A new Bangor book club is bringing strangers together to read in silence

On a sunny Friday evening when downtown Bangor is teeming with people eager to begin the weekend, a dozen people sit in a coffee shop in silence curled over books and e-readers.

The group is Bangor’s new chapter of the Silent Book Club, an international phenomenon in which people gather in cafes, stores and libraries to read together for an hour.

Unlike traditional book clubs that require participants to read the same book and discuss it, Silent Book Club members can read whatever they want and no discussion is required. The events also support whatever local business or organization hosts the gatherings.

Since launching in San Francisco in 2012, the concept of Silent Book Clubs has exploded in popularity. Globally, there are more than 900 chapters in 50 countries, which are run by local volunteers.

Bangor is one of seven Silent Book Club chapters in Maine. Others are located in Old Town, Waterville, Biddeford, Westbrook and Portland, which has two chapters.

Elizabeth Simonds of Levant founded the Bangor group, which held its first meeting in March. Simonds said she was looking for flexible opportunities to socialize that didn’t revolve around going to a bar or restaurant after having her first child.

“I wanted something that was more of an activity and I think Bangor has a great presence of readers and writers,” Simonds said. “This is a very fluid event and open to all ages and abilities, as long as someone can read independently.”

Bangor’s Silent Book Club meets on the second Friday of every month at Chimera Coffee. Attendees can gather, get a drink or a snack and settle in from 6 to 6:30 p.m., then read from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Often members mingle and discuss what they’re reading before the hour begins, but it’s not required.

About 18 people came to the Bangor chapter’s first and second meetings in March and April, and about a dozen people attended the May meeting on Friday. While there are a few familiar faces that come each month, Simonds said each event has welcomed mostly new people.

The events are free and reading materials of all kinds, including audiobooks, e-readers and graphic novels, are welcome, Simonds said. Guests can stay for as long as they’d like and socializing isn’t required.

Jess and Seth Braun of Carmel attended their first Silent Book Club meeting on Friday to meet new people without the added pressure to read a certain book and think of something intelligent to say about it.

Jess Braun is also looking to foster her love of reading, which she recently rediscovered after purchasing an e-reader in December.

“Growing up, I used to read a lot, but then I got a concussion in 2016 and fell off the wagon.”

“In this year alone, I’ve read 35 books — I can’t put it down.”

The couple recently moved back to the Bangor region after living in Massachusetts for two years during the pandemic. In that time, many of their local friends moved away, leaving them with few friends nearby.

“This is an easy way to minimize distractions and have designated time to read,” Seth Braun said. “A lot of the time at home, I’ll read for five minutes, then go on my phone, and go back and forth. I’m also nosey and want to see what other people are reading.”

Brenna MacDonald, a local writer, has attended every meeting of the Bangor chapter since the first event in March. She said she came seeking book recommendations and new friends who share her love of reading and writing.

While it may seem strange to read silently in a room with other people, MacDonald said the events are unique because they foster a sense of quiet camaraderie that caters to introverts.

“Reading is a very solitary activity, so it’s a unique experience to do something solitary with other people who are doing the same,” MacDonald said. “It’s surreal and silly, but why not?”