Silent Book Club in Tokyo

Whether we read together or alone, books have a remarkable way of bringing us together

Sumida Silent Book Club (Photo credit: Jennifer Shinkai)

“Silent Book Club” — I’d never heard of such a thing until I was invited to participate in one last month.

For the few of you who don’t know about them, the silent book club I attended, photo above, was described like this:

Looking for a calm, cozy space to read and be around fellow book lovers-without assigned reading or pressure to talk? Bring any book you like, enjoy quiet reading time, and optional chatting before and after. All genres, formats, and languages welcome (ebooks, manga, audiobooks too!) Sumida Silent Book Club

Our small group was cozy indeed, amiable with snacks, comfortable chairs and cushions. Here in Japan we’re in the middle of tsuyu, the rainy season, and on the afternoon we met, I saw more than one umbrella-covered passerby look in the storefront window of the studio where we were gathered with what clearly appeared to be longing.

The gathering was held at Atelier Shinkai in Kyojima, Sumida-ku. The location is in shitamachi, far removed from Tokyo’s steel and chrome skyscrapers. It’s a downtown area of traditional houses and shops, that are remarkable for having withstood the Great Kanto Earthquake and World War II.

It was the 12th meeting of the Sumida Silent Book Club, and the first time they had an author reading, which was my pleasure to do.

There are no English-language book clubs where I live, silent or otherwise.

In the past, I was in two different book clubs in Tokyo. This was before there were online options for get-togethers, and since I could only participate when I was actually in Tokyo, I didn’t show up a lot. But I did when I could.

Several times I stayed up late into the night to finish the book assigned. It’s a 3-hour train ride from my home to Tokyo, so I could also complete the reading while sitting in the quiet and comfort of the Shinkansen.

I was surprised to find not all the members of the book club had read the book to be discussed, some had read but not finished the book-that didn’t stop them from giving their reviews and opinions. Since I was something of an interloper, I never played any part in choosing the books we read, and too many times I read books that I did not like, nor found captivating.

The best thing about the Silent Book Club is you can read anything you happen to be reading, and you can introduce it, or not, recommend it, or not, talk about it, or not.

My bookshelf collapsed and a local carpenter built me a new one. (Author photos)

I’ve just finished reading David Copperfield. As I didn’t have a copy, I read a digital version. I hadn’t checked the length of the book but started to wonder about it when, several hundred pages in, David was still an adolescent — it was then I discovered the book was 1245 pages.

I decided it would be a more enjoyable experience to read the hard cover — but it was too expensive and shipping was not included.

Surely, I thought, my local library would have this classic in its English book section. They did not. Well, I read it and thoroughly enjoyed spending time in Mr. Dickens’ world.

Bookcase built by farmer, and custom-made no-nails bookcase from Matsumoto Mingei Kagu 松本民芸家具

When we lived at Futokoro Yama in the hills of Shizuoka, I lamented that the old farmhouse didn’t have even one bookshelf. My neighbor told me she’d ask her husband, a farmer, to build me one. He said he’d never made a bookcase before, but would give it a try. He made it for $20, and nearly 50 years later I still have it.

Since coming to Japan and living in the countryside, I have not had access to bookstores or libraries that carry books in English. For many years, my trips abroad meant lugging back books in my already over-burdened-with-black-eyed-peas suitcase.

Later, I’d obtain books by mailing or faxing an order form to an outlet in Queens, New York. My shipment of books really came by ship, so I could expect a two-month wait. This wholesale shop no longer exists, and I guess you will all know how it was put out of business.

Although I don’t get to browse in bookstores, I regularly read book reviews as I try to keep up with what’s in print. I’m especially drawn to contemporary authors whose writing reflects their international perspectives. In that category, some of my favorite writers have also become friends over the years. Here are a few authors I hope you’ll discover if you haven’t already: Roger Pulvers, David Joiner, Suzanne Kamata, Ann Tashi Slater, Alex Kerr, Robert Whiting, Michael Pronko.

Originally published at https://karenhillanton.substack.com.