Monthly Archives: March 2026

Opposing views, comfortably expressed

Leave a reply

In the over eight years our silent book club chapter has been gathering, virtually and in person, it has become a warm and reliable place not just for offering book recommendations, but for expressing book reservations. That is, readers feel comfortable both singing the praises of books and authors they’ve enjoyed, but also offering their criticisms of those they’ve found, well, wanting.

During this month’s zoom meeting, one reader confessed that she had tried three or four novels by an author that various other readers in the group had applauded and recommmended … and just could not warm to any of them (the novels, not the fellow readers). That she tried more than one selection before making this confession is commendable unto itself, don’t we all think? Before the meeting was over, another reader declared that she liked the author in question, for some of the very reasons the first reader was giving up on that author. So there you go, eh?

During this meeting, other readers observed that those diametrically opposed views can even happen with one author, from book to book. Various people jumped in with examples of “loved this book … then I couldn’t even finish his next one …

Notice, by the way, that we’re not mentioning the names of the authors and/or the titles of the books here? For each critic of that author or that title, there is another reader who admires that author’s work and waits for the next title coming … and they’re all collegial members of our book club.

Silent book club member Jen's recent reading includes Embers by Richard Wagamese and Peace Is Every Step by Thich Nhat Hanh (Photo by Jennifer D. Foster)

Silent book club member Emily was recently in Oklahoma City, where she visited Second Story Books, which is home to a sister silent book club chapter (Photo by Emily Petroff)

Silent book club member Vicki (oui, c'est moi), wearing a

Silent book club members Ruth (left) and Jenn (right) present the collected books being read by east end Toronto sbc members at the meeting at Firkin on Danforth (Photo by Vicki Ziegler)

Closeup of the collected books being read by east end Toronto sbc members at the meeting at Firkin on Danforth (Photo by Vicki Ziegler)

Readers reading at Firkin on Danforth, accompanied by refreshments (Photo by Vicki Ziegler)

Reader reading at East Toronto Coffee Co, accompanied by tea (Photo by Vicki Ziegler)

(Photos by Jennifer D. Foster, Emily Petroff and Vicki Ziegler)

At least one reader (and usually more) has given considered attention to each title on our monthly combined list of literary delights. That doesn’t mean, of course, that every work on our lists is expressly recommended. Inclusion on our lists always means that our readers have devoted time and thought to books – and that counts for so much!


We often have some extra book-related articles, resources, news and recommendations to share. These items and tidbits are often companions to books on the list, or are inspired or offered by our members and/or come up during our discussions and chat.

  • KnifeForkBook, a Toronto-based independent poetry press and publisher we so admire/adore, is holding a pop-up shop and residency at Arts Etobicoke (4893A Dundas St W) from April 1–30th, 2026 to celebrate National Poetry Month. Learn more here!
  • Novelist Chimamanda Adichie tells the story of how she found her authentic cultural voice — and warns that if we hear only a single story about another person or country, we risk a critical misunderstanding. Listen to her TED Talk entitled “The Danger of a Single Story”.
  • Bright, beautiful bookmarks are available at all Toronto Public Library branches. Take a look at the award-winning designs from the 0-6, 7-9 and 10-13 years of age categories.

You can always find our group’s previous reports and book lists right here!

You can also check out links to articles, interviews and more here – some with San Francisco-based Silent Book Club founders Guinevere de La Mare and Laura Gluhanich, and some with us here in east end Toronto.

Learn more about the worldwide phenomenon of silent book clubs via Guinevere and Laura’s Silent Book Club web site. In fall 2023, they welcomed their 500th chapter … and with continuing, breathtaking momentum, they now boast almost 2,000 chapters … (There were around 60 chapters when we joined as the first Toronto chapter in 2017.) The SBC organization celebrated its 10th anniversary throughout last October … and our chapter celebrated its 8th anniversary in early November.

You can find information on meetings happening around the world and close to where you live. Every club is different in size, format (in-person, virtual or hybrid) and vibe, so contact a club’s organizers beforehand if you have any questions or preferences. Please feel free to contact me for more information about our club and its offerings.

