Why Aussies are travelling across cities to sit together in silence

People are travelling across major cities in Australia, just to sit in silence while doing whatever their heart desires.

In Melbourne, many are spending their time at what is known as a “Book Doof”. An elevated version of the silent reading time we were familiar with in primary school, they allow for introverted, like-minded individuals to spend time together, reading their own books while a carefully curated soundtrack plays.

Founder Grant Richard Krupp first put the idea into practice when he invited six of his friends to sit and read in silence in a bar in St Kilda last October.

But he tells nine.com.au the idea has been mulling in his mind for over a decade. 

“I was at a party, and I picked up a book and started reading it, and then out of nowhere the idea came… it would be cool to have or host a bunch of friends of mine in any type of space, whether it be in a park or in a bar, where everybody read and nobody talked,” the communications specialist, 44, said.

It was only when he saw an article in the New York Times about the rise of reading parties in unconventional spaces that he thought he could make it work in a creative city like Melbourne. 

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The principles of a Book Doof are simple: “You show up, you read, you socialise, you leave.”

It’s typically a pay-as-you-feel event and consists of two and a half hours of reading time – or doing whatever quiet activity you choose – followed by an optional half an hour of social time. 

“I’m not expecting people to have big conversations or perform or do anything,” said Krupp.

“I want to bring the idea of reading into the open. I want it to be a social and fun activity for people who are generally not the type of people that would go out to a loud concert, or to an event where you’re expected to talk to other people; that’s not my intention. 

“It’s for people who, first and foremost are shy or quiet, neurodiverse; they might live by themselves or feel isolated. 

“I want to make them as inclusive as possible, because you don’t need to talk and you don’t need to meet lots of people, you just need feel like your cup is being filled because you’re doing your favourite activity … which [is] so vital to being human these days.”

Over the few months he has been hosting these events, Krupp has seen an exponential growth in numbers. His latest event has sold out of its 300 tickets, and there are about 300 more people in his inbox asking to attend. 

Since he started, Krupp has joined forces with other organisations to host events like book swaps, reading raves, fundraisers, and workshops and has even launched a premium experience, Club Quiet. 

He describes it as an immersive experience, inviting artists such as Anthony Artmaan, a drone sound meditation music artist, to play music that will “lull you into an experience which helps with concentration while you’re reading”. 

“I want to work with other types of artists who utilise that type of ambient music that then helps people read, rather than overwhelms the experience … It’s a night I am utilising to help expand the repertoire of what Book Doof is.”

Krupp hopes to bring the events to places like schools to help introverted children feel a sense of belonging and help improve falling literacy rates. 

Regardless of being adults or kids, he says people “cry out for this type of belonging, to be around people, even if they don’t say anything … just to be a part of a group is just as vital as being the loudest person.” 

Book Doofs are now being hosted in Perth, and others are taking it upon themselves to bring the concept to their own backyards. 

Sydney couple and university students Lily Shaw and Leah Reinhardt had a similar trajectory when forming their group, Community Craft Club. 

Every month, the group lay out picnic mats in the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney and bring some snacks to enjoy with each other as they work on their projects.

But it started when Reinhardt, 20, began knitting as a hobby during a complicated period in her life, inviting her friends to her house to spend time on their individual passion projects. 

Shaw, 21, decided to expand their circle, creating an Instagram account and advertising their little club, asking friends of friends and members of the public to join in March this year.

In four months, their attendance has doubled each time, with about 50 new people joining in for their last event.

The group caters to 16 to 30-year-olds, with the pair surprised people across all ages and occupations have expressed interest.

“Many different people from many walks of life come. I thought it would be majority students, but full-time workers show out,” Shaw told nine.com.au.

Their club has been host to child protective service workers, graphic designers, lawyers, and even a parkour professional. 

“There are just so many unique people and unique perspectives … I’ve found it really beautiful,” added Reinhardt.

Their club doesn’t have many rules, but one they stick to is their age limit.

“For young people, there’s not a lot of spaces where it isn’t centric to paying money or on drinking,” explained Shaw.

“We are trying to address the loneliness epidemic present in young people and give them something that is outside and not screen-focused.”

Though Gen Z gets a bad rep for seeming lazy and standoffish, the people joining this group “could not be more warm and more genuine”, said Shaw. 

Most of the members are not the extroverted type, or avoid typical social gatherings like drinking and partying, but still need to fill the gap of isolation they feel.

“It takes a level of vulnerability to be there and to say, ‘Hey, I’m here because I’m having a tough time or because this is something that I’m interested in. I want to connect with new people,’” Shaw noted about the members.

But the restrictions do not limit the creativity of the projects being worked on. Shaw has seen people bring laptops and write Dungeons and Dragons scripts.

“We’ve had graphic designers who do that full-time for work come and work on their projects,” she said.

“People embroidering Sylvia Plath quotes on denim,” Reinhardt added.

“In our most recent meet-up, we had a guy who has been working on making a handmade metal bonsai tree,” added Shaw excitedly, “and he gets the pliers, he brought it all with him!”

People bringing their passion projects to work on is an essential part of the way the group works, said Shaw, as it prevents a costly barrier to entry. 

“With the cost-of-living crisis, young people have enough as it is. When community spaces get barred with an entry fee, that is something we feel pretty strongly about.” 

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Shaw said this made it remarkably easy to organise the club, encouraging those outside of their age bracket or living further away to create their own gatherings.

“In allowing people to bring what they’re already working on, we try to keep it accessible financially, and also in a common area in the city where it’s easily accessible by public transport,” she said.

“We believe that community shouldn’t be paid to enter.”

They also believe in “no bigotry, no discrimination”.

“Attitudes are positive. We’re supportive. We like when other people teach other people things,” Shaw said.

“If you’re coming here, you’re coming here to be inclusive. That’s kind of the foundations of where we come from.”