Silent Book Club Trend Sweeping Across Atlanta
Atlanta – For many, it’s a sight that raises eyebrows – scores of people congregated in coffee shops, completely engrossed in their books, a hush descending amongst them. This is not a traditional crowd of coffee drinkers, but an assembly of readers from the organization known as Atlanta Silent Book Club.
In bustling brew houses and bustling cafés, all you can hear during the meetings of Atlanta’s Silent Book Club is the rustling of pages turned by eager readers.
The Tale of the Silent Book Club
“Silent Book Club can be best described as an introvert’s happy hour,” according to Sophia Griesenhauer, who revived the Atlanta chapter of the club. “It creates an inviting environment for reading aficionados and those who have an inclination towards reading, to gather together, while each person reads their book of choice.”
She spun off the idea to start the Atlanta chapter after stumbling upon a social media post about a Silent Book Club in another city. The readers assemble three times a month at different venues throughout the city, relishing in the company of fellow book lovers and the mesmerizing silence that envelops them.
The Only Rule – Silence
“The only mandate during our Silent Book Club sessions is to stay silent during the one-hour reading period, nothing else,” Griesenhauer explains. “Before and after the silent reading time, readers are free to converse, discuss the books, or make recommendations.”
The Silent Book Club concept originated in 2012 in San Francisco. The Atlanta chapter, which lay inactive for some time, was restarted by Griesenhauer in December 2023. The number of attendees has seen a steady jump since the inception of the first meet-up, with an average of 150 people per meeting currently.
Readers Overrun Atlanta
An earlier meet-up at Ladybird on the BeltLine saw an amazing turnout of more than 250 silent readers taking over the restaurant. Griesenhauer’s aim is to partner with local businesses capable of accommodating these bookworms, while also showcasing various neighborhoods and businesses within Atlanta.
“While setting this up, my motive was not just to establish a reading community. It was also to induce a spirit of reinvestment in the City of Atlanta,” explained Griesenhauer.
The Vibrant Community of Readers
Apart from a shared love for reading, there is no prerequisite to be a part of the Silent Book Club. “Witnessing the mushrooming interest in a community of readers coming together has been a fun and an enriching experience,” Griesenhauer shared.
The Silent Book Club organizes three public meet-ups each month for which RSVPs are not required. However, for some smaller gatherings, such as author readings or even workout sessions, an RSVP is mandatory. Details regarding these sessions can be found on the Atlanta Silent Book Club’s Instagram handle, @AtlSilentBookClub.
The trend of Silent Book Clubs is not just confined to Atlanta, with other branches sprouting across the wider Metro Atlanta area.
