Metro Detroit silent book clubs gain popularity
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Silent book club attendees at a Fisher Theatre lounge. Photo: Courtesy of Christina Lefleur
Each month, the historic Fisher Theatre opens its doors to a silent book club — where dozens gather to read, with chit-chat strictly optional.
Between the lines: Silent book clubs are popping up nationwide as a low-pressure evolution of traditional clubs that assign a book for members to read and discuss.
- People bring their reading material and talk if they choose.
What they're saying: "It's sort of happy hour for introverts," Christina Lefleur, who owns Alcott's Attic bookstore in the Fisher Building and started the club.
- "It's a no-pressure night out. Some of these book clubs, it feels a bit like there's homework to do because there's assigned reading. With this, you're just bringing whatever you are currently enjoying."
Zoom out: Metro Detroit has more than a dozen clubs that meet at restaurants, libraries and other gathering places.
- Typically, meetings are broken up into blocks of time for reading and optional discussion.
- Clubs also meet in Charlotte, San Antonio, Atlanta and other cities.
Catch up quick: Lafleur says she started the club in August 2023 at Blossom Heath Park in St. Clair Shores with herself, her son and a neighbor.
- About a year ago, she opened Alcott's Attic inside the Fisher and moved the club there.
- Meetings are in the building's vintage lounges and have a speakeasy vibe.
- Tickets are complimentary with a one-drink minimum. The meeting reached capacity at 60 last month.
State of play: "I definitely got teased a bit when I started doing these and don't think anyone believed it would become so popular," Lafleur wrote in a follow-up email Tuesday after speaking to Axios. "This has been a wonderful way to build community though and so many friendships have been made."
💠Joe's thought bubble: I've attended a couple of silent book club meetings at The War Memorial in Grosse Pointe Farms. It was like going to a fancy library where I could read with good company and a glass of wine or hot tea. Would recommend!