For a long time, New York’s Williamsburg neighborhood, including Brooklyn, was viewed as the global center of cool. Whether it’s the craft beer revolution, hip fashion, vegan fried chicken, or the boldest indie rock stars, Williamsburg is likely at the forefront of it all. the The New York Times According to Art
The latest trend for hipsters in Williamsburg: reading.
But not at home on the couch, or on a park bench, or on the toilet at work, like everyone else does: at a bar, with a $10 ticket, with other people reading, while a DJ or pianist plays soft music at home. . the background. This is what the reading parties that have been organized under the name Reading Rhythms look like since the beginning of the summer.
The first reading party was organized by three young men in their twenties on a rooftop, because they felt that their generation no longer had the patience and opportunity for in-depth reading. They missed the atmosphere of school libraries, engaging in big philosophies with semi-familiar people sharing their reading experiences, and they thought some soft music and a few drinks would be a good accompaniment.
Since then, in addition to Williamsburg, reading parties have also been held in Los Angeles and Croatia, which are increasingly popular among Americans. The ceremony was attended by 270 people, and a New York Times reporter was present. What actually happened was that everyone brought a book, read, drank if they felt like it, talked to their neighbors about what they were reading, and after a few drinks and a few book recommendations, everyone went home.
Of course, under the photos and videos of such parties, there are those who complain that hipsters invented the library and think they have created something cool, but the organizers were not really offended by the library analogy. It gets worse if someone calls the event a book club or reading circle instead of a reading party. However, everything has limits.