Interview: Derby Book Club with a twist lets you read in silence with likeminded bibliophiles

A book club with a twist in the heart of the city centre is turning heads - downwards and into books - as people hunker down for 60 minutes of uninterrupted reading. 

You may have heard of book clubs where people gather to discuss a book of the month.

Now, there is a new kid on the book block and it is silently shaking up the status quo. 

Instead of discussing a book, people are encouraged to carve out one hour of solid reading time and read any book they want in those 60 minutes. 

The venue too is inspired; people meet on the first floor of Carnero Lounge, a busy restaurant and bar on St Peter’s Street in Derby city centre.

Silent Book Club Derby takes place approximately once a month running from 6pm.

After 30 minutes’ of introductions and chats, people then participate in a 60-minute ‘read-a-thon’ which is not a competition, just a time to indulge in the pleasure of reading for a full hour.

The group has 159 members on Meetup, an online social platform that helps people organise events in their local area. 

We spoke to Silent Book Club organiser and bibliophile Lizzie, who has curated a thriving book community in the heart of the city.

She loves reading books from different genres and cites recent favourites being Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, Good Material by Dolly Alderton, and In The Blink of An Eye by Jo Callaghan. 

Lizzie, 36, from Derby set up the group in October 2023.

Since then, she has overseen membership grow from just a handful of around five members to the current 159. 

She said: “From January we have grown to over 15 at each meeting. There are 159 members in the Meetup group and many more who joined us through Instagram. 

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“We have a great mix of regulars and new faces at each meeting.”

Derby is a city that has a great love for books. It has several book festivals including Derby Book Festival and two city centre bookshops that always appear to be busy. 

Speaking about her motivation behind setting up the Silent Book Club, Lizzie said: “I was looking for a book club to join in Derby and whilst searching online I came across the Silent Book Club website. 

“I thought it sounded like such a great idea, I love to read and talk about books.

“So this seemed like a fun way to do just that, without having to worry about getting through a set book every month. 

“I read for enjoyment so I liked the idea of not having the pressure to keep reading a book I wasn't clicking with, which can be the case with regular book clubs. 

“There wasn’t a chapter already set up in Derby so I decided to go for it and start one myself.”

The unique set up - people can read what they want in that allotted hour slot without committing to a full book - makes it an attractive proposition for discerning readers.

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Lizzie says the group has had some ‘really positive reactions’ with people voicing gratitude for that 60-minute readathon that serves as ‘time out’ for themselves. 

Lizzie said: “So many people have agreed it’s such a good idea to just be able to take some time out for yourself to read with no distractions and read whatever you want, and then also get the chance to have a chat with fellow book lovers. 

“At the start of each meeting we introduce ourselves and say what we’re reading, and there’s always such a wide range of genres that you’d probably not get in one place at a typical book club, so it’s really great that the group can bring us all together.”

Lizzie has big plans and high hopes for the club going forward. She is working hard in cultivating a safe and welcoming space and invites fellow book fans to join her. 

She said: “I hope the group will keep growing and continue to be a success. 

“There are now more than 1,000 Silent Book Club chapters across the world, it’s really exciting to be part of this global community.”

The next event is at 6pm on Wednesday May 29, 2024.

The address is Carnero Lounge, 10 St Peters Street, Derby DE1 1SH.

For more information about Silent Book Club Derby visit their website by clicking here.