Reading nights and avant-garde literary groups are rapidly emerging as platforms for younger generations to foster community and creatively share personal narratives – and one new series is making waves in New York.
Literary events are on the rise across the US, with CNN citing that book club listings have grown 24% in 2023 from the previous year.
And it seems that the younger generations are leading the charge in cities such as New York, seeking fresh avenues for their creative expression in the wake of a pandemic that started a loneliness and isolation epidemic.
Such was the inspiration behind “Confessions”, Cassidy Grady’s new Sunday night reading series in New York.
“After Covid, people had a desire for community that surpassed what existed before,” said Grady, the artist and writer behind the event. “We were reminded that being in a room with other human beings is important, and in a way, that is where the scene formed.”
Confessions begins with a dilapidated phone booth in Sovereign House, an East Village location that, on Google Reviews, describes itself as a religious institution but functions more as an underground event space, hosting magazine launches, art shows or cultural conversations.
Participants are invited to leave confessions – written on paper – in a box in the booth in the lead-up to the event. These “confessions” range in sentiments from “I killed someone” to “I cheated on the person I came here with tonight.” The readings are held every two weeks, usually attracting a crowd of 200, and the admissions become prompts for short stories devised by the writers chosen for the night.
“It is the most popular consistent reading series in the city at the moment,” Grady said in a text message afterwards.
At their most recent event, on the last day of June, the prompts didn’t disappoint. Patrons were greeted by a man and his small pet mouse on the door. Chairs were set up around a microphone in the wooden-lined, library-like room, but most people went into the small courtyard garden to smoke or chat. There were T-shirts printed with things like “RIP, Dad, you would’ve loved confessions” or pictures of Donald Trump with pink devil horns on his head.
One story told, devised by Annabel Boardman, was centered around a piece of paper that read: “When I was a teenager, I had a crush on my aunt.” Another kicked off with the confession: “I’m currently dating three girls on the internet,” followed by: “I squeezed her hand too hard.” Grady said this was “the cutest one I’ve ever read”.
Each reader delivered their pieces with confidence, despite many of the topics involving a more-than-surface level of intimacy – some themes that were strewn throughout included dating apps (and their faux sense of attachment), Covid, eating disorders and high school trauma.
“This story is about a bi e-girl,” one reader said, to notable enthusiasm from the crowd.
Across the US, niche book clubs are on the rise. Themed events, like queer book clubs, saw an 82% increase in attendance in 2023, according to CNN. At a time when independent bookstores continue to expand and attract interest, and when younger audiences are repeatedly turning to BookTok – one of the biggest online reading communities, which had 165bn global views last year – it’s clear that generation Z and millennials are looking for more than what traditional book clubs or readings have to offer.
“It’s a snowball effect – once meaningful community forms, it grows and grows and grows,” Grady said, asking “what else are we going to do?” with a wink.
“How do you meet new people and experience new things if you gatekeep your lunch table?”
