Buying versus borrowing. Cover art. Yearly reading goals. Paper and Kindle and audiobooks. Color-coded bookshelves. Bookish dialogue enveloped the back corner high-top table where eight women circled, books in tow, awaiting their hour of silent reading among restaurant-goers out for a Sunday afternoon drink at Broken Top Bottle Shop last month. Because as much as introverts love a good reading day, at home, alone, what happens when the inevitable loneliness surfaces?
Affectionately referred to as “Introvert Happy Hour,” volunteer-led Silent Book Clubs around the world are attracting book lovers who want to read — and socialize — on their own terms. No traditional book club criteria. No voting on what book to read or getting stuck with a book of little interest. Here, book lovers read whatever they want, at their own pace; no assigned reading, no deadline. And best yet, no small talk required.
Bend Silent Book Club’s founding duo, Kristi Osborn and Christi Krumske, started a local chapter pre-pandemic and are now regaining traction after the group’s unexpected hiatus. In August 2023, they re-launched the group with a kickoff social hour at Cascade Lakes Brewery’s new Reed Market pub, and continue meeting monthly at various spots around town, including The Grove’s Waypoint brewery and cocktail bar and other fun local venues.
It started with the desire to read with friends and create a low barrier for introverts to meet other introverts without the constraints of traditional book clubs.
“I am not a fan of book clubs that make you read the same book that everyone else is reading.” Because, as co-founder Osborn shares, “Life is too short to waste on boring books.”
Among goals to grow diversity in their group, including representation of all gender identities and the BIPOC community, Bend Silent Book Club member Jamie Rose also hopes to host meetups in Redmond starting this month.
With a cozy fireplace, stone walls, exposed wooden beams striping the ceiling and the charm only an underground English-style pub can offer, staff of The Cellar (brewing cask-conditioned ales and serving savory pies and bites) realized its potential: the perfect setting for a Silent Book Club.
The Cellar’s first monthly meeting in January was an intimate affair. Low folky background music and soft golden lighting set the stage for six readers, including Cellar Man, Forest Howland, who read while manning the bar. The group was so invested in their books they flipped pages past the scheduled 7:30 pm break time, skipping the optional socializing time altogether, and continued reading for another half hour, closing down the pub with books in hands.
Kate Odneal, who didn’t waste any precious reading time after ordering a beer, says, “I used to devour books,” but now being a mother, lacks time and finds herself more screen-bound. Odneal went an entire hour and a half “without even thinking about [my phone].”
Held after the pub closes to the public every second Sunday from 6-8 pm, their next meeting is Sunday, Feb. 11. The Cellar’s Silent Book Club is unique in offering a public, indoor space without the typical hubbub.
With over 500 official chapters in 600+ cities, in over 50 countries, across six continents, Silent Book Clubs are the movement behind the mottos, “Bring Your Own Book” and “Sorry, I’m Booked,” emblazoned onto sweatshirts and mugs. They’re where the book-bound connect over page-turners, plot twists and protagonists, geek out about mystical realism, historical fiction, sci-fi and romantic comedies, recommend cherished authors, and debate which was better: the movie or the book. All events are free and support local businesses. Plus, they offer a reason for introverts to get out without the agonizing social pressures of hitting the local bar sans book.
Most chapters follow a similar, simple itinerary: 30 minutes to mingle and purchase bites and bevs, followed by a solid hour of personal reading time, ending with 30-45 minutes of optional socializing or continued reading.
It’s not uncommon for readers to join both a traditional book club and a Silent Book Club. The vibes are different. One offers more intentional conversation around a specific book, leading to fruitful discussion, the latter hosts dedicated reading time, much needed amid full schedules.
Leaders from Bend Silent Book Club and The Cellar Silent Book Club recently joined forces in a collaborative effort to expand the literary community these no-pressure book clubs offer. Monthly meeting information for both groups is available on the public Facebook Group, Bend Silent Book Club, or by emailing BendSilentBookClub@gmail.com.
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This article appears in Source Weekly February 8, 2024.
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