Earlier this week Trident Booksellers & Cafe in Boston, Mass., held its fifth "Silent Book Club," a monthly event during which customers sit down for an hour of silent reading time. The two-hour event begins with a 30-minute window for customers to socialize and order food and drink, before settling down for an hour of reading. After that, there is another half-hour window for more socializing and wrap-up.
"It's not a book club, just a space for people to commit to reading," explained store manager Courtney Flynn. "I think with all the distractions technology gives us, people really enjoy coming to a place where the only expectation is to pick up a book."
Trident's Silent Book Club is part of a network of Silent Book Club meetups in more than 50 cities around the world. Bookseller Manasa Davuluri is a volunteer host of the Boston chapter. No specific books are assigned; customers are encouraged to simply bring whatever they are currently reading. Attendance costs $5, which serves as a voucher toward any food or drink that customers may order.