What if reading could be one of the best ways to meet people and build community in Salt Lake City?
In this episode of the Small Lake City Podcast, I sit down with Amanda Warren of Bookish SLC to talk about how a love of books grew into a community bringing hundreds of people together around reading, connection, and shared experiences.
Amanda shares how living in New York helped inspire the idea behind Bookish, why Salt Lake City was ready for more niche community experiences, and how Bookish has grown beyond simply getting together to read. We talk about making friends as an adult, the rise of run clubs and other interest-based communities, creating spaces where people can show up alone, and why books can make connecting with strangers a whole lot easier.
We also get into the current conversation around literacy and attention spans, audiobooks, reading habits, protecting your time and energy, and why Amanda believes getting more people excited about books matters.
Plus, Amanda gives us a look at the Salt Lake Book Festival, including its partnership with Utah Humanities and the Utah Festival of Books, 28 visiting authors, multiple stages, kids programming, vendors, a custom festival beer with Fisher Brewing, and the goal of creating a book festival that even non-readers can enjoy.
If you’re interested in books, reading, making friends in Salt Lake City, local events, community building, or the people shaping the culture of SLC, this episode is for you.
Follow Small Lake City for more conversations with the people making Salt Lake City and Utah a better, more connected place.
🎙️ Small Lake City Podcast
📍 Salt Lake City, Utah
Topics include: Bookish SLC, Salt Lake Book Festival, Utah Festival of Books, Utah Humanities, reading communities, book clubs, literacy, audiobooks, making friends as an adult, Salt Lake City events, community building, and Utah culture.
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