Silent Book Club by the Month

August is the loneliest month.

That is, if you’re a Silent Book Club organizer like me who’s hoping for a big crowd at events.

Over the years, I’ve noticed that each month has its own character, when it comes to Silent Book Club events. And some months have particularly big character.

January always draws the largest crowds. Coming off the holiday season, everyone is ready to swap family time for friend time. A lot of people make New Year’s resolutions that involve reading more or making new friends. I have seen dozens of people brave snowstorms and icy roads just for the privilege of attending a Silent Book Club event in January.

On the other hand, few people want to attend a Silent Book Club event in December. There are too much holiday festivities to plan for and attend, and most people don’t have time for anything else. I usually host only one SBC event in December, instead of my usual two per month, and I try to schedule it as far from major holidays as I can.

And then there’s August. August is for vacations, outdoor parties, end-of-summer activities, and back-to-school preparations. My SBC numbers are always way down in August, lower even than December. The same is true this year. The pandemic sure doesn’t help.

I was looking forward to a rebound this coming September... but look what I just did. I accidentally scheduled my first September event during Labor Day weekend. Oops. It will be another lonely event. Or, I should say, another small, intimate event.

Which is beautiful in its own way.

Liza Achilles is a writer and Silent Book Club organizer in Rockville, Maryland. She blogs about seeking wisdom through books and elsewhere at lizaachilles.com.