Blwyddyn newydd dda from the mighty readers of east end Toronto

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Everyone marks the turning from one year to the next differently. Some dedicated readers who do not want to experience book hangovers on January 1st are working diligently as this blog post is being prepared to finish books before midnight … and then they start January 1st with a new tbr pile to tackle, turning to a fresh page in their book journals.

Well, not all readers do that, but all members of the east end Toronto chapter (which stretches east to New Jersey and Wales) of the Silent Book Club worldwide fellowship of readers are dedicated to good reading. We’re looking back on another year of reading discoveries, delights and challenges, and how we celebrated that with bookloving companions near and far. We’re looking ahead to more such celebrations, switching up the format of our virtual meetings to include themed discussions. We’re also planning for safe, comfortable in-person meetings that return us to the founding impetus of the silent book club concept: reading silently together, turning pages and drinking in fine words, with our friends and neighbours, in our neighbourhood.

Follow along with us in 2023. Continue or start your own reading journeys, collectively and individually, and be in touch to let us know about the books that are captivating you.

Silent book club member Philippa's books, including titles about David Hockney and by Shirley Hazzard, are arranged with a decorated plate, a house plant and a worn but handsome rug

Silent book club member Jo's books, including titles by Sadiqa de Meijer and Eve Joseph - poetry collections in print - and Fredrik Backman, a novel in ebook format, are arranged next to a blue, purple and orange crocheted shawl

Squizzey the squirrel, reading companion of silent book club member Kathryn, poses next to the book Animal Life by Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir and a picture of Toronto city hall

Silent book club member Lyla's books, including titles by Bill Bryson, Claire Harman and Philip Pullman, are arranged on a lovely gray sofa with attractive cushions and afghan, next to a window with house plants on the ledge

Silent book club member Vicki, on screen, with her pile of reading next to the computer, including Spacing magazine and titles by Robert Chursinoff and Ted Berrigan, among others

Here is our group’s final combined book list of this year. As I’ve mentioned before, each list reflects the reading of many of our members, whether or not they attended the meeting. The titles featured in each of our reports encompass print and digital versions of books, along with audiobooks. This list also combines the group’s reading as discussed over two meetings this month of December, 2022.

I’m regularly asked if our group recommends specific books. My answer? Any title on any of our group’s lists means that at least one (often more) readers have given that title some consideration. That is encouragement, I’d say, for other readers reading our reports and lists to consider it, too. Is that a recommendation? It might be, but not exactly or necessarily. It always means that a title has been given attention and thought by our readers, which counts for a lot.

Here are some additional book-related articles, resources, news, recommendations and more. 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 … and sometimes our conversation meanders from books to interesting topics and nuggets of information, just because!

  • “My favorite part of a Silent Book Club meetup is the not-silent part, where you get to meet nice people, talk about books, and get recommendations for what to read next.” Our group agrees.
  • If you don’t already, you need to know more about natto.
  • Greg Bear’s work “combined a wide-ranging view of future technical developments with political speculation.” Science fiction readers mourn his death at 71.
  • A Novel Spot bookstore is one of the Toronto purveyors of books much beloved by our group members.

Our previous reports and book lists are available year round to intrigue, amuse, provoke and add to your tbr pile … 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 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. Some clubs are currently on hiatus or modified schedules, many are running virtual meetings in different formats, and some are carefully running in-person gatherings again. Please feel free to contact me for more information about our club and its offerings.

Happy new year … in reading and in everything!

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