Since the first B.C. chapter started in Victoria, Silent Book Club has expanded across B.C.<\/p>\n
They’re not what you’d expect to find on a typical Monday night at a pub.<\/p>\n
People cheers-ing over\u00a0sports games? Yes. But a group of readers, silently pouring over books in tandem? That’s thanks to Malcolm Johnstone, who started B.C.’s\u00a0first Silent Book Club in Victoria in 2019. In months recent, the region’s West Shore has followed suit with one of their own.<\/p>\n
The phenomenon \u2013 which spans 57 countries \u2013 started in San Francisco in 2012 when friends Guinevere de la Mare and Laura Gluhanich read together at their neighbourhood wine bar. When their previous book clubs had fizzled out, they asked themselves: what about a book club where you could enjoy books, friends and drinks\u00a0without the homework?<\/p>\n
It’s an idea Johnstone latched onto:\u00a0all readers welcome, BYOBook. Just a group of people settling in for an hour of sustained silent reading, followed by a period of socializing and sharing about what they’re reading.<\/p>\n
“It’s like all my favourite parts of college literature classes,” explains co-admin, Kirsten Loran, a mom who loves reading but who\u00a0struggles to find dedicated time to do it (hence, the club).<\/p>\n
Since the Victoria chapter’s first official meet\u00a0in October 2019 at Bard and Banker, its grown to over 700 members\u00a0and has an average turnout of 8-12 members. The group has met at pubs, restaurants, coffee shops, the local library and in Beacon Hill Park and is mainly organized through Facebook.<\/p>\n
The West Shore chapter is organized by\u00a0Libris and\u00a0Victoria Wan, regular attendees of the Victoria chapter for a year and a half.<\/p>\n
“Many of our members were aware of the Victoria chapter but not willing or able to commute, so we’re happy to create a space for them with the West Shore chapter,” they said. “It’s a great event for introverts like us!”<\/p>\n
After reading time, the group does a round-table style conversation so everyone gets a chance to talk about their book \u2013 and even introverts get excited as they’re surrounded by people who are genuinely interested, said Loran.<\/p>\n
A fair question: is the reading portion\u00a0actually quiet?<\/p>\n
“It is usually fairly quiet,” she confirmed. “I enjoy hearing people giggling about funny passages quietly to themselves.”<\/p>\n
“Having the sound of a couple of glasses clink while I nibble on another yam fry and finish a chapter of a book I’ve been meaning to get around to is rewarding enough for me,” Johnstone added.<\/p>\n