MADISON COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) — Have you ever wanted to join a book club but were put off by the idea of deadlines and discussions? The Silent Book Club might be just the thing for you!

Friends and global Silent Book Club founders Guinevere de la Mare and Laura Gluhanich would meet up at their neighborhood bar in San Fransisco to read in “companionable silence.” They said most of their attempts at book clubs hadn’t worked out. That’s when they came up with the concept.

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There’s no pressure to have a discussion or to scramble to finish a book, and you can read whatever you want. Several cities and towns across the United States have implemented chapters of the club, including Huntsville and Madison.

Brittney Carnell had been looking for book clubs and none of the ones she had found were what she wanted. She stumbled across SBC and asked Alex Lopez-Rogina if she wanted to help her start a chapter. In March of 2022, they started the Huntsville chapter.

“I personally don’t like deadlines. Life gets too busy sometimes, and I can’t keep up. And then I don’t want to show up to the meeting and be like, ‘Oh, I didn’t do the homework.'”

Stephanie Barnett had been looking for something similar when she started attending events with the Huntsville chapter. In October 2023, she began the Madison chapter.

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All three of the women agreed that finding a venue is the most difficult thing. The SBC brand has terms and conditions you agree to when starting a chapter. As far as the venues go, they offer suggestions, but as long as the venue is accessible there aren’t any strict guidelines.

“They just want you to communicate with the owner of the business and make sure that you’re cleaning up after yourselves and you’re not creating a disturbance or anything.”

They often meet at Gold Sprint, a coffee shop in Huntsville. Carnell said a lot of places close early on weeknights, especially if it involves coffee.

“A lot of places close really early. But this is a good space because it’s got coffee, tea, alcohol, whatever anybody wants to drink. And food… So, that’s also a big draw.”

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Coffee shops also offer an all-ages environment. While some chapters meet in bars, the Huntsville and Madison chapters meet in family-friendly venues so book lovers of any age can enjoy the book club. One member is in high school, and some adults bring their young children.

They meet several times a month in different locations. They have a set schedule, but on the last Wednesday of every month, they meet somewhere new. Carnell said they are experimenting with branching out to different locations. She said they are currently working on organizing an audiobook walk, where members meet up to walk and listen to their individual audiobooks.

Barnett said the Madison branch has met a few places and also has a set schedule, and have been to several different locations, like the Madison Public Library and, most recently, Edgar’s at Town Madison.

The SBC has also been a good way for people to meet. When asked what the highlights of their time with the chapter have been, Lopez-Rogina said the friendships.

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“It’s really cool seeing people like sitting around the table because there’s talking in the beginning and at the end and the little conversations that usually start out with like, ‘Oh what are you reading?’ And then by the end, people are like trading information. Trading phone numbers, Instagram handles.”

With the rapid population growth, they added that it has been a good way for newcomers to meet people in a new city without any pressure.

There’s no limit on what –or how– you can read either.

“When I was preparing for the Taylor Swift tour and I listened to an audiobook and bedazzled outfits at the table, so as long as you’re quiet and don’t disturb others, you can listen to an audiobook,” Carnell said.

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Readers bring all sorts of things to do while they read, whether it’s knitting or embroidery, even some who bring their laptops to work on their own writing.

The Huntsville chapter meets at 5:30-7 p.m. every first and third Monday at Gold Sprint, the second Friday at Piper and Leaf in Constitution Village and the last Wednesday of each month somewhere new. The Madison chapter meets at 5:30-7 p.m. on the second and fourth Monday of each month. You can find their full schedule, including meeting locations on their social media pages.

On Sunday, October 6, the Huntsville SBC and the Spicy Book Club will host a crossover event at Maple Hill Park. A snack spread will be available and readers can bring up to three books to participate in a book swap.

If you are interested in hosting a Silent Book Club event, you can reach out to them on Facebook or Instagram.

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