Lit Club NYC

A reading community for the culturally curious.

Reading is often thought of as a solitary activity, but Lit Club NYC is rewriting that narrative. Founded by former educator Kelly Chervin, the community transforms books into a catalyst for connection, conversation, and belonging.

Since its founding just last January the Lit Club community has grown from 5 to more than 15,000 people. Lit club’s staggering growth has proven to Kelly that people not only want this community, but need it.

Unlike a traditional book club, Lit Club NYC invites its members to drop in on any of their monthly events for thoughtful dialogue and new connections centered around books. In a city like New York, where time seems limited and schedules are packed, this flexible approach removes the stress often associated with traditional book clubs.

We talked to Kelly about how she founded Lit Club, how it’s going, and what’s next for the community:

Q&A with Kelly Chervin, founder of Lit Club NYC

How did Lit Club begin? Can you tell us a bit about what inspired you to start it and how it’s evolved since then?

As a former English teacher and school founder (I founded a middle school in the Bronx!), I have always known there is immense power in reading community. For ten years I watched my students learn more deeply about themselves and the world by discussing books like House on Mango Street and To Kill a Mockingbird and that made this sociology major extremely fulfilled. Though I’m now in tech, my passion remains the same– to create spaces for deep thinking and meaningful connection with books at the center. And with adult loneliness at an all time high, literacy rates rapidly declining, and culture seeming to celebrate nonchalance and performances of avoidant irony, that mission feels more urgent than ever.

My first event was a Latina readers meet up and every woman shared her own story and a book that reflects how it feels to navigate culture right now and it was extremely powerful and made me realize people not only want this, they need it.

Since then I have experimented creating all kinds of gatherings that can promote that same depth and vulnerability. Whether its a book swap, a book club or a literary dinner, the throughline of every lit club event is the same– thoughtful discussion and invitation to meaningfully and vulnerably connect with other new yorkers through books.

Your event locations seem to play just as big a role as the books themselves. How do you go about choosing both the books and the venues to create such intentional pairings?

Most of our attendees come alone, so it’s also very important to me that a space makes people feel welcome right away.

We are a book club for the culturally curious, so I am always looking for books that are currently resonating in the larger zeitgeist and ask meaningful questions of us and I love choosing spaces that compliment the moods of the book in some way. But most important is that our venues enable us to connect. In teaching we called this “creating the climate” and it means that any time I’m hosting I want a space to communicate belonging: think warm lighting, spaces for small group conversations, cozy corners–environments that make people feel comfortable to connect right away.

Lit Club hosts multiple events every month, giving members a lot of ways to connect. What types of events do you typically offer, and how do they differ from a traditional book club experience?

Lit Club isn’t a book club, more than it is a literary community with an extremely low barrier to entry for readers to opt in and out of as they choose.

I think without intending to, traditional book clubs can create stress (I need to read the book in time, I need to like the book, I need to commit) But at lit club, if you have ever read a book, you belong. If you desire to meet other thoughtful people, you belong. If you are curious about a topic and want to talk about it with others, you belong. Our events are designed to meet every kind of reader where they are.

Book club is for those craving deep literary analysis that month. Rest and Read is for folks who simply want to read next to others, Book Swaps for high energy socializing and literary dinners to explore one topic in depth. We also host screenings, author talks, identity circles, day trips–truly anything that lets us explore interesting ideas together. The through line is curiosity, an open mind and a willingness to think and connect. What’s most important is a sense of community through books.

Lit Club NYC was recently invited to an advanced screening of A24s new film Eternity. How was that experience, and how do collaborations and partnerships like these help shape and support the Lit Club community?

I love A24 and the stories they choose to tell. Eternity had us spiraling (in a good way) about what love and intimacy actually mean, and the debate that followed—in the theater and then on Substack—was so rich. Moments like this remind me that people really are paying attention to the culture readers help shape, and right now, readers are loving discussions about intimacy. Collaborations with studios and brands let us stretch the conversation, and they give Lit Club members access to experiences that feel special and spark new ways of thinking.

They also underline something I care about deeply: reading is not a solitary act. It’s part of a whole cultural ecosystems

And when we partner with someone who gets that, the whole community feels energized.

What is next for Lit Club NYC? Are there any special events or collaborations you are excited about? How do you see the community expanding?

There is so much on the horizon in a way that makes me both excited and slightly terrified in the best sense! We’re expanding our programming with more film nights and workshops, and experimenting with longer form gatherings (think retreats) and seasonal traditions that members can look forward to every year! We also have some dream partnerships in the works that would open the door for bigger moments throughout New York and maybe even beyond. My hope is that the community keeps growing but never loses the intimacy that makes it feel like a home. I want Lit Club to be a place where people walk in and instantly feel like they belong. And I think we’re getting there one page at a time.

Lit Club held their 55th and final lit club event of 2025 in December, closing out its first operating year. Each month, Lit Club holds a range of events from literary dinners, book swaps, rest & reads, book club meetings and more. Check our their January events here on substack, or follow their instagram @litclub.nyc if reading more is part of your new year’s resolution!