The first 30 minutes of a Silent Book Club are like a traditional reading group – with greetings and announcements, food and drinks.
Members of the Sarpy Silent Book Club enjoy their books at Soaring Wings Vineyard. “My goal is to fill their space with readers,” said Molly Boukal.
MOLLY BOUKAL
“It’s completely silent for an hour,” said Jessica Freedman.
There is no set book to discuss at these events. Readers can choose from a novel, a college textbook, or the DMV manual. Some people are catching up on traditional book club homework.
Molly Boukal, director of the Silent Book Club Sarpy, calls it an hour of self-care.
“For me, this is a perfect book club,” she said. “I don’t have to read anything specific. I can bring whatever I want to read.”
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The clubs have been a huge success. The Sarpy group has over 600 followers on its Facebook page. Freedman said as many as 350 people have attended the Omaha chapter’s events.
Hanna Pinneo leads a club in Lincoln, Nebraska, that has been around for years and meets every other Sunday. Freedman followed her advice to open a branch in Omaha last fall and helped Boukal get it started in April. There are more than 1,000 branches worldwide.
The Omaha Public Library is joining in and starting its own version called “Reading on the Go.”
Not everyone feels comfortable in a traditional book club, says Courtni Kopietz, marketing manager at OPL. Some may feel like they are more academic or sophisticated than necessary.
“It can be fun to find that community even if you’re not discussing the book,” she said. “It’s just a way to connect and socialize with other readers.”
Pinneo said the concept is popular because people often don’t want to read the books selected by their book club.
In quiet book clubs, on the other hand, “there is no judgement,” says Freedman, whether one wants to enjoy a pulp novel or an academic tome.
“The nice thing here is that you can read what you want to read,” she said.
The chapters are also great for people who don’t like talking about a book in a group setting. The national group describes its events as happy hours for introverts.
Boukal said participants do not have to say a word and can leave after the hour-long reading. Others can stay for the last half hour of the evening and chat or talk about their book.
A book swap table offers plenty of reading material, and just seeing what others are reading can inspire someone to try a new genre.
The benefits can go beyond being able to find an hour to read in a busy life.
Dundee Dell was one of the venues for the Silent Book Club Omaha. “I want people to explore not only books, but the city,” said organizer Jessica Freedman.
Jessica Freedman
A young mother thanked Freedman for an hour of peace and quiet. Another group of four became good friends.
It’s a boon for the venue, too. Boukal organizes events on a night when the Sarpy County area is usually not very busy. They offer a limited menu so everyone can be served quickly in the first 30 minutes of the event.
Boukal said Pause Coffee Shop in Ralston opened two nights just for the club. Soaring Wings Vineyard was able to feed 120 guests in half an hour. The events are free, but participants pay for their own food and drinks.
“My goal is to fill their space with readers,” Boukal said.
Their Sarpy club plans to meet at least once a month. Their next event is August 26th at Ollie & Hobbes Craft Kitchen in Papillion.
Freedman is still working out the details of her next event. She is scouting for locally owned venues in different parts of Omaha. One event was held at the UNO library and another at the Casual Pint of Countryside Village.
Wherever they go, they bring people together over their love of books and reading in a time of division, she said.
Boukal wants others to enjoy reading as much as she does.
“I read all the time. Every single day,” she said. “There’s not a day I miss. I might as well make it entertaining for everyone else.”
