In a world that can’t stop talking, a quiet revolution is underway with Canberra’s first Silent Book Club claiming a victory for introverts.

Unlike regular book clubs that dictate the reading material and time-limit (plus “great expectations” for intelligent discourse) the Silent Book Club at Café Stepping Stone in Strathnairn has no demands – just breathing-the-same-air socialising, conversation optional.

Café Stepping Stone’s community and marketing manager, Sita Sargeant, said the Silent Book Club turns traditional book club models on their head.

 “The Silent Book Club is a club where you can just sit in silence and read whatever you want, safe in the knowledge that no one expects anything from you,” Sita said. “If you decide you’re up for a conversation with the person sitting next to you, then it is perfectly acceptable to lean over and ask them what they’re reading – and more power to you.”

The power of introverts cannot be underestimated. Silent Book Clubs have gone global, with more than 500 chapters in 50 countries around the world. Demure members gather at bars, cafés, bookstores, libraries, and online to read together in quiet camaraderie.

The concept started in San Francisco in 2012 with a couple of friends who loved books but their attempts at book clubs had failed. This writer can relate.

My first and last book club involved a mad rush to finish the selected book and ensuing stress about having something half-intelligent to say. The Silent Book Club is self-explanatory – silence, books, companionship. No homework.

“At the very first one last year, we ended up having 14 people and I loved it,” Sita said. “People shared what they were reading and it was very casual, not forced. It wasn’t like we went around in a circle, no-one had to say their name or where they’re from. It’s a very low-pressure environment and I know that everyone left with a good book recommendation.”

Co-founder of Café Stepping Stone, Hannah Costello, said historic Strathnairn Homestead was a peaceful environment to sit in.

“It’s a very approachable group for people to join where they can still take time for themselves but be interactive,” Hannah said.

Café Stepping Stone has a strong philosophy of helping marginalised communities, such as employing refugee women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Its model is simply, inclusivity.

Sita said some people in Canberra struggled to make friends and to find community. There’s also something quite romantic about sitting in a café and reading, as opposed to staring blankly at your mobile phone.

The demographic for Strathnairn’s Silent Book Club is inter-generational, with about 60 per cent under 40 (including some uni students) and the rest over 40. The Strathnairn experiment has proven so popular that another chapter has just opened at Café Stepping Stone in Dickson.

Here’s how it works: Between 2pm and 2.30pm on a Sunday, you arrive, settle in with a drink, and maybe share what you’re reading. Between 2.30 and 3.30pm you enjoy a quiet, undisturbed reading hour. Between 3.30 and 4pm you have the option to socialise or just continue reading if you prefer.

Interestingly, with the absence of pressure to socialise, the very first Silent Book Club had great chit-chat. Only a couple of people opted to continue reading (while still keeping one ear on the conversation).

Sita believes the best thing about Silent Book Club is bringing together people who would never be in the same book club otherwise.

“As an adult, we don’t have that many opportunities besides work where you see the same people regularly. It’s an hour-and-a-half once a fortnight where you’re basically forced to stop. When do you have that time when you’re not checking your email or social media? I think it’s harder than it should be, especially when you’re more introverted and not into sports.”

The first rule of Silent Book Club: you don’t talk about Silent Book Club (just kidding). Spread the word, it’s open to everyone with no fees or age limits.

Silent Book Club meets fortnightly on Sundays from 2pm at Café Stepping Stone in Strathnairn and Dickson. Register at events.humanitix.com/stepping-stone-silent-book-club

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