Silent Book Club's Miami Chapter Is All About Reading and Socializing

Does building a low-stakes literary scene in Miami appeal to you? If so, you're in luck because Silent Book Club has a new, bustling Miami chapter.

The flexible meetup aimed at reading anything you want for an hour and socializing afterward lets readers explore the city and make new connections. The organization was launched by two friends in 2012 in San Francisco. By 2015, chapters started to pop up outside the city. They now have 500 established chapters, including Miami.

Former teacher and Miami native Aliya Moktadier is the group's organizer. She saw a viral video about a woman finding a local chapter, and a quick internet search showed an inactive Instagram page for a defunct Miami chapter. She noticed comments mounting on the page in reaction to the video. People were eager to start it up again.

Photographer and Silent Book Club Miami member Morgan Sophia was searching for fun things to do in Miami when she stumbled upon the Instagram page. A group chat on starting a new chapter went from five to 50 people overnight, and by the time the group had its first meetup, 40 people came armed with books.

"I like that it's really welcoming; there's no pressure. You can come by yourself. You can come with your friends. Read whatever book you want," Moktadier says. "In a traditional book club, there are members; it's recurring. [Everyone is] all doing the same thing at the same time. We try to make our events free and lax."

The club meets on the last Sunday of the month at Edgewater wine bar Lagniappe. It also hosts an additional monthly event at different local bars, boba shops, and coffee shops. Moktadier says they try to make sure local businesses in different areas of Miami are supported, like Paradis Books and Bread in North Miami and Tea & Poets in South Miami.
Silent Book clubs are all-volunteer operations. "This is something we enjoy. We believe in the mission, in connection, in bringing people together who like the same things, also just people who enjoy reading in other places besides our apartments." Moktadier says. "I also think there's something really interesting about shared silence. Whether you really enjoy being quiet. I think it's an interesting exercise for people."

Sophia says it's nice to dedicate time to reading, meeting people, and going out. "It's nice to be around people doing the same things as you but not needing to participate and talk. You're still getting social interaction. I think a lot of people work from home. It's nice to mix up your day, get out of the house, and read."

But "members" are forging new connections, as well. Some folks just come to chat the whole time. And the crowd changes every event. The Lagniappe location even lends itself to tourists. 

People are reading a mix of books, but you'll definitely see those trending on TikTok. Some books they've seen include A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas, Love Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood, and Lapham's Quarterly.

"I think that's why this book club works," Sophia says. "Whatever you're reading, there's no pressure. You don't have to read something by a certain time."

"It's a great way to end your month and break up your work week," says Moktadier. So mark your calendar to join this independent, low-stakes literary gathering.

Silent Book Club Miami. 6 to 8 p.m. last Sunday of the month, at Lagniappe House, 3425 NE Second Ave., Miami; and 6 to 8 p.m. December 8, Ruka Winewood, 51 NE 24th St, Miami; instagram.com/silentbookclub_miami. Admission is free.