The mystique of books that make us laugh

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Emojis showing faces laughing, crying and laughing with tears, taken from the cover of the book Crying Laughing by Lance Rubin.Over a year ago, our silent book club group members decided to add a virtual meeting to our monthly schedule to delve into some of the themes we touch on and skim over during our regular, go-round meetings. These meetings have helped us to both broaden our reading horizons and go more deeply into our reading, and we’re also getting to know each other more as readers and bookish friends.

Last month, our discussion topic was …

* Books that make us cry / upset us in some way – Do we “like” / enjoy them?

… and while it was a rich and revealing discussion, it’s safe to say we all departed the gathering perhaps feeling a little blue.

So, this month, our discussion topic just had to be …

* Books that make us laugh out loud – We need this subject as a counterpoint to our last discussion, about books that make/made us cry. Of course, we can extend this to reflections on the magic with which mere words on a page or screen can cause us to feel immense emotions of all kinds.

… and it was equally vibrant, and evoked more than a few laughs and chuckles along the way. Among the examples and recommendations, readers also asked some interesting questions and made thought-provoking observations about the words on a page or screen that make us merry.

  • Is it harder for words to make us laugh than make us cry?
  • Reading experiences that “literally make you LOL” are the most memorable!
  • Humour that truly strikes a chord usually means you’ve recognized something or someone you know.
  • One reader observed during this discussion that the power of words to make us laugh, cry and more had him thinking about bibliotherapy, a therapeutic approach employing books and other forms of literature, typically alongside more traditional therapies, to support a patient’s mental health.

Here is the list of authors and specific titles that emerged from this discussion. Inclusion in this list doesn’t necessarily mean a recommendation, nor does it mean a particular work will connect with your funny bone. Inclusion on this list always means that our silent book club readers have devoted time and attention to a title, which means a lot.

Happy (in every sense of the word) reading!

The best kind of curated newsletter … is made up of book club friends

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Silent book club member Lisa PresnellThis month, we’re delighted to have silent book club member Lisa Presnell introduce our latest blog post. Lisa lives in Tennessee with her husband, two teenage boys, and also a dog, cat, and snake. She is a lifelong reader and book lover who tends to talk about books too much and has an embarrassing amount of books in her tbr pile. [Her silent book club friends do not see these as problems at all …]

Getting the chance to talk books with other book lovers is something that makes my heart happy. I had only recently learned about what a Silent Book Club is, so when I was invited to try the zoom SBC [for the Toronto, Canada chapter] I was excited, but wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. That being said, I was blown away with how much I instantly loved this little group of bookworms. While the idea of a traditional book club is to all read/discuss the same book, the concept of hearing others talk about what they have read over the past month is a different type of delight. I receive a couple of literary-type newsletters, and hearing this group talk feels like the best kind of curated newsletter. Since I am not in-person with these people, participating via zoom is the next best thing and I am so thankful to be a part of it. I only wish I had come across this group sooner, but I look forward to future meetings and maybe one day will get the chance to meet up in person.

Silent book club member Vicki (me) is visible on her computer screen, getting ready for a silent book club zoom meeting. Next to the computer is a dog calendar and some books, including works by Kirby, Matthew Tierney, Sarah Winman, Joan Didion, Anik See, Bradley Peters and Amanda Peters.

At East Toronto Coffee Co with books by Amanda Peters and Bradley Peters on the wooden table, along with lattes, cookie, bright green and purple hats, ready for silent book club meeting

At East Toronto Coffee Co with books by by Daniel Innes & Christina Wong, Maurice Vellekoop, Jennifer Ackerman, Marina Nemat, Amanda Peters, Bradley Peters, Andrey Kurkov and Jenny Erpenbeck on the wooden table

Silent book club member Jess reads at a table at East Toronto Coffee Co

Silent book club member Catherine reads at a table at East Toronto Coffee Co

Our group offers again this month a spectacular and wide-ranging combined book list. This list gathers up books mentioned and discussed by the end of our April 2024 meetings. The list each month reflects the reading of many of our members, so dedicated to the group that they regularly provide their reading lists even when they can’t attend a meeting. The titles featured in each of our reports encompass print and digital versions of books, along with audiobooks.

Every title on our group’s lists means that at least one (but usually more) readers have given that title thoughtful consideration. Does that mean every work on our lists is expressly recommended? Not exactly or necessarily. Inclusion on this list always means that our readers have devoted time and attention to a title, which means a lot.


How about some extra book-related articles, resources, news and recommendations? 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.

