.jpg)
What the f*ck?
The STFU Reading Society was created for Melbourne based bookish peeps to get together every second Sunday of the month, shut the f*ck up and do some reading at a Silent Reading Party! What is a Silent Reading Party? It's an event where local readers get together and read silently in company. It's wholesome as f*ck.
Seriously, why tho?
Because our reading goals are heckers, and because reading and book pals are life! And, maybe because some of us spend more time talking about books, adding titles to our exponentially growing to be read piles and lists, and scrolling #Bookstagram, than we do actually reading? ... Look, just because books.
STFU Silent Reading Parties exist as a no-pressure and zero-expectation environment to come and exist in. It’s not a book club, it’s not a discussion, we won’t be going around in a circle forcing everyone to awkwardly introduce themselves. Mingling may well happen organically amongst those who are keen to talk books, but mingling and interaction is never forced.
STFU Reading Society is an anti-social social club, and aims to be a monthly haven for both introverts and socially-anxious extroverts alike.
Where?
In Melbourne, we currently meet in front of The Conservatory in Fitzroy Gardens, just by KereKere Green [which does excellent coffee]. We meet in a Melbourne park because we love us some trees, we want to be as accessible as possible, and we'd like to keep our events cost free for our readers. We suggest you follow us on Insta or Twitter or Facebook for up-to-the-minute locations on Silent Reading Party days, just because parks are big, yo, and in the event of inclement weather!
Are we in other locations? Well, watch this space, and get in touch if you're about the STFU M.O. and think your community could support a STFU Chapter.
And how!
We kick off our first hour of reading as close to 11:00 AM as possible, so arrive a few minutes early at 10:50 AM to find us, get set up with a picnic blanket, snacks, a silenced phone, the works. When we're settled, we read! We set a timer for our first reading session, then we have a 15 or so minute break to allow for a dash for coffee or the loos, for a spot of stretching it takes your fancy, or just to banter about our books. We then reset the alarm and read again, finishing at 1:00 PM!
What do you read?
Whatever the heck you want, STFU is a no judgement zone! Chill out with an audiobook while you gaze at clouds, curl up with a comic, chip away at a classic, bring your Uni reading [if you have to!] or get stuck into a bodice ripper, we don’t care. We just want you reading, and literary snobbery is no go for us.
But seriously, what do you read?!
Well, for 2020, we’ve created our very first STFU #AusLit Reading Reading Challenge so get involved if you'd like to!
Other reading challenges or book clubs we’re partial to?
* The Book Riot Read Harder Challenge
* The Unread Shelf Project, for working your way through your own overflowing unread shelves.
* The Stella Project, which is working it’s way through the Stella Prize longlist backlist.
If you’re in Melbourne, the Women’s Melbourne Network Feminist Book Club held at the lovely Neighbourhood Books.
Got to the end of all that but you really don't like peopling but still want to talk book challenges and books and articles about books… ?
Well, we’ve created the STFU Reading Society Facebook Group just for you! Get all the STFU inside scoops and book banter, without the face to face.