Think all book clubs involve dissecting the latest bestseller — or neighborhood gossip — over cheese and wine? Well, here’s a plot twist: Across the country, people are gathering at bars, libraries, and other venues for Silent Book Club, where everyone shows up with their own books for uninterrupted reading time. To learn more about the novel idea, we spoke to Laura Gluhanich, co-founder of Silent Book Club — which now has more than 500 local chapters. Here’s what she had to say…

Q: How did you and your co-founder, Guinevere de la Mare, come up with the idea for Silent Book Club?

[At the time], we lived in San Francisco — we were a few blocks from one another, and we’d get dinner at a neighborhood restaurant every couple months. We’re the type of people who always have a book with us, so one time, we met up and we were both like, ‘Yeah, I could just read.’ The second time we did that, we planned it, calling it “Silent Book Club.” It was the two of us, and it was really just a way to get through some reading. Guinevere was a fairly new mother, so it gave her a chance to get some alone time, but out in the world ... Whereas I find it really hard to stay focused while reading at home. My phone gets in the way — even without my notifications being on … Ultimately, it started expanding through word of mouth and our own networks. 

Q: Had you or Guinevere belonged to other book clubs?

I belonged to a few, and I think Guinevere had too. I was never great at [keeping up with the required reading], and I’d be nervous about going without doing the reading or not having anything insightful to say. I love reading — but I think I really love the choose-your-own-adventure style ... One of the biggest misconceptions is that we hate other book clubs or think they’re bad. We don’t. They’re just not the right fit for us … A lot of attendees come and read their book club books. It’s more about creating the time and space to read, versus saying ‘Here’s this particular book that we’ll all read and discuss.’ That’s what Silent Book Club provides. 

Q: What does the average Silent Book Club meeting look like?

Because of the name, people think we don’t talk at all. But when you show up to one, you’ll find out that it is social. You can socialize as much — or, as little — as you’d like ... The only rule is there’s no assigned reading. And, all readers are welcome, whether you prefer hard copies, e-readers, even audio books. Beyond that, there’s typically an arrival time, where people can settle in, get a beverage, crack open some snacks, and maybe engage in some light conversation … Some chapters also ask people to share their name and what they’re reading. Then, the organizer usually tells everyone, ‘Okay, time to read,’ and that may last 30, 45, or 60 minutes. After that, people often stick around and chat about what they’re reading and just about anything else.

Q: Did you ever think Silent Book Club would become so popular? 

Oh my gosh, no. [We’ve had] 76 new chapters added this year — which means we’re now up to 663 total chapters … In retrospect, it makes sense that a lot of people felt the way we did. And over the last four years, there’s obviously been a lot of people who missed making connections and getting together, and sort of forgot how to socialize. Once the [pandemic] lockdowns ended, I didn’t really know where to go to meet people — so it provided a nice, accessible way to connect again, which is probably why we’ve seen more growth post-lockdowns. People missed connection, but they also needed the framework to create that — to have somewhere they could show up and meet new people. 

Q: What are you currently reading, and what was the last great book you read?

I’m currently reading a book I got in my [Christmas] stocking, “Rear Window and Other Murderous Tales” by Cornell Woolrich. It’s a great [collection] of noir short stories, [many of which were originally published] around 70 or 80 years ago ... [For last great read], I have two: “Purple Hibiscus” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and “Elizabeth Finch” by Julian Barnes. They’re both incredible writers.