  • “You don’t have to finish a whole book in one go. There are no deadlines. And if you don’t like something, you can just drop it off. You can get recommendations from other people and other book lovers.” Silent Book Club London’s co-organizer gives several of the reasons why silent book clubs are so popular.
  • Congratulations to silent book club member Dawn who, starting in 2019, challenged herself to read all of the winners and then all of the shortlists for CBC’s Canada Reads. When she finished reading Denison Avenue by Daniel Innes & Christina Wong at Saturday’s in-person silent book club meeting, she marked the 115th and final title on her list. What a challenge and what a reading accomplishment!

Want to check out our group’s previous reports and book lists? They’re right here, growing every month.

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. Last fall, they welcomed their 500th chapter … and last I heard, they’re past 700 chapters now. (There were around 60 chapters when we joined as the first Toronto chapter in 2017.) You can find information on meetings happening around the world and close to where you live. Every club is a different size, format (in-person, virtual or combinations) 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.

Book blurbs, and blurbing our book club

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This year, our silent book club is managing to have three gatherings a month, two virtual and one in-person. Our “go-round” virtual meeting keeps all of us up-to-date on the books delighting and/or challenging members. Our in-person meeting has a quick “go-round” to kick things off, and then we settle in with books and beverages for the bliss that is sharing silent reading together with bookish friends. The hustle and bustle of our lovely neighbourhood coffee shop (thank you, East Toronto Coffee Co!) becomes the warm soundtrack to each of the worlds we slip into …

We continue to devote a second virtual meeting every month to a bookish topic of discussion. The topic of this month’s themed discussion meeting was:

Book recommendations / endorsements on book covers – Do you pay attention to them? Do they influence your decision to read a book (or not)?

As always, the discussion was lively and had a great balance of the ways in which the brief statements or blurbs – sometimes just a word or two – on book covers and opening pages of books do or do not help to convince us to pick up particular books. The celebrity of an endorser might or might as easily not influence us. (Hmm, what’s in it for them, eh?) What if someone endorsing a book also appears in the author’s acknowledgements? What if someone appears to endorse lots and lots and lots of books?

At any rate, the topic inspired me to ask our members how they would blurb our silent book club group. Here’s a selection of their fine, pithy and eminently trustworthy statements:

“Our silent book club is a platform for book lovers to share what they choose about what they read. Our group of readers engages in thoughtful dialogue inspired by thematic elements, aesthetics, and the diverse insights contributed by our members. One activity we share is reading alongside fellow readers, cherishing our books alone, together.”
– Tom

“Silent Book Club: A virtual meeting space where a diverse collection of people share their even more diverse book recommendations.”
– Sven

“Silent Book Club: Quietly expanding your TBR list.”
– Jenn E

“A delightful mix of other worlds made known through the words of fellow bookworms.”
– Lisa

“Silent book club – where you’re guaranteed to find a book to keep you reading past 50 pages! ;)”
– Jenn C

“Bountiful book buddies!”
– Anne-Louise

Silent book club member Amanda's books - including works by Catherine Leroux, Jack Kerouac, Maggie O'Farrell and more [Photo by Amanda]

Front of the East Toronto Coffee Co coffee shop, where we hold our Toronto silent book club in-person meetings - The windows are decorated with bright line drawings of flowers and a pink bench is visible near the main door

Silent book club member Catherine, wearing a red Dr Pepper sweatshirt, reads at a table at East Toronto Coffee Co - Coffee cups and plates and a bookmark are visible on the table.

Silent book club member Estelle reads at a table at East Toronto Coffee Co - Coffee cups and a sign indicating the table is reserved for the book club are visible on the table.

Silent book club member Tom is engrossed in his reading on a tablet, sitting at a wooden table at East Toronto Coffee Co

At East Toronto Coffee Co with books by Norma Cole, Joan Didion and Elena Ferrante on the wooden table, along with latte and cookie, ready for silent book club meeting

Needless to say, but I’ll say it again because I’m always delighted to say it: you’re going to love our group’s latest combined book list, and titles on it are going to call out to you – guaranteed! This list gathers up books mentioned and discussed by the end of our March to early April 2024 meetings. Each list reflects the reading of many of our members, so dedicated to the group that they regularly provide their reading lists even when they can’t attend a meeting. The titles featured in each of our reports encompass print and digital versions of books, along with audiobooks.

Every title on our group’s lists means that at least one (but usually more) readers have given that title thoughtful consideration. Does that mean every work on our lists is expressly recommended? Not exactly or necessarily. Inclusion on this list always means that our readers have devoted time and attention to a title, which means a lot.


Want some extra book-related articles, resources, news and recommendations? 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.

You can always find our previous reports and book lists right here, growing every month.

