Collective effervescence
Collective effervescence
It's been a joy watching Silent Book Club chapters around the world start meeting again in person. From West Sacramento to Kansas City, London to Genova, and Denver to Dallas, happy readers gathered in parks, pubs, and tea shops to read together.
In a recent New York Times article that explores the emotional toll of Covid, psychologist Adam Grant writes that "peak happiness lies mostly in collective activity." During the pandemic, introverts reported more depression, anxiety, stress, and loneliness than extroverts did. Humans are social animals. "Leave me alone I'm reading" may be a fun motto for a long weekend, but 16 months is far too long for even the most diehard reader to be isolated.
Emotions are inherently social, and we feel an elevated sense of energy and well-being when we're sharing a positive experience with others. There's a name for this buzz—"collective effervescence"—and it's why we originally created Silent Book Club. Our meetups are designed to be a welcoming space for introverts to socialize without the pressure of networking or forced small talk. Little did we know that coming together around a shared purpose would also be crucial for mental health.
There's still a long way to go before the pandemic is behind us, and we urge everyone who can get vaccinated to do their part to protect kids and vulnerable folks from the new variants emerging. The silver lining of this experience is that virtual SBCs are here to stay, so even if you don't have a chapter in your town you can always join in online.
We've got a great giveaway lined up for you this month from author and record label founder Tiffanie DeBartolo. And for podcast fans, don't miss Be Antiracist hosted by Ibram X. Kendi, with guests like Julián Castro, Jemele Hill, Don Lemon, Heather McGhee, and Mariame Kaba. Stay safe, stay well, keep reading.
— Guinevere & Laura
BOOKMARKS
Here are some highlights of what we've been reading online.
Dr. Ibram X. Kendi launches a podcast to build a more equitable world Be Antiracist
The Specific Kind of Joy We’ve Been Missing The New York Times
15 Books to Celebrate Disability Pride NYPL
Tell Congress to Invest in Library Facilities Today ALA
Meet Oakland's First Poet Laureate KALW
Why Representation in Audiobook Narration Matters Slate
Reading Squad S2 Ep5: Disability Fiction anchor.fm
Rachel Cusk, The Art of Fiction No. 246 The Paris Review
"Sorrow" book trailer YouTube
‘What To The Slave Is The Fourth Of July?’ NPR
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FIND YOUR LOCAL SBC CHAPTER
As chapters start meeting in person again, find one close to you on our chapter map.