A Belarusian woman created a women's book club in Warsaw where they find friends

But the discussion isn't limited to literature: the girls find friends, travel together, and share personal experiences. Hanna told Most why she decided to create a club exclusively for women and how books help Belarusians socialize in emigration.

"We called it a reading hut"

Hanna was born in Minsk, but spent a significant part of her childhood in the village where her mother was from. She often visited the library and read a lot.

Her love for literature was also supported by her family. Grandmother, grandfather, mother, aunt, sister — everyone was constantly reading something. In the evenings, relatives would gather in the large hall of the village house, settle on the sofas, and each would engross themselves in their book or newspaper.

— We called it a "reading hut". Mom taught me to read quite early; I had many children's books. I guess that's where it all started, — Hanna recalls.

Even in Belarus, Hanna ran a book-themed Instagram: she talked about books she had read, made selections, sold and gave away books. Even then, she thought about her own book club, but doubted that the idea would find enough resonance.

Started with free meetings, then introduced a fee

After moving to Poland, Hanna created a small community for communication in emigration. Participants met, got acquainted, and talked about themselves. In the summer of 2022, she decided to unite the girls around a common interest — literature.

The first meetings were held in a small group and were free. Hanna herself arranged the dates and handled the organization.

— I realized that people don't appreciate free things at all. Although a group had already formed, organizing it was still a big task, — she says.

Over time, Hanna decided to make the meetings paid: more people wanted to join, and organizing required time. Initially, participation cost 30 zlotys, now it's 50.

"Women need an environment where they can talk about any topic"

From the very beginning, the book club turned out to be exclusively for women, and Hanna consciously maintained this format. According to her observations, in the company of other women, participants feel freer and are ready to discuss not only literature but also personal problems.

— It seems to me that women need an environment where we can calmly talk about any topic: relationships, problems with relatives, unsuccessful pregnancies, illnesses. I saw how much the girls' behavior changes when a man comes into the company. Even if it's someone's partner, — Hanna explains.

Currently, men are also interested in joining the book club, but the organizer does not plan to change the format.

About 60 participants in the chat

The club has grown significantly since its inception. Now there are about 60 people in the Warsaw chat, although not everyone regularly attends the meetings.

— On average, about nine participants gather at one meeting. Sometimes more: two meetings can be organized for the discussion of especially popular books, so that all those interested can join, — says Hanna.

Most of the participants, according to the organizer's assessment, are between 25 and 45 years old. They are predominantly Belarusians, but there are also girls from Ukraine, Russia, Latvia, and Kazakhstan. Their professions vary: among the participants are medics, IT specialists, designers, and other representatives of creative professions.

Hanna tries not to turn the book club into a literature lesson. There are no requirements for how deeply one should understand a work, and it is not customary to judge others' knowledge.

— We don't have strict rules. You can express absolutely any opinion about classics or a controversial modern author. You can even not finish reading a book and still come. Sometimes girls come simply because they want to talk, — she says.

"I don't ask questions like a teacher"

At the end of the month, participants suggest books for discussion, then vote and choose three works for the following month. Hanna coordinates dates, reserves cafes, and organizes communication. The discussion usually lasts about two and a half hours. The organizer tries to involve everyone in the conversation, including more modest participants.

— I don't ask questions like a teacher: "What did the author mean?" Rather, I ask: "And what do you think?" I see when someone wants to speak, and I try to give them that opportunity, — she says.

If the conversation becomes too emotional or personal, the Belarusian woman tries to bring the discussion back to the book being discussed.

From contemporary prose to Polish classics

The first book discussed at a paid meeting was "To Yourself Tenderly" by Belarusian author Olga Primachenko. According to Hanna, the work evoked a mixed reaction: some liked it, some were unimpressed. But precisely because of this, the book proved to be a successful choice for an introduction — the participants had something to talk about.

Now, the club reads literature of various genres. Particularly lively discussions arise around works that touch on themes close to the participants: emigration, family relationships, motherhood, women's rights.

The organizer also remembered the discussion of psychotherapist Edith Eger's book "The Choice". Its author survived the Holocaust, emigrated to the USA, and received a psychological education.

— I read it twice. The first time, the topic of the Holocaust really resonated with me. The second time, when I myself found myself in emigration, I perceived the story of her relocation differently, how she lived, how her children lived, how she went to study at an advanced age, — Hanna recounts.

Gradually, another tradition appeared in the club: approximately once every two months, participants read a book in Polish, but discuss it in Russian. And participants who find it more comfortable to speak in Belarusian or Ukrainian use their native language.

According to Hanna, about ten works have been read this way since the club's inception. For many, this is an additional motivation to learn Polish. Currently, participants are reading Bolesław Prus's novel "The Doll".

Not just books: cinema, walks, and joint trips

Over time, meetings ceased to be limited to literature. Sometimes participants go to museums, cinemas, quizzes, and sports trainings together, travel to the mountains, wish each other happy birthday, organize movie screenings, master classes, and thematic evenings. For example, they planned a Halloween meeting: the girls are going to wear costumes, bring snacks, and discuss a Stephen King book.

— We can meet at a concert, and then go home together. We can ask for advice or offer someone to conduct a master class. These are no longer just girls in emigration united by one interest. We've really become friends, — says the organizer.

"In emigration, communication is precious"

The club has become especially important for women who find it difficult to make new acquaintances after moving.

Hanna recalls how some participants admitted that before the "book meetings", they rarely left home. Some worked remotely, others spent most of their time with children. As a result, their social circle gradually narrowed.

— Girls say that they are finally starting to socialize. That they rarely went out before, worked from home or took care of children. And I realize that I am doing something truly valuable. In emigration, communication is precious, — says Hanna.

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