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. Last fall, they welcomed their 500th chapter … and they’re well past 600 chapters now. (There were around 60 chapters when we joined as the first Toronto chapter in 2017.) You can find information on meetings happening around the world and close to where you live. Every club is a different size, format (in-person, virtual or combinations) 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.

“Beautiful!” “Entrancing!” “Vital!” “Satisfying!” However you would sum it up, wishing you blurb-worthy reading till next we meet!

The intertwined branches, roots, vines of our reading

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The whole premise of silent book club gatherings is based on readers reading what they want to read, versus a book club dictating what everyone will read together). An interesting development in our group is that titles are making repeat appearances, a natural progression from a group of readers coming to know each other and respect each other’s recommendations. Further, some readers are having or suggesting side discussions to – wait for it – just discuss one title and delve into it more deeply. Oh my! Just like a traditional book club, eh?

I’m a reader, not a writer, so maybe I don’t have the gifts to express this precisely, but I wonder if we’re coming full circle in some ways because we’re coming to the same books through developing trust, not imposing taste. Over time – our group is over six years old now, with many long-time members – that trust has been nurtured both virtually and again, gradually, in person. Does it make some sense, perhaps, that our individual branches, roots and vines are intertwining? Just a thought …

In addition to our monthly go-round meetings, we continue to devote a second meeting every month to a bookish topic of discussion. The topic of this month’s themed discussion meeting was:

* Reading challenges – do you take them up? Do reading challenges – presented by libraries, Goodreads, events like Canada Reads, or ones you and your fellow readers make up yourselves – spark and inspire your reading, take you in new directions, etc.?

One of our regular members is all about the challenges … so we were very disappointed when she couldn’t make it to the meeting. Wherever she was that evening, her ears must have been burning, though, because we referenced and praised her commitment to challenges throughout the discussion. Coming a distant second to that member’s dedication is my own taking up of the Sealey Challenge (a community challenge to read a work of poetry every day for the month of August) for the last three years. Beyond that, our group agreed that apart from awards longlists and shortlists and the like, our greatest inspirations come from … book clubs like ours, and fellow readers such as the ones with which we surround ourselves.

Silent book club member Lori's books - including works by Carlo Rovelli, Kate Bowler and Shohini Ghose - are gently accompanied by a beautiful teddy bear, all curled up in a cozy chair [Photo by Lori]

Silent book club member Vicki (me) is visible on her computer screen, getting ready for a silent book club zoom meeting. Next to the computer is a dog calendar and some books, including works by Canisia Lubrin, Stephanie Burt, Colm Toibin, Naomi Klein, Danila Botha and Ivana Sajko, translated by Mima Simic

Silent book club member Lisa's lovely, cozy reading chair, with black and white floral upholstery, a quilt, soft cushions and stacks of books on a side table and footstool, next to a bright window [Photo by Lisa]

Silent book club member Ruth's reading - The Rest of God by Mark Buchanan - sits on a wooden table with a colourful bookmark with complimentary words on it [Photo by Ruth]

Wooden table at East Toronto Coffee Co, with

A silent book club reader engrossed in her reading, sitting at a wooden table at East Toronto Coffee Co

A silent book club reader engrossed in her reading, sitting at a wooden table at East Toronto Coffee Co

A silent book club reader engrossed in her reading, sitting at a wooden table at East Toronto Coffee Co

A silent book club reader engrossed in her reading, sitting at a wooden table at East Toronto Coffee Co

Wooden table at East Toronto Coffee Co, with

As always, I can confidently predict you’re going to love our group’s latest combined book list and will find more than one book that will pique your interest. This list gathers up books mentioned and discussed by the end of our February 2024 meetings. Each list reflects the reading of many of our members, so dedicated to the group that they regularly provide their reading lists even when they can’t attend a meeting. The titles featured in each of our reports encompass print and digital versions of books, along with audiobooks.

Every title on our group’s lists means that at least one (but usually more) readers have given that title thoughtful consideration. That’s encouragement for you and other readers checking out our reports and lists to consider it, too. Does that mean every work on our lists is expressly recommended? Not exactly or necessarily. Inclusion on this list always means that our readers have devoted time and attention to a title, which means a lot.

Readers cheering on readers

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Long-time members know and new members swiftly intuit that our silent book club gatherings – virtually and in person – are safe and welcoming spaces for all readers. Those spaces aren’t only where we enthusiastically share our bookish pleasures, which often inspire others to venture beyond their usual subject matter, genres, formats and comfort zones. They’re also where we share reading challenges and even disappointments. It’s also, perhaps most importantly, where we know reading is meant to be joy, solace and revelation, never a frustration or – heaven forbid – a competition.

