Welcome to ‘introvert happy hour’ with new Silent Book Clubs in Iowa City, Cedar Rapids

IOWA CITY — Rows of wrapped books — keeping the novel inside a mystery — were lined up in the Iowa City Public Library on a recent weeknight as community members gathered for bookish camaraderie, culminating in a holiday book swap.

“Blind date with a THRILLER,” one book beckoned. “Fantasy Adventure,” called another, each with a brief description teasing the contents inside.

Tote bags were strewn across a table, about a dozen people circled around it while they chatted about books and decorated the bags that can be used to hold all their books from the library or store. Over an hour later, one green tote was designated as “My Stache of Books,” complete with a mustache doodle.

The gathering marked only the fifth meeting of Iowa City’s Silent Book Club and its first non-silent event. Cedar Rapids and Iowa City each in recent months have started local chapters of a group that is seeing growing popularity worldwide as book lovers embrace the idea of a low-commitment book club where they can find community with other voracious readers.

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Book clubs typically provide a space for people to read the same book in their own time, then gather to discuss it. At a Silent Book Club meeting, there’s dedicated time to socialize and grab a beverage, if desired, at the business where patrons are connecting. Then, everyone has time to read in silence. Attendees can bring any book of their choice, and it doesn’t have to be finished.

Emerson Craig, a student in the University of Iowa’s Spanish literature Ph.D. program, said the process for setting up a group took minimal effort. With the advice of the coordinators and founders of Silent Book Club at silentbook.club, Craig enlisted people to come, created social media accounts to announce meetings and made plans for the first meeting.

Originally from Massachusetts, Craig said it wasn’t until starting the local Silent Book Club that he truly felt like he was part of the Iowa City community. Being in one of just two American cities designated as a UNESCO City of Literature, Craig said he’s found people eager to embrace the club.

With students in the club’s attendee mix, Craig said what appeals to the Hawkeyes who are loaded with homework “is that freedom to choose what you want to read.” It’s essentially “introvert happy hour.”

“It is not having to feel like you have to slug through a book to go to the meeting, then if you don’t read the book you’re supposed to, you’re like, ‘Should I even go this time?’” Craig said.

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Engaging in book talk with other book lovers is like winning a personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut through its nearly 40-year-old BOOK IT! program that encourages children to read, Craig said. “It’s like that joy of reading when you were a kid all over again,” Craig said.

In the corner of the room, Marguerite Miller, 70, of Iowa City, read “The Children’s Book” by A.S. Byatt. Having tried to start a similar group before COVID-19’s global spread upended life in 2020, she’s been a regular attendee and a helping hand to Craig. The group’s winter reading bingo challenge has been a motivator for her to read consistently this season.

“I’m guessing we were all big readers when we were 8, 10, 12 (years old),” Miller said, before life’s distractions got in the way. “ … It’s nice to feel the community.”

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Brittany Anderson, 30, a graduate student in the UI’s anthropology Ph.D. program, said she came into the group not knowing anyone but seeking bookish spaces. Anderson appreciates having dedicated reading time — a rarity as a graduate student.

“I like that you have the freedom to choose whatever you want to read that week or that month,” Anderson said. “And you get to socialize with other people who read. Reading is an insular hobby in a lot of ways, and this is a way to gather with other people who enjoy doing the same thing you do, even if you don’t enjoy the same books.”

At Cedar Rapids’ second meeting last month at Iowa Brewing Co., books ranged from “The Christmas Fix” by Lucy Score, a fictional romance novel, to “Atomic Habits” by James Clear, a non-fiction hit for those resolving to build healthy habits that stick in the New Year.

Sierra Charnowski, one of the Cedar Rapids club organizers, said this type of group appealed to her because she doesn’t like assigned reading. Charnowski said she typically gravitates toward romance or memoirs, and has received recommendations about new authors or books that weren’t yet on her to-be-read list.

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“I have friends, but none of them are interested in books,” Charnowski said. “I don’t really have anybody to talk books with other than a couple of co-workers, but we don’t hang out outside of work. … I was like, OK, I want to be able to meet other people that are interested in books as well and get other options for books in different genres.”

Deanna Holmes, another Cedar Rapids club organizer, said she was looking for new ways to be involved in the community and meet new people.

Holmes said she tends to read mysteries and thrillers, but is expanding her literary horizons with fantasy or romance recommendations. Now she has people to bond with over fan theories on Rebecca Yarros’ fantasy series, The Empyrean — a viral sensation this year with the release of the first two books, “Fourth Wing” and “Iron Flame.”

“Being able to do something that I'm already doing by myself, but then make it something that I can meet other people while doing, was fantastic,” Holmes said. “And it’s perfect for those of us who have these hobbies that we love doing, but they aren't necessarily always social hobbies.”

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