Melbourne writer Grant Krupp has created something that sounds counterintuitive but makes complete sense: a party where everyone reads in silence.
It’s called Book Doof, and yes, that name is intentional. Krupp has essentially taken the social energy of a Melbourne gathering, stripped away the pressure to perform or chat, and replaced it with something far more appealing to a certain type of person: the freedom to just exist in a room full of strangers while getting through a few chapters.
Add ambient music, dim lighting and absolutely zero obligation to discuss what you’re reading, and you’ve got yourself a genuinely novel way to spend an afternoon.
Book Doof launched with trial events at Capers in Thornbury during October and November, and the response has been overwhelmingly positive. Krupp had been toying with the concept for years before seeing similar events succeed in New York and deciding Melbourne was ready for its own version.
Upcoming Melbourne Book Doof
- Sunday 21 December, 3pm–6pm
- Nighthawks Bar, Collingwood
- Walk-ins only
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Melbourne Book Doof offers an intimate, low-pressure environment where people gather to read together, connect with others who love books just as much as they do, and engage in only a little bit of small talk at the end if they feel like it. That last part is optional.
What makes Book Doof work is that it taps into something larger happening across Melbourne and beyond. Run clubs, communal dining nights and other low-pressure meetups are booming because they offer human connection without the intensity of traditional social settings.
Coffee raves and sober nightlife events reflect a shift in social habits that don’t rely on alcohol to be sustainable. People are actively seeking in-person experiences that feel genuine rather than transactional, and younger generations are investing in experiences over things. Book Doof fits squarely into that shift while carving out its own quiet [reading] corner.
Social isolation is a growing challenge, and small, welcoming gatherings like Book Doof genuinely help address that need. When something is built with genuine intent rather than commercial pressure, people feel it. Krupp is committed to keeping Book Doof free forever, because reading is universal and should be accessible, restorative and open to everyone.
Whether you’re after a few hours of quiet escapism or a chance to be around other readers without forced interaction, Book Doof creates space for all of it.
Nighthawks Bar in Collingwood, Melbourne, hosts the next session on Saturday 21 December from 3pm to 6pm. Bring a book, settle in and see what happens when reading becomes a shared experience instead of a solitary one.
For more information, head here.