At the start of this new year, which is often the point at which readers and those whose reading has perhaps lapsed make resolutions, we’re cheering everyone on. Whatever the types and numbers of books you read this year or any year, what you’re achieving is excellent. If you need to be reminded of that, hang out with other readers and you’ll feel cheered on, bolstered and encouraged!

Silent book club member Amber's beautiful bookshelves, white shelves across two joining blue walls, books grouped colourfully, with a light green upholstered reading stool nearby

Silent book club members Jenn and Sven's stack of books sit on a white bedspread in front of a green cushion with a pattern of beautiful insects. Books include titles by Daphne du Maurier, Cormac McCarthy, China Mieville, Knut Hamsun and John Fowles.

Silent book club member Vicki (me) is visible on her computer screen, getting ready for a silent book club zoom meeting. Next to the computer is a dog calendar and some books, including Greenwood by Michael Christie, Service by Sarah Gilmartin, poetry collections by Jane Clarke, Lynn Tait and Alice Major, and poetry pamphlets from Opaat Press

Silent book club member Lisa's beautiful bookshelves, white shelves against a white wall, with a spider plant at one end. Next to the bookshelves are a bright window and a comfy dark leather armchair with cushions with bright floral patterns.

Wooden tables at East Toronto Coffee Co, covered with books by Naomi Klein, Alice Major, Sarah Gilmartin, Tess Gunty, Lisa Elliott, Jodi Picoult, Aravind Adiga, Thomas Mann and more. Readers hands and arms are visible, as are their eyeglasses, beverages and pastries sitting on the tables.

Wooden tables at East Toronto Coffee Co, covered with books by Naomi Klein, Alice Major, Sarah Gilmartin, Tess Gunty, Lisa Elliott, Jodi Picoult, Aravind Adiga, Thomas Mann and more. Readers hands and arms are visible, as are their eyeglasses, beverages and pastries sitting on the tables.

Wooden tables at East Toronto Coffee Co, covered with books by Naomi Klein, Alice Major, Sarah Gilmartin, Tess Gunty, Lisa Elliott, Jodi Picoult, Aravind Adiga, Thomas Mann and more. Readers hands and arms are visible, as are their eyeglasses, beverages and pastries sitting on the tables.

Heading into a fresh new year of amazing reading and discoveries, I can confidently continue to guarantee you’re going to love our group’s latest combined book list. This one gathers up books mentioned and discussed by the end of our January 2024 meetings. Each list reflects the reading of many of our members, so dedicated to the group that they regularly provide their reading lists even when they can’t attend a meeting. The titles featured in each of our reports encompass print and digital versions of books, along with audiobooks.

Every title on our group’s lists means that at least one (but usually more) readers have given that title thoughtful consideration. That’s encouragement for you and other readers checking out our reports and lists to consider it, too. Does that mean every on our lists is expressly recommended? Not exactly or necessarily. Inclusion on this list always means that our readers have devoted time and attention to a title, which counts for a lot.


Here are some extra book-related articles, resources, news and recommendations. 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.

When we mentioned last fall that the worldwide Silent Book Club network had just welcomed its 500th chapter … we didn’t know the incredible growth would continue into the new year. When Silent Book Club founders Guinevere de La Mare and Laura Gluhanich graciously hosted a couple of virtual meet-ups for club organizers around the world (I joined a meeting that spanned the US, and included representation from Canada, South Africa, Finland and more), they revealed that in fact, the SBC explosion continues and they now top 600 chapters! It had around 60 chapters when we joined as the first Toronto chapter in 2017.

You can always find our previous reports and book lists right here, growing every month.

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 silent book clubs via Guinevere and Laura’s Silent Book Club web site. You can find information on meetings happening around the world and close to where you live. Every club is a different size, format (in-person, virtual or combinations) 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 did it on zoom. We did it in person. We celebrated our reading and we cheered each other on!

The sweet gift of bookish silence

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“Now I know the truth: what matters is what you experience while reading, the states of feeling that the story evokes, the questions that rise to your mind, rather than the fictional events described.”

from The Vulnerables by Sigrid Nunez. Copyright © 2023 / quoted by Christian Bauman (@baumansbrain on Twitter) as his December 31, 2023 #SundaySentence

Part of what I experience while reading is not on the page proper. It’s the company of who I am reading with, and their subtle but powerful presence as they focus on the words in front of them, imbues the words in front of me with an incomparable glow. The silence belies the states of feeling we’ve immersed ourselves in, the worlds and minds in which we’re blissfully venturing, possibly but willingly lost. The company of readers – the people we love and the people with whom we share this love – is a rare, rich and utterly special fellowship.

