On the first Wednesday of each month, the Fireside Room at Seattle's Sorrento Hotel fills up with readers. Some bring books, others tablets or laptops or smart phones. At 6 p.m., the room falls silent, and people read, together, for two hours.
In the gallery above, you can see what the Sound Effect team is reading.
And hear about how the Silent Reading party began -- and what makes it special -- from Christopher Frizzelle, co-founder of the event and editor in chief of The Stranger:
While you're here, tell us what you're reading, in the comments below.