A quick search on the Silent Book Club website for chapters in my area yields 11 results within an hour’s driving distance. Surprisingly, there’s even one based out of the rural county where I live.

It’s not just my area of the map that’s densely populated with Silent Book Clubs, either. There are hundreds of chapters spread across the United States and Europe. A plethora of book lovers who want to assemble around a common goal – to gather together and read our own separate books in silence.

What Is Silent Book Club?

Silent Book Club is a worldwide movement with over 500 chapters in 50 countries. It began in 2012, when two friends who enjoyed going to bars to read quietly together thought others might want in on the fun.

The premise is simple – book lovers come together in a public space to enjoy a bit of socializing and a lot of reading. The main difference from a traditional book club is that there’s no assigned book. Instead, everyone brings their current read.

Discussion is optional, geared around sharing about the book you’re reading or your reading habits in general. Typically, conversation is reserved for the start and end of a meeting, with a stretch of quiet reading time in between.

In other words, Silent Book Club is an introvert’s paradise.

An Introvert’s Dream Social Activity

As a socially anxious, introverted bookworm, I’ve always yearned to read alone at a bar or restaurant. However, I rarely drum up the courage to do so, worrying about what everyone will think. I’ve enjoyed the occasional afternoon tucked away at a bar table at Olive Garden, but these moments are few and far between.

Similarly, I’ve also thought it’d be fun to join a book club, but I’ve never quite found the right fit. Many are based around genres like sci-fi or thrillers, which aren’t really my cup of tea. Turns out that while I’d love an excuse to eat charcuterie with other book lovers, I’m not keen on being told what to read. That’s something I got plenty of back in college and grad school, thanks very much.

When I stumbled across the idea of Silent Book Club, it immediately seemed like the perfect solution to both of these problems. I wouldn’t be alone at the bar or restaurant, so I didn’t have to feel too self conscious. And I could read whatever I wanted, engage in the conversation to the extent I was comfortable. Sign me all the way up.

When I discovered a local chapter in my small county, I forced myself to RSVP “going” and follow through. Thus, I found myself at a local brewery, Kindle in hand.

What It Was Like to Attend Silent Book Club

I arrived for the first Silent Book Club meeting the way I arrive to most social events – early and with a mildly upset stomach. I parked around the corner from the brewery, fifteen minutes before the scheduled start time. Then, I waited for an acceptable time to head for the brewery.

There was no reason to think the group would be hard to spot. About six or seven people were gathered at a large table just inside the door, and the leader had brought a sign-in sheet. It was immediately obvious where to go, and I hovered awkwardly until it was my turn to say hello and sign in.

Then, I took a seat and we all made small talk about our books and the old Kindle vs. physical debate. The group was an even split between those who’d brought ereaders and those with physical copies.

After introductions, I headed to the bar to order a pizza and a Diet Coke. We chatted a bit more about our current choices, then settled in for quiet reading.

In all, our group took up about five tables, a pretty impressive turnout for the first-ever meeting of this specific chapter. The silent reading time was nice, though the high-top bar table wasn’t the most comfortable space.

I did wonder what the other patrons thought of our group, circled up together with our books in silence. But I felt oddly at peace with it, content with my book and the quiet socialization of being alone-ish in public.

In theory, we’d come back together at the end of our reading time to discuss our books and say goodbyes. However, the reading time lingered on long after my tolerance for the stiff wooden chair, and I wound up leaving before this happened. I wasn’t the only one, which was fine since as the group was busily enjoying their books. And that’s the point of such a thing, isn’t it?

Why Are Silent Book Clubs So Popular Right Now?

Given that Silent Book Clubs have been around since 2012, they’re not quite a flash-in-the-pan trend. But they do seem to be spreading rapidly, at least in certain areas.

In fact, book clubs are having a bit of a moment in general. While it’s anyone’s guess why readers are so into Silent Book Club at the moment, I’ve got a few ideas.

We’re living in a time when many of us are simultaneously feeling socially isolated and burnt out. We want to connect with other human beings in person, and yet many of us lack the energy to hold extended discussion or force ourselves read books we’re not actually interested in.

Many more people work from home without casual interactions, and we’re looking for ways to meet people semi-organically. Yet the thought of spending hours in nebulous social situations with constant conversation when so many of us are exhausted is … a lot.

Enter, coming together for a little social time with the express purpose of mostly ignoring one another in favor of a little escapism into books we chose. It feels like the perfect solution.

Would I attend another Silent Book Club to get my semi-social fix? Absolutely I would, and in fact, I’m already registered for this month’s meeting. Here’s to finding ways to meet other book lovers who understand that sometimes, all we want to do is sit and quietly read.