There is a phenomenon quietly tiptoeing around the world.
It is the ‘Silent Book Club’ movement.
In most book clubs the idea is that a group of people read the same book and then meet together to talk about it.
However, in a Silent Book Club, the members each bring their own book—and sit around and read!
Exactly the same thing you could do in your own lounge room—but, instead, you do it surrounded by people who also love books and reading so there is a sense of camaraderie.
There is even a website that co-ordinates such clubs around the word—called (of course!) the Silent Book Club, and they have their web own address: htts://silentbook.club.
At each meeting people arrive, greet each other, have a coffee together, then settle down and read their own books.
After an amount of time they take a break, and (if they feel like it) show people what they’re reading and explain why. It’s no new thing.
In October of last year, the Silent Book Clubs celebrated their 10th anniversary.
Here’s their explanation: ‘Silent Book Club is a global community of readers with 2,000 chapters in 60+ countries. There's no assigned reading — it's bring your own book. More than a million members gather in person, online, and in destinations around the world to read together and swap stories. All readers are welcome!’
They even have Silent Book Club retreats—holidays at some pleasing location, where you can lounge around for days amidst magnificent scenery doing what you do at your regular Silent Book Club meeting.
In Sydney, two sisters, Brittany and Ellese Ferdinands, have now founded a Silent Book Club for young women, called ‘books, bars, and Taylor Swift.’
And I’m not going to object!
Anything that gets the young reading is a Good Thing.
But Silent Book Clubs are not just for the young.
In fact, from the photos I’ve seen most of those who attend are older folk.
I quite like the idea—connection and a sense of community while doing something that is good for the soul.
The latest issue of The Spectator Australia is in newsagents now -- packed full of good reading, and with my 'Language' column in the back.
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BOOKS:
* My latest book is called Pray Like This. To look at prayer I do what I do in these Ozword columns: I go through the most famous prayer in the world (The Lord’s Prayer, also known as the Our Father) and unpack it word by word—each chapter being a short word-study on a key word in that prayer. There is a total of 21 words studies in all. To find out more, here’s a link to the publisher’s website (where you can buy a copy if you wish): Pray Like This – matthiasmedia.com.au
* My book is Sherlock Holmes: 5-Minute Mysteries -- containing 50 new stories I have written about the great detective. You can find it on Amazon. Just go to Amazon and type in Sherlock Holmes: 5-Minute Mysteries in the search panel. Or use this link: h Amazon.com.au : Sherlock Holmes 5-Minute Mysteries Kel Richards
* My book "Defending the Gospel" is now in a second, fully revised, edition. You can find it here: Defending the Gospel – matthiasmedia.com.au
* If you're looking for my recent book "Flash Jim" you'll find it here -- Flash Jim, The astonis
hing story of the convict fraudster who wrote Australia's first dictionary by Kel Richards | 9781460759769 | Booktopia
* You can find all Kel's books currently in print here -- Booktopia Search Results for 'kel richards'. We sell books, hardback, paperback, audio, CDs.
* And also here -- Amazon.com.au : Kel Richards
* And you'll find more here -- Search: 4 results found for "Kel Richards" – matthiasmedia.com.au
* Many of Kel's out of print books can be found at ABE Books -- Kel Richards - AbeBooks explaining words explain the term
BY THE WAY...
If you'd like to see my A-Z list of Aussie slang, you'll find it here in the Australian Geographic website -- A-Z list of Aussie slang. Here’s the link: The A-Z of Aussie slang - Australian Geographic
The liveliest part of this website is usually the Q and A page -- be sure to check it out from time to time.