We enjoyed five silent book club meetings this month: three virtual meet-ups between the east end and midtown Toronto groups (where the online boundaries extend to Wales, New Jersey and Edmonton), and two in-person gatherings at a couple of lovely Danforth coffee shops. Those last two meetings in particular reminded me potently of the importance of that companionable silence.

So, I’m not going to ramble on as I usually do in these blog posts. The silence says it all …

Silent book club member Amber's stack of holiday-themed books, including A Holly Jolly Ever After by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone. A Christmas tree and lights are visible, blurred, in the background.

Silent book club member Vicki (me) is visible on her computer screen, getting ready for a silent book club zoom meeting. Next to the computer is a dog calendar, coffee in a blue cup, and some books, including Study for Obedience by Sarah Bernstein, You Break It You Buy It by Lynn Tait and Sharp Notions, edited by Marita Dachsel and Nancy Lee

Silent book club meeting at Poured Coffee on Danforth Avenue in Toronto - tables on which books, pastries and coffee/beverages are visible, including Some Hellish by Nicholas Herring, You Break It You Buy It by Lynn Tait and more

Silent book club meeting at Poured Coffee on Danforth Avenue in Toronto - readers are sitting at tables near tall windows, engrossed in their books. Coffees, plates and more books are visible on the tables.

Wooden tables at East Toronto Coffee Co, covered with books by Michael Christie, Lynn Tait, Sheima Benembarek, Mark Beaumont, Thomas Mann and more

Wooden tables at East Toronto Coffee Co, covered with books by Michael Christie, Lynn Tait, Sheima Benembarek, Mark Beaumont, Thomas Mann and more - At the end of the table is a

A reader is engrossed in her reading at a silent book club meeting at East Toronto Coffee Co. A stack of books in front of her on the table includes Greenwood by Michael Christie.

Books from the Biblioasis Christmas Ghost Stories package are arranged on the branches of a Christmas tree

Silent book club member Anne-Louise's stack of books sit in front of a window with a green glass vase nearby, with a holiday card with a cartoon donkey sitting on top of the books. Books include titles by Penelope Fitzgerald, Ed Broadbent, Tom Rand and more.

Squizzey the bookish squirrel has a Santa hat and a holiday jumper on, and he's showing off some of silent book club member Kath's recent reading, including A Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas.

Once again, I can pretty much guarantee you’re going to love our group’s latest combined book list, collecting up books mentioned and discussed by the end of our December 2023 meetings. Each list reflects the reading of many of our members, so dedicated to the group that they regularly provide their reading lists even when they can’t attend a meeting. The titles featured in each of our reports encompass print and digital versions of books, along with audiobooks.

Any title on any of our group’s lists means that at least one (but usually more) readers have given that title some consideration. That’s encouragement for you and other readers checking out our reports and lists to consider it, too. Is that a recommendation? It might be, but not exactly or necessarily. Inclusion on this list always means that a title has been given thoughtful consideration and attention by our readers, which you can be assured counts for a lot.

Did we mention that the worldwide Silent Book Club network recently welcomed its 500th chapter?!? It had around 60 chapters when we joined as the first Toronto chapter in 2017.

When Silent Book Club founders Guinevere de La Mare and Laura Gluhanich graciously hosted a couple of virtual meet-ups for club organizers around the world (I joined a meeting that spanned the US, and included representation from Canada, South Africa, Finland and more), they revealed that in fact, the SBC explosion continues and they now are closer to 600 chapters!

You can always find our previous reports and book lists right here, growing every month.

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 silent book clubs via Guinevere and Laura’s Silent Book Club web site. You can find information on meetings happening around the world and close to where you live. Every club is a different size, format (in-person, virtual or combinations) 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.

Happy New Year, dearest readers – the readers we are, the readers we know, the readers we don’t yet know, all of you out there, reading silently …

The power and glory of readers connecting … leaving this one wobbly with delight!

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Our end-of-month go-round/roundup meeting with our silent book stalwarts happened in two parts today.

First, we had a morning zoom meeting. That more-than-Brady-Bunch (if you know, you know) set of squares on the screen exuded the usual (because it’s always this way) and special (because it’s always that, too) warmth, connection and insight that our group of astute readers always offers.

Second, we had a small afternoon in-person meeting at a local (to east end Toronto) cafe. If you follow our group’s updates, you know that the start of our now six years as a silent book club group brimmed with wonderful in-person meetings supporting local businesses and locations. Like many, we pivoted to online during the pandemic and garnered great benefits from that, including new reading friends far away and opportunities for meetings devoted to discussions about books in addition to time allotted to just read. But that power and glory of readers just connecting and reading together … well, we recaptured a bit of that today.

