If you’ve been in book clubs you know how stressful and maddening they can be. People don’t read. Or they don’t read well. Or you hurry to get the reading done and don’t get to enjoy the book. Or someone always picks that super-long book about the economic history of some country you’ve never heard of.
Silent book clubs take this bother away: just show up, say hi (or not!), have a drink (or not!), and read whatever you brought!
We’re indebted to articles we’ve read about the original Silent Book Club, which inspires us and provides the model.
Follow us in any of these places!
I maintain an updated-monthly list of events, groups, and other stuff of interest to readers. Here’s the October list (opens in Google Docs).
Thursday, October 9, from 6 to 8 at Kahala Mall.
Meet at the enormous round table outside Whole Foods Market, if it’s available. Look for two hippos perched atop a book on the table, and you’ll know you found us. We’ll have the book exchange table again, so bring a book or two if you’d like to make room on your bookshelf.
We’ll follow roughly this schedule:
- 6:00 say hi (or not!), get something to eat or drink (or not!)
- 6:30 optional group photo, read whatever you’ve brought
- 7:30 chat or keep reading
We’re not rigid about time, so these are just approximations. 🙂
It’s been a bit noisy lately, so if you’re sensitive to the sounds of yelling kids, beeping trucks, and loud engines, bring some noise-canceling ear things if you have them.
Friday, October 10, from 6 to 8 at BeerLab HI (Beretania St. Location).
We are celebrating Silent Book Club’s 10th Anniversary by participating in this weekend’s Global Readathon. It will be just like our Thursday Kahala Mall meetups, but (a) we’re having a potluck so bring something to share (no poke please, since they sell great poke at BeerLab) if you can, but come anyway if you can’t! and (b) we are encouraging you to spend some money if you can, but come anyway if you can’t!
Check here to see what’s to eat and drink.
BeerLab HI at Beretania allows outside food, but not outside drink.
We’ll follow roughly this schedule:
- 6:00 say hi (or not!), get food and (if you can!) something to drink.
- 6:30 optional group photo, read whatever you’ve brought
- 7:30 chat or keep reading
We’re not rigid about time, so these are just approximations. 🙂
Tuesday, October 15.
We’re planning something, perhaps in Windward Oahu. Keep checking this space for details as they emerge!
Saturday, October 25, from 3:30 to 5:30 at Kawaikui Beach Park.
Kawaikui is on the far east end of Aina Haina, pretty much on the edge before entering Niu Valley going east. Free parking, shady trees, and a (public park) restroom.
Gina is hosting!
If the parking is full, maybe wait a few minutes to see if anyone leaves, and if not, the closest neighborhood parking is on Kirkwood, which is about a 7- to 10-minute walk from the beach park.
Look for her in a shady spot on the Waimanalo side of the park (the left side as you face the ocean). She has a table sign with a reading hippo on it.
Bring snacks and drinks if you want. Bring a chair or beach towel, and perhaps some sunscreen. Bring your physical books, ebooks, audio books, textbooks, comic books, or whatever!
We’ll chat a little, take a voluntary group photo, then read for about an hour, and then chat a little more. Socializing is totally optional, of course! Please add your name to our email list (if you’re not on it), and please take a Honolulu Silent Book Club sticker if you don’t already have one, a Honolulu Silent Book Club bookmark, and a couple of our calling cards so you can spread the love.
Wednesday, October 29, from 6 to whenever at Proof Social Club.
Proof Social Club is a bar in Downtown Honolulu where Chaplain Lane meets Fort Street Mall.
There is no program. Just show up, get something to eat or drink, read, and (if you like!) meet other book-lovers. Pasta Boys have said they’ll be there to provide reading fuel. Check out their Instagram to see what they might be offering!
We’ll have the book exchange table again, so bring a book or two if you’d like to make room on your bookshelf. The kitty lamps will also be there. And Proof has its own book exchange shelf, so please take a look there too!
Once again, if you can spell Mitchell for a half-hour shift at the greeting table, he would appreciate it. Please let me know if you can help.
Text mitchell at 830-255-7423 if you’d like a ride there, a ride home, company walking to or from your car or bus stop, or a long joke with a terrible punchline!