallel play style of spending time with people. We get the benefit of reading and seeing friends in a very low-stakes social setting. It also gives everyone a really easy pathway to connect with other people – we already know the topic at hand and we’ve all read the same thing, so there’s no awkward small talk. We’re missing third spaces and creating a space for people to read quietly feels like we’re rediscovering social interactions that are more casual and bring me back to a time where I could leave the house without accidentally spending $50+.
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What’s your favourite thing about silent book clubs?
Milana (SBCK): I love having a dedicated time for reading while enjoying a nice cup of tea or coffee and a treat. There’s something so comforting about the atmosphere, and being surrounded by other book lovers.
Lizz (SBCK): I love the little community we’ve built! Over the past year, we’ve seen a dedicated group of regulars attend, and every time we host a new event there are new folks who show up. We, along with our regulars, always get excited when new people join. Many of us have attended other local events together, borrow each other’s books, and become friends.
Mikaela: Dedicated reading time! Ironically, as a book editor, I feel like I rarely have time to read for pleasure, so a silent book club gives me the time and space to read books outside of my job.
Jordyn: There’s an easy comfort in reading quietly together that makes it enticing for me. I love that it’s an activity but it’s also relaxing—it doesn’t feel like we’ve spent the day busy-busy but I still feel fulfilled when it’s done.
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How do you build community through a silent activity?
Milana (SBCK): This has been our dream from the beginning! To build an inclusive community of readers. Our silent book club meets monthly at Café Clemetina in downtown Kitchener. It’s a nice way to connect with others while also doing something individually, but together. It takes the pressure off of socializing the entire time, but also provides that connection for people. It’s been so nice to see more regular faces on a monthly basis!
Lizz (SBCK): Building community is incredibly important to us. We always make sure to greet everyone when they arrive and do our best to remember their names. Our silent reading nights are structured so the first 30 minutes are for folks to arrive, grab a drink and chat. Then we have one hour of silent reading, followed by another 30 minutes for people to mingle. It gives the opportunity to read and interact with each other if you want to. We also have a “sign in” sheet where people can write down the books they’re reading, which helps as a conversation starter. At each event, we also have a table set up with a free book swap, so folks leave books they’re ready to part with and take a new one home. There’s always lots of chatter about what’s on the table, and people recommending whatever they’ve brought in. Having a shared common ground in our love of reading helps us make all of these connections.
Mikaela: Some people might think that a silent book club means that you’re reading silently for the entire time, but that’s not true! At least from my experience, the idea is that you bring your own book and you carve out space to read for a certain amount of time, and once time is up, you chat amongst the group about what you’re reading. Naturally, you build community by sharing book recommendations and talking about your interests. And sometimes, those conversations flow into other topics completely unrelated to books and you learn something new about each other.
Jordyn: For us, doing a silent reading/book club day allowed us to schedule time together without having to spend money on an outing. Because our version had us all reading the same book, we have a point of connection even if we didn’t get time to talk much about it. Some days, a single point of connection and a good book is all I need to feel part of a community.
As a reader, and an adult in my 30s with a close-knit friend group, I have always loved the idea of “parallel play” — doing our own things, but together. My friend group has been enjoying “parallel play days” for a few years, where the pressure is low, the vibes are casual, and everyone brings something to do (whether it’s a craft, work, or a hobby). We all hang out, and do our own thing, while occasionally having conversations. For us, this has been a great way to schedule time together, because if you need to be productive, you can be, while also offering the hits of dopamine you need from hanging out with some of your favourite people.
While I haven’t yet attended an official silent book club, I have often had hangouts that revolved around multiple people reading their own books, at their own pace, in the same place. In fact, that’s often my favourite kind of hangout. However, I plan to attend an official silent book club event next month, and am looking forward to using it as an opportunity to meet new people, mingle with friends, and schedule some time that’s set aside specifically for me to read.
If silent book clubs sound interesting to you, I encourage you to look into whether any are operating in your community. If there aren’t, consider starting one yourself—whether it’s a more casual small group hangout at your favourite cafe or bar, where you all take time to read, or perhaps opening it up to other members of your community and partnering with local organizations.
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Ameema Saeed (@ameemabackwards) is a storyteller, an avid bookworm, and a curator of very specific playlists and customized book recommendations. She’s a book reviewer, a Sensitivity Reader, a book buyer at Indigo Books & Music, and the Books Editor for She Does the City, where she writes and curates bookish content, and book recommendations. She enjoys bad puns, good food, dancing, and talking about feelings. She writes about books, big feelings, unruly bodies, and her lived experiences, and hopes to write your next favourite book one day. When she’s not reading books, she likes to talk about books (especially diverse books, and books by diverse authors) on her bookstagram: @ReadWithMeemz
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