Triad City Beat | At the Silent Book Club in Greensboro, relaxed reading is the goal

Featured photo: María Perdomo founded the Greensboro branch of the Silent Book Club with her friend in 2023. (Photo courtesy)

In the back of Scuppernong Books in downtown Greensboro, two members of a unique book club ponder how a ghost might read a book: all at once or by turning the pages one at a time? Another couple debate the length of their “to read” list on Goodreads.

Regular customers of the bookstore browse the “used” sections around the store and ask the reader group how the Silent Book Club works.

The Silent Book Club differs from others in that not all members read the same book, but rather participants read different books according to their taste and pace. There is no set schedule that requires a certain amount of reading or questions that need to be discussed.

On a recent Sunday, about a dozen members sat in a circle and introduced themselves, along with the books they had brought to read. Their preferences range from Critical digital pedagogy: A collection To The yellow wallpaper To The biggest beer run of all time.

One participant presents a book he brought last time, but then decides halfway through that he would rather crochet. Some participants bring Kindles or audio books.

The group then begins silent reading for an hour.

María Perdomo founded and hosted the first meeting of the Silent Book Club in Greensboro with her friend Eddison Wilkinson in November 2019 after hearing about the idea on NPR. She had returned to Greensboro and wanted to find a community.

“It’s really important to me to take the pressure off of reading,” says Perdomo. “To take away some of the stereotypes of what we think reading is.”

Guinevere de la Mare and Laura Gluhanich of San Francisco developed the concept in 2012 after realizing they enjoyed reading with other people but didn’t like the pressure of book clubs. Since then, book club spin-offs have sprung up all over the world.

After the club was put on hold during the pandemic, Perdomo revived the book club in March 2023, this time alone.

One of the advantages of the Silent Book Club is that it can easily be customized depending on the city in which it takes place.

Consistency is the best strategy for the Greensboro branch, Perdomo says. That includes meeting at Scuppernong Books every second Sunday of the month from noon to 2 p.m. The space works well because it’s quiet enough for members to focus, but there are enough customers that conversations from the book club aren’t disruptive.

Elizabeth Lantzas recently moved to Greensboro and wanted to find a community that shared her interests.

“It seemed like a good way to do it without any pressure,” Lantzas says.

Members comment on how it feels to have an hour of uninterrupted reading time, Perdomo says.

“For many people, whether they are parents or have a busy work schedule, they find it a relief when they can do it and get through it,” says Perdomo.

Another aspect of book club that participants find helpful is accountability.

“Some people might find it strange to read with a group of strangers. I think it provides a sense of accountability that is really important,” says Perdomo.

For example, when she starts looking at her phone, she feels the urge to start reading again and get back on task through the informal accountability that group members have among each other.

There’s pressure on social media to read quickly, Perdomo says. This leaves some readers feeling inadequate, Perdomo adds. Instead, Perdomo tries to frame some of the terms used to describe reading in more positive terms. If a participant calls themselves a slow reader because they returned to book club with the same book as last month, she does her best to correct them immediately.

“It stops us from enjoying literature, reading books and talking about them. You don’t have to be a certain type of person to read a book, share it with others and enjoy it,” says Perdomo.

She believes this is what sets this book club apart from others.

“I really try to make sure we say, ‘It’s OK if it took you a year to read the book. We don’t think much of you as long as you liked it,'” Perdomo says.

Kim Mercer attended three meetings.

“Reading is a solitary activity, and yet here we are all book readers,” says Mercer. “It can be difficult to find that community, and this is a way to find companionship, even though it is a solitary activity.”

The Silent Book Club meets every second Sunday of the month from 12pm to 2pm at Scuppernong Books. The next meeting is July 14th. Stay up to date at scuppernongbooks.com or on Instagram @silentbookclubgso.