… and it’s all left me, group organizer and awestruck fellow reader, wobbly with delight. So much so that I didn’t collect a lot of images and illustrations of the experience … although I do think the picture below of open books, rapt readers bent over them and sunlight streaming across coffee shop tables kind of says it all.

Many thanks to East Toronto Coffee Co for a lovely corner of their cozy cafe, in which we happily and gently restarted our in-person silent book club tradition. We look forward to returning there again very soon!

In addition to our monthly go-round meetings, we continue to devote a second meeting every month to a bookish topic of discussion. The topic of this month’s themed discussion meeting was:

Do author interviews (before? during? after? audio/video versus print?) affect how you feel about that author’s books?

The short answer is “Yes to all of the above”. The longer answer is, not surprisingly, richer and more nuanced. Sometimes interviews affect our feelings about an author’s books, for good or not-so-good, meaning it might turn one off from pursuing other works by that author. But then again, it depends on the type and quality of interview and how thorough and trustworthy the interviewer is. (Also not surprisingly, Eleanor Wachtel’s name came up more than once!)

Perfectly timed for our discussion of this topic was author Anne Michaels’ interview on CBC’s Q. In it, she remarks on why she is quite private about her own life, in part because she doesn’t want it to intrude upon or displace the reader’s experience of what she has written.

Two readers reading intently at sunstreaked tables at East Toronto Coffee Co

Sharp Notions essay collection and How to Build a Boat by Elaine Feeney sits on wooden table with a latte in a pink and white cup.

Books, coffee and pastries wonderfully strewn across a table at the East Toronto Coffee Co. Titles include How to Build a Boat by Elaine Feeney and The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann. Poking out of the books are bookmarks from Type Books, Book City, Biblioasis and the Toronto Public Library.

Silent book club member Vicki (that's me, with my signature messy hair and glasses), on screen getting ready for our zoom meeting, with books stacked next to my computer, including work by Zadie Smith, Marina Endicott, Ronna Bloom

Roaming by Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki - graphic novel with interesting illustrations on the cover sits on a black leather chair

Chicken Soup for the Soul - My Wonderful, Wacky Family by Amy Newmark - book with charming group of mongooses (mongeese?) on the cover, on a gray and beige textured background

You are going to love our group’s latest combined book list, with collects up books mentioned and discussed by the end of our November 2023 meeting. Each list reflects the reading of many of our members, so dedicated to the group that they regularly provide their reading lists even when they can’t attend a meeting. The titles featured in each of our reports encompass print and digital versions of books, along with audiobooks.

Any title on any of our group’s lists means that at least one (but usually more) readers have given that title some consideration. That’s encouragement for you and other readers checking out our reports and lists to consider it, too. Is that a recommendation? It might be, but not exactly or necessarily. Inclusion on this list always means that a title has been given thoughtful consideration and attention by our readers, which you can be assured counts for a lot.


Here are some extra book-related articles, resources, news and recommendations. 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.

Did we mention that the worldwide Silent Book Club network recently welcomed its 500th chapter?!? It had around 60 chapters when we joined as the first Toronto chapter in 2017.

You can always find our previous reports and book lists right here, growing every month.

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 silent book clubs via Guinevere and Laura’s Silent Book Club web site. You can find information on meetings happening around the world and close to where you live. Every club is a different size, format (in-person, virtual or combinations) 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.

As a silent book club group member, I am so many kinds of fortunate. Not only do I wish all readers all kinds of great reading, but I also wish you the blessing of a circle of great fellow readers – close at hand and in person, and far flung, virtual and just as connected – to make all of your reading experiences powerful and glorious.

A Masterclass in silent reading

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We’re very pleased to have Toronto silent book club member Tom Kennedy take over the “introduction to our latest meeting blog post” reins this month. Tom is Edmonton-born and raised in Toronto. He is a consultant. Tom loves sailing and squash and pretending to be a Michelin chef. Tom’s companion is a husky-mix named Aspen who takes him for unending walks around the countryside. With reading, Tom doesn’t have a favourite genre, but is constantly looking to inhabit meaningful, well-crafted storylines or experience emotionally complex events.

Toronto silent book club member Tom Kennedy

I propose we reclassify this humble book club into Non-Thesis MFA (Creative Writing) status. We exceed the criteria of several reputable entities, and I think are on our way to graduation.

We have accomplished educators from around the world, who come prepared to deliver important lessons. Professorial as they are chic, they are equipped with dramatic delivery and lessons in humility.

