The Rise of the Reading Club: or, The (Book)Worm Has Turned: or, Oprah, Indie Rock and Erotic Sex
What have Oprah and an English indie rock band and the sexually erotic “50 Shades of Grey” got in common?
We’ll come to that shortly. For now, tell me, do you a) like reading? and b) like meeting other bookworms, and perhaps even talking about your passion? If so, then read on, my bibliophilic friend. There’s a new social gathering on the scene — that being reading parties.
For the past few years, but particularly for the past year and a bit, people have been meeting up in public spaces, bars, parks and so on, to satisfy a couple of basic human needs: to be sociable, and to read a darn good page-turning story. Often there’s music, perhaps a carefully curated and relaxing playlist, maybe even some live jazz. And if you’re very lucky, a stunning view over a city that never sleeps but might occasionally make some time to shut up and read.
The amazing Silent Book Club formed over ten years ago in San Francisco, and now has literally thousands of, *ahem*, chapters in fifty countries. It pitches itself as ‘introvert happy hour,’ and it seems to be a wonderful experience, highly recommended. Along with the Silent Book Club, the trend has really taken off lately, with another new book club called Reading Rhythms, officially formed just over a year ago. ‘Not a book club, but a reading party,’ as they, themselves say. They have one simple goal — do some reading and hang out together.
Reading Rhythms is an organisation at the forefront of this new throng of page-turners. Bars provide a comfortable venue, suitable music and a place to meet other bibliophiles. Attendees can then sit and enjoy the ambience, either to read by themselves or to meet others who clearly have the same interest. And these events are attracting dozens of people, hundreds, even. Reading Rhythms even hosted one such event at the Edge observation deck in New York— at 1,100’ it’s the highest observation deck in the western hemisphere, and arguably, at that moment, the highest reading room the world has ever seen.
Another event was on the Red Stairs of New York’s Times Square at sunrise, with bestselling author, Nicholas Sparks handing out copies of his latest magnum opus. Other events are held in bars or microbreweries, with a deck of Bonding over Books cards on each table — an ice-breaking bibliophile’s version of Cards Against Humanity, to get some chat started. Potentially a good way to make friends, which has led many readers to delete their dating apps in favour of such events.
And it’s not just gatherings such as these which are on the rise. In the USA you’ve had Oprah’s book club since September 1996, and over here in the UK we have our very own, and slightly less-illustrious, Richard and Judy’s Book Club. And many other celebrities are embracing their inner bookworm by launching reading clubs as well, various of which can be found, of course, on Instagram. Florence from the amazing English indie rock band, Florence and the Machine, and Dakota Johnson of 50 Shades fame, and, oh, so many more… There’s a list at the end of this article, with links, but just don’t spend too long on your phone scrolling through the irresistible allure of ‘the Gram.’ Just remember to grab a book and start reading something worthwhile as well.
And if it’s a vampire thriller, dark fantasy or horror that you’re interested in, perhaps you might consider a new medieval vampire thriller series..? “Blood of the Damned,” book one of the Blood of the Dragon series by this author is due out later this year, and you can get the attached and FREE novella, “Speak of the Devil” right now. Go to my website, https://antonyjstanton.com for more details. And happy page-turning, my friend.
Silent Book Club
Reading Rhythms
Reading Rhythms | Not a book club. A reading party.
https://readingrhythms.co
Oprah’s Book Club
Oprah’s Book Club: Complete Reading List & Reviews
https://www.oprah.com/app/books.html
Richard and Judy’s Book Club
https://www.richardandjudy.co.uk
Dua Lipa: Service 95 reading club
https://dua-lipa.uk/dua-lipa/service95-book-club/
Dua Lipa UK • Your number one fansite for Dua Lipa –
Emma Watson — feminist book club called Our Shared Shelf, with a strong Goodreads presence
— currently dormant, but with a list of books already read.
Emma Roberts — Belletrist Book Club
https://www.instagram.com/belletrist
Belletrist (@belletrist) • Instagram photos and videos
Reese Witherspoon: books with a female lead
Natalie Portman: Nat’s Book Club
https://www.instagram.com/natsbookclub/
Florence Welch from #FlorenceandtheMachine :
Between Two Books
https://www.instagram.com/betweentwobooks/?hl=en
Between Two Books (@betweentwobooks) • Instagram photos and videos
Dakota Johnson, American actress of 50 Shades fame: the Tea Time Book Club https://www.instagram.com/teatime.pictures TeaTime.Pictures (@teatime.pictures) • Instagram photos and videos
Jenna Bush Hager
https://www.today.com/read-with-jenna
Written by : AJS
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