Silent Book Club Atlanta Chapter Brings Readers, Accountability, and Camaraderie Together

If you’ve driven past Bold Monk Brewing, Ladybird, or other Atlanta hot spots recently, you may have noticed something unusual: a group of people reading independently in collective silence. Stumbling upon a Silent Book Club event might seem disconcerting without context, but the meetup is an increasingly popular way for people to read, socialize, and explore Atlanta.

Founded in San Francisco in 2012, the Silent Book Club has more than 500 chapters in 50 countries, including several in Georgia. Unlike a traditional book club, readers are encouraged to bring their own reading material and read it independently for an hour. This time is sandwiched between two periods of socialization. It’s a pressure-free way to read, meet new friends, and get out in the community. The concept is gaining traction on social media, with the Atlanta chapter alone having more than 18,000 followers on Instagram.

“I wanted to bring together a community of readers to reinvest in Atlanta,” says Sophia Griesenauer, a volunteer founder and leader of the Atlanta chapter who discovered the concept through social media. She started the chapter in November 2023 and has since held meetings three times a month. Typically, the Sunday schedule includes a “check-in and settle-in” period that lasts about 30 minutes, then a one-hour block for independent reading, followed by an hour of optional socialization. No reservation is required to participate.

For Griesenauer, who works at Home Depot in corporate communications, it has been interesting to observe the psychology at play during meetings. “I think there’s a lot to be said for doing something collective while also doing something individually,” she says. “Someone recently called it the side game of the soul, and I think that’s what we’re doing, bringing people together to give them an opportunity to engage if they want to, but also providing them with a safe, dedicated space to read. »

Griesenauer emphasizes that you can read whatever you want, however you want. People read books, self-help books, newspapers, listen to audiobooks, flip through Kindles and much more. “It’s what works for you,” she says. “We invited someone to an audiobook meet-and-greet, and then, after the silent reading hour was over, she took out her headphones and started crocheting.”

Meetups are held at some of Atlanta’s popular venues, such as the James Room, Dancing Goats Coffee, and the Daily. As the group grew, Griesenauer sought larger spaces. Her goal with each location is to help people find new places outside of their place of comfort and expose them to places in the community they might not have otherwise considered. She’s also adding smaller pop-up style meetups for more intimate gatherings, including a partnership with the Atlanta History Center to do an author talk and silent reading, and Sweat EXT at Ponce City Market to do a session training and silent reading.

In May, the group will meet at Atlanta Dairies, Steady Hand Beer Co. and Elsewhere Brewing.

For those outside the Atlanta city limits, there are chapters throughout the state, including Newnan, East Cobb (founded by Griesenauer’s mother), South Fulton, Decatur, Suwanee, and more. Visit the Silent Book Club website to find a chapter near you.