We study a range of periods, from prehistoric to Ancient Greece and Rome to 2050 Toronto. We exhaustively receive lectures on subjects from infants and children with their simple complexities and adult egos, from tribal leaders and heroes, to expansive adventurers. We have pondered the undead and have wondered at the dead’s current presence. The cultural diversity abounds, covered by our unwritten code of respect, with every race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and spirituality carefully considered. There are moments too where we appear to discuss beautiful nothings, posing as a verdant, peaceful vista in the countryside or solemn consideration of blurbs.

With our bi-monthly supplemental study groups we meet the 20-period 600-level credit requirement for training in research methodologies and scholarship assessment. I find the coursework challenging and rewarding, thanks to preparation.

Our monthly lessons consist of crisp thoughtful journeys through dozens of “new” books, which become recommendations and harsh critique too. Sometimes it is as valuable to eviscerate the fish as it is to enjoy the canape.

As a Degree Program I will not speak of the cumbersome student debt necessary to keep up with the program, except to say regardless of recent interest rate activity, the education has been immensely worth it. Let’s call it priceless.

The point I’m making is that I know I’m learning when I absorb our sessions. This sensation keeps beating quite a while after meetings end. I look at text, whether newspaper, a blog, a cookbook, or a new read I’m diving headfirst into – and I have this energy. Every couple of weeks, it’s wonderful to see the emotions and familiarity of our teachers … er, clubmates!

Some more of silent book club member Emily's gorgeous new bookshelves

Some of silent book club member Emily's gorgeous new bookshelves

Silent book club member Kristina's wonderful bookshelves

Some of silent book club member Lyla's recent readings, including a short story collection by Kate Atkinson

Silent book club member Vicki on-screen, getting ready for a zoom meeting, with a stack of books, including The Fraud by Zadie Smith, next to her computer

Here is our group’s latest combined book list, gathering up books mentioned and discussed by the end of our October 2023 meeting. Each list reflects the reading of many of our members, so dedicated to the group that they regularly provide their reading lists even when they can’t attend a meeting. The titles featured in each of our reports encompass print and digital versions of books, along with audiobooks.

Any title on any of our group’s lists means that at least one (but usually more) readers have given that title some consideration. That’s encouragement for you and other readers checking out our reports and lists to consider it, too. Is that a recommendation? It might be, but not exactly or necessarily. Inclusion on this list always means that a title has been given thoughtful consideration and attention by our readers, which you can be assured counts for a lot.

Did we mention that the worldwide Silent Book Club network recently welcomed its 500th chapter?!? It had around 60 chapters when we joined as the first Toronto chapter in 2017.

You can always find our previous reports and book lists right here, growing every month.

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 silent book clubs via Guinevere and Laura’s Silent Book Club web site. You can find information on meetings happening around the world and close to where you live. Every club is a different size, format (in-person, virtual or combinations) 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.

If you’re in our silent book club group, if you’re in a silent book club group elsewhere in the world, if you’re in any kind of a book club, if you’re a book club unto yourself … or hey, if you’re thinking about starting a book club to welcome more readers into your reading life … however you celebrate books and reading … Happy reading!!!

Happy 500th chapter worldwide, Silent Book Club!

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Congratulations to the Silent Book Club organization – a worldwide bookish phenomenon that means so much to readers here in east end Toronto – on hitting the impressive milestone of 500 chapters! Here’s the announcement.

Silent Book Club celebrating 500 chapters!

Our chapter’s first meeting with 4 attendees was in 2017 (yes, it’s our 6th anniversary!) At that time, I think there were around 50-60 chapters worldwide.

Table, books, coffee and readers' legs and shoes visible at first Toronto silent book club meeting

In 2019, our Toronto chapter teamed up with Silent Book Club co-founder Guinevere de la Mare to do a bunch of CBC Radio interviews extolling the virtues of this approach to book clubs and reading. At that time, I believe we were telling interviewers that there were around 75 SBC chapters worldwide.

Silent book club meeting with attendees, books, coffee and bookstore dog peeking over table, with bookshelves in background

Our Silent Book Club group has gathered in local parks …

Silent book club members in folding chairs, reading in Stephenson Park under a beautiful sky

… gathered virtually during the pandemic, and kept up the zoom format for flexibility, convenience and because new members joined our group from around the world. (As Kathyrn Eastman will confirm, the eastern edge of Toronto now extends all the way to Wales!)

Silent book club zoom meeting

Our Silent Book Club group continues to meet for special bookish experiences, including our wonderful visits to Great Escape Bookstore.

