SBC Reads: VIGIL - January 2026
This month we're celebrating the release of VIGIL, the latest novel from award-winning author George Saunders. As brilliant a writer as Saunders is, he sadly has not (yet) mastered the art of teleportation so his author tour can only cover so many stops. But never fear, readers, Silent Book Club and Random House are bringing the book launch party to you!
SBC chapters across the U.S. will be hosting candlelight meetups to celebrate the launch of our very first SBC Reads pick, and to bask in the glow of silent reading in community. If you live in one of these cities, RSVP to grab a spot!
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Honolulu, HI - Jan 28
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New Haven, CT - Jan 29
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Atlanta, GA - Jan 31
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Denver, CO - Jan 31
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Tampa, FL - Feb 1
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Huntsville, AL - Feb 2
Join us LIVE on Instagram! 🎙️📚💀
No matter where you live, all readers are welcome to join a live book discussion on January 29 with Silent Book Club cofounder Guinevere de la Mare and the folks behind the Silent Book Club of Death. We’ll dive into the book’s themes—from end-of-life reckoning to the role of a death doula—and discuss how George Saunders approaches these profound topics with his signature humanism and singular imagination.
We’ll be talking with:
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Catherine, founder of Silent Book Club of Death (@deathprojectmanager)
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Lauren Seeley, host of SBC of Death NYC (@silentbookclubofdeathnyc @ahhsweetdeath)
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Jill Schock, host of SBC of Death LA (@deathdoulala)
Whether you’re curious about death awareness, a Saunders fan, or just looking for a good book chat, you won’t want to miss it.
RSVP here to receive a reminder before the event!
“Saunders doing capitalism, climate, and the afterlife in one swing? Sold.”—Oprah Daily
"Vigil is pure Saunders: the death of empathy, he insists, is greatly exaggerated. He pushes back, a burst of surprises and sudden grace.”—The Boston Globe
“As the winner of the Booker Prize, Saunders sets a high bar, and his latest easily clears it. Vigil explores the act of dying: what you regret, who you apologize to, and what you are proudest of. Saunders also imagines dying in an evocative, active way while also making time to explore capitalism, greed, and everything else you might regret in your last hours.”—Harper’s Bazaar