The first time I ever heard of a silent book party was in a Twitter poll. The question was, “Would you attend a silent book party?” I didn’t vote yes because I wasn’t exactly sure what that was and why it would be pleasurable for me.
I made a note in my memo pad to remind me to find out more about it, and when I finally did, I had to admit it was a good idea. I had never thought of such a thing before! Unlike a book club meeting where everyone reads the assigned book beforehand and then meets to talk about it, the point of a silent book party is mainly to read.
A silent book party or silent reading party is one where people come to read in peace and quiet, then have discussions afterwards, with refreshments. During the allotted reading time, nobody is allowed to talk or speak to others in the room. Each person sits by themselves, reading whatever they chose to bring and sipping something, and there may or may not be low classical music playing in the background.
If you really can’t arrange such a package at home and you think it would be sheer bliss, then get thee to a silent book party!
Depending on your wiring, this may already appeal to you, or you may be wondering, why would anyone have to go to a party to do that?
Maybe you can’t find time and space to read undisturbed at home, or you actually need to get out of your house and this is a great reason to. Perhaps you’re not into books and you would like to be, so you need the extra motivation. Maybe you’re a social butterfly and being around people is almost always guaranteed to be fun for you. If any of this sounds like you, you would love this unique opportunity to go out, read, discuss and socialize. You can even discover new books if you peep at what others are reading, and the munchies are a plus as well.
There are also silent book parties where the discussion is optional; you simply read while you enjoy the refreshments, and then leave.
The energy produced by reading with others in a room is something that either works for you or doesn’t. It’s not the same as your house or a library, and that’s either great or not-so-great. Also, it sometimes depends on who “others” are, so don’t give up on the idea entirely. You may find that attending one where you know people works better for you than attending one with strangers, or vice versa.
The bottom line is, silent book parties aren’t for everyone, but if they’re for you, you will enjoy them tremendously.
I’m unlikely to attend a silent book party with people I don’t know – it’s just not my thing – but I wouldn’t mind hosting or attending one with friends. Even better, a silent book club where we meet on a regular basis to read whatever we want in silence and discuss afterwards, is one kind of book club I would totally enjoy!
Have you ever been to a silent book party? Do share your experience in the comments.