We don’t have to like all the same authors and books to be friends in reading …

When necessary, do you POMS a book?

2 Replies

In the early days of the east end Toronto silent book club chapter, a member revealed that she set herself a limit by which, if a book was not captivating her in one way or another, that book went “over her shoulder” and she moved on to others. Life is too short, the tbr pile is too tall … ONWARD! It sometimes varied, but that limit was generally 50 pages.

That member’s forthright admission gave other readers permission: some to confess that they wanted to make that freeing toss from time to time, but couldn’t bring themselves to do it, and others to gratefully acknowledge that they did it but had never felt free until finding reassurance in our group to admit it. A smaller group of readers revealed that they simply couldn’t leave a book unfinished, as much as they wanted to from time to time …

Because these admissions come up regularly during our meetings, a wise member recently offered a handy acronym for the practice: POMS, for Pitch Over My Shoulder. And to be clear, this is a figurative expression (or at least that’s how I think we’re all using it), because even if a book does not please us, I don’t think any of our members would so callously mishandle a book.

So, do you ever POMS when you’re reading?

Silent book club member Jen's recent reading includes Wintering by Katherine May (Photo by Jennifer D. Foster)

Silent book club member Helen's recent reading includes Read Dangerously by Azar Nafisi, The Correspondent by Virginia Evans, There's No Turning Back by Alba De Céspedes, translated by Ann Goldstein and Free Day by Inès Cagnati, translated by Liesl Schillinger (Photo by Helen Gunnarsson)

Silent book club member Vicki (oui, c'est moi) on screen, preparing for the sbc zoom meeting, with recent reading next to the computer, including the 6 volumes of In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust, translated by Andreas Mayor and Terence Kilmartin, revised by D.J. Enright, Green by Zachari Logan and The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai (Photo by Vicki Ziegler)

Group book pile at East Toronto Coffee Co, including titles by Katherine May, Stanislaw Lem, Kiran Desai + more (Photo by Vicki Ziegler)

Readers reading at East Toronto Coffee Co, accompanied by coffee and pastries (Photo by Vicki Ziegler)

Reader reading at East Toronto Coffee Co, accompanied by coffee (Photo by Vicki Ziegler)

Books spread out on tables at East Toronto Coffee Co, including titles by Zachari Logan, Robin Wall Kimmerer, Adania Shibli + more, accompanied by coffee and pastries (Photo by Vicki Ziegler)

(Photos by Jennifer D. Foster, Helen Gunnarsson and Vicki Ziegler)

Every title on our group’s bursting-with-goodness lists means that at least one reader (and usually more) has given that title considered attention. That doesn’t mean, of course, that every work on our lists is expressly recommended. Inclusion on our lists always means that our readers have devoted time and thought to books – and that counts for so much!


We often have some extra book-related articles, resources, news and recommendations to share. These are items and tidbits that are often companions to books on the list, or are inspired or offered by our members and/or come up during our discussions and chat.

Our group’s previous reports and book lists are always available right here!

You can also check out links to articles, interviews and more here – some with San Francisco-based Silent Book Club founders Guinevere de La Mare and Laura Gluhanich, and some with us here in east end Toronto.

Learn more about the worldwide phenomenon of silent book clubs via Guinevere and Laura’s Silent Book Club web site. In fall 2023, they welcomed their 500th chapter … and with continuing, breathtaking momentum, they now boast almost 2,000 chapters … (There were around 60 chapters when we joined as the first Toronto chapter in 2017.) The SBC organization celebrated its 10th anniversary throughout last October … and our chapter celebrated its 8th anniversary in early November.

You can find information on meetings happening around the world and close to where you live. Every club is different in size, format (in-person, virtual or hybrid) and vibe, so contact a club’s organizers beforehand if you have any questions or preferences. Please feel free to contact me for more information about our club and its offerings.

To POMS or not to POMS – that is the question for every thoughtful reader with a towering tbr pile!