Pulling up to The Henson, a boutique hotel in the Catskills, it hit me what I was about to do: spend 48 hours with 14 strangers reading a book out loud. I’ve dreaded reading aloud since my elementary school days (I was a timid, slow reader who often stumbled over words… I still do). And now, here I was at Page Break, a weekend-long reading retreat dedicated to doing precisely that.
“I think many of us are scarred from our schooling experience of being called by the teacher.” Says Page Break founder Mikey Friedman. However, with his novel reimagining of a rural group retreat, Friedman is reclaiming the act of reading out loud for an adult audience. The idea came about when Friedman was looking for a way to engage with his community through literature and wasn’t finding a suitable option from traditional models like book clubs. After reading a UK study about the benefits of reading aloud for adults, he was struck by the results: According to the report, reading together gave adults different perspectives when dealing with life’s challenges. Not only that, but without a phone screen to hide behind, friendships can form. Soon, Friedman saw the benefits for himself, noting that 94% of participants say they made a new friend at their Page Break retreat.
Upon arrival, my room was stocked with a detailed weekend itinerary—lovingly planned to the hour—along with a list of the retreat guidelines, which included a piece on mutual respect (even after heavy wine consumption), silencing our phones during reading times, and a reminder that all activities are optional. “This is not school,” Friedman repeated throughout the weekend.
Not long after checking into our rooms, we gathered as a group in the Henson’s backyard for our first reading session. Arranged in a circle—some in chairs and others directly on the grass—we did quick introductions before diving into the book of the retreat: There Are Reasons for This, a debut novel from queer female author, Nini Berndt. Page Break takes pride in showcasing first-time authors, as well as BIPOC and Queer writers. This dedication to diverse voices was reflected in the group at an individual identity level, too. Our group of 15 represented a wide variety of professions, sexual orientations, and family histories. Outside of reading sessions, conversations would quickly move away from discussing the world of the book and get personal, fast. I learned all about a perfume brand one attendee was launching; I spent a bus ride hearing about the burnout a young social worker was experiencing as she worked towards her final accreditation hours; then, of course, there were many stories about the trials and tribulations of dating in New York City.
For most, these beyond-the-book connections are a main draw of Page Break. A fellow attendee-turned-friend recently told me, “I don’t get to spend extended time with strangers like I normally would with coworkers in an office.” This trip filled that void for her, introducing her to people she would otherwise never encounter in her social circle. There are so few times as adults that we’re thrown into a group of strangers. Throughout the weekend, we also devoured impressive chef-prepared multi-course meals together, which featured dishes inspired by lines in the book that kept our conversations flowing. Whether it was over candlelit dinners, late-night bonfires, or morning coffee, I was constantly impressed by how quickly we were all stripped of our inhibitions and allowed to exist in the moment.
Not for the bookish introvert, Page Break is very much a group travel experience: we ate all our meals together and participated in activities like Saturday morning meditation and sound baths. During one afternoon hike, a downpour came, creating a serendipitous moment where we all happily skipped through the rain, our books waterlogged as we ran along like kids at summer camp. As someone generally unaccustomed to group travel, I was surprised to find it not at all awkward. I attribute this sense of ease to the reading. Listening to people read aloud is like getting a look inside their brain. There are small meaningful details in the moments they pause, the faces they make during a high-tension scene, the voices they use for different characters. Plus, once you’ve tripped over pronouncing a basic word (which we all did), walls come down quickly.
On the last morning, it was apparent how comfortable we’d become with one another, bodies draped across The Henson’s homey living room furniture, and many of us, in slippers, anxiously awaited our last turn in the reading circle. We collectively exhaled when closing the books, taking a moment to debrief before heading into the dining room for an intimate Q&A with Berndt, the book’s author. We chatted about the books, whose pages were rippled from a soggy hike, dog-eared from the reading sessions, and now a souvenir from a one-of-a-kind weekend of reading and resting.
Below, we’ve rounded up some of the best reading retreats to consider when planning your next weekend away.
Ladies Who Lit
Megan Christopher hosts five-day-long women-only reading vacations that include villa accommodations, a private chef who prepares all meals, a murder mystery dinner, and other themed activities. They’ve hosted retreats at Caribbean resorts, English Countryside estates, Italian villas, and even on board a catamaran in the Greek Islands. There’s a book of the retreat, especially picked for the group, so no two experiences will ever be alike. On the final night, you’ll have a book club-style discussion about the work. With attendees ranging from young-20s BookTok types to empty-nesters looking for a vacation without the hassle of planning something or going solo, you might just walk away having formed a future travel group.
Forest and Fawn
A “bookish business” that specializes in reading & writing retreats, Forest and Fawn hosts women & femme only retreats that are dedicated to fantasy series like A Court of Thorns and Roses and Fourth Wing. With an emphasis on “cozy” venues, you’ll never find a Forest and Fawn at a corporate hotel. Past retreats have taken place at places like Mohonk Mountain House in the Hudson Valley and Captain Whidbey Inn in Washington. They even try to match the setting to the book—for an upcoming retreat about the Throne of Glass series, they’ll go to Autocamp Yosemite, inspired by the book’s mountainous setting.
Book Huddle
In April 2023, Lauren Moore posted a video on TikTok sharing an idea: what if we rented a venue, read books, went on nature walks, drank wine, and relaxed. The video went viral. The rest, as they say, is history. Book Huddle has hosted nearly a dozen retreats worldwide, from Canada to England to New Mexico. Unlike the other retreats where you all read one book, you vote on the weekend’s fiction, fantasy, mystery, or romance book before arriving at Book Huddle. Once you pick your genre, you’ll be assigned to a group of people whom you’ll meet throughout the weekend to discuss your book, called your “Designated Huddle.” Your meals and activities are catered to the place — think a lobster bake in Maine or a group astrology and (weather permitting) stargazing session in New Mexico.
Booked In at Scribner’s Catskill Lodge
Scribner’s Lodge in the Catskills is known for its woodsy, après-ski aesthetic. With blazing fireplaces and plenty of cozy corners, the hotel begs you to cuddle up and read a book. So it felt natural that the hotel collaborated with Gabriella Valladares to create “Booked In,” their annual weekend reading retreat. Last year’s inaugural event included an Idler Books-sponsored shop set up in the Apex where individuals could purchase books throughout the weekend, a dinner hosted at nearby Fellow Mountain Cafe in collaboration with cookbook author and Delaware County resident Alexis deBoshnick, and campfire bonding over s’mores every night. Guests stayed in the hotel rooms as well as their new larger accommodations, Rounds. This November, they’re welcoming Zoe Dubno, author of the upcoming Happiness and Love. If you can’t come for a whole weekend, they’ve started a (free!) book club, inviting authors to come in for curated readings and discussions once a quarter.