Silent book club meeting at The Great Escape bookstore

500 chapters worldwide, all gathering in different ways, numbers of readers and settings, means that more and more readers are enjoying a kind of bookish fellowship that has come to mean a lot to many of us!

Silent book club group as perpetual motion great reading machine

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On the verge of its sixth anniversary (yes!), our silent book club group does this amazing and wonderful thing more and more, with every meeting. One by one, as readers share updates on their recent reading, almost to a person, that recent reading includes a recommendation from another reader in the group. And that recommendation blossoms into other discoveries. And then the reader that offered that recommendation reveals that the previous reader inspired them with recommendations (backatcha!), and then that recommendation led down other intriguing paths, either deeper into a particular subject or an author’s body of work … and on and on it goes, around our virtual silent book club table. And it’s connected and enmeshed but, importantly, not spinning in on itself (meaning we’d all eventually be reading the same book, like, er, the kinds of book clubs we left to join this group …) It keeps spinning larger and larger concentric circles, drops on a pond that extend further and further out. It’s perpetually in motion in fascinating ways that has this reader looking forward to how it will all keep spinning when next we meet.

In addition to our monthly go-round (spinning!) meetings, we continue to devote a second meeting every month to a bookish topic of discussion. The topic of this month’s themed discussion meeting was:

Looking things up while you’re reading – If you encounter a reference or word or something you don’t recognize while you’re reading – and it’s not explained or discernible from the text – do you stop and look it up or do you keep going with the flow of what you’re reading?

While fairly evenly divided between stopping to look things up (even risking getting distracted by invariable online rabbit holes) and going with the flow, the assembled readers for this discussion learned a lot from those on one or the other side of this dilemma. Thoughts and revelations included:

  • One reader who goes with the flow marks pages with scraps of paper that she circles back to later to look things up.
  • The group debated whether or not cryptic words that one has to look up could or should be “solved” by the writer by either employing simpler prose or incorporating obvious clues, descriptions or explanations. In other words, should the text be self-contained and explanatory?
  • Some readers confessed to being made to feel lazy if they just forged ahead and didn’t either stop at the time or look things up later. Others suggested a bit of mistrust of the author if things weren’t fully explained in context.
  • Footnotes … ah, yes … the pros, the cons, even the quirky delights of …

Silent book club member Anne-Louise's recent and current reading, including 21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act by Bob Joseph, Truth Telling by Michelle Good and The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman e-book, accompanied by a white polar bear toy wearing an orange ribbon and holding a plush pumpkin (Photo by Anne-Louise Gould)

Silent book club member Vicki (that's me, with my signature messy hair and glasses), on screen getting ready for our zoom meeting, with books stacked next to my computer

Here is our group’s latest combined book list, gathering up books mentioned and discussed at our end of September 2023 meeting. Each list reflects the reading of many of our members. Many provide their reading lists even when they can’t attend a meeting. The titles featured in each of our reports encompass print and digital versions of books, along with audiobooks.

Any title on any of our group’s lists means that at least one (but usually more) readers have given that title some consideration. That’s encouragement for you and other readers checking out our reports and lists to consider it, too. Is that a recommendation? It might be, but not exactly or necessarily. Inclusion on this list always means that a title has been given thoughtful consideration and attention by our readers, which you can be assured counts for a lot.


Here are some extra book-related articles, resources, news and recommendations. 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.

  • Last month, I blended the poetry works I read for the 2023 Sealey Challenge (reading 31 works in 31 days) into our group’s combined reading list. I’ve since created a separate blog post of my Sealey Challenge reading here.
  • “Something happened when we shifted to digital formats that created a loss of rights for readers. Pulling back the curtain on the evolution of ebooks offers some clarity to how the shift to digital left ownership behind in the analog world.” Read more in The Anti-Ownership Ebook Economy.
  • Did we mention footnotes? Poet Ross Gay praises them!
  • The reader who discussed the book Reimagining Chinatown: An Anthology of Speculative Fiction, edited by Linda Zhang at today’s meeting also recommended the documentary Big Fight in Little Chinatown as an interesting complement to the book.
  • Another group member strongly recommends the Read the North Podcast. Season 1 is an engaging history of (mostly Toronto focused) CanLit.

Looking back almost six years,here’s a report from the very first meeting of the east end Toronto silent book club group.

You can always find our previous reports and book lists right here, growing every month.

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 silent book clubs via Guinevere and Laura’s Silent Book Club web site. You can find information on meetings happening around the world and close to where you live. Every club is a different size, format (in-person, virtual or combinations) 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.

And if you explore some of the books here or on our other combined lists, our group will help you and your reading friends to keep that perpetual motion great reading machine rolling on and on and on …