Where Stories Build Community
For Becka Free, books have always been more than a pastime; they’ve been a lifeline. “Books have always been a way to protect my mental health and escape the tougher parts of reality, often into another world,” she says. But as much as she loved disappearing into stories, she also longed for a deeper connection with people who shared that passion.
What she found instead were closed doors. “Making friends as an adult is already challenging, made even more difficult if you spend a lot of time at home reading books,” Free says. Book clubs she tried to join had barriers everywhere: long waitlists, rigid attendance rules, and little flexibility for people with busy or unpredictable schedules. “What the community really needed was an open, welcoming space where anyone who loved books could show up exactly as they were with no requirements, no fees, no gatekeeping.”
Bookish Bay Brigade is a free, all-inclusive literary community for readers, writers, booksellers, and anyone who loves “bookish spaces.” The community was born when Free put out a call for ideas on her Instagram (@beckafreewrites) and worked with others to shape what the group would become. The name itself, Bookish Bay Brigade, came from the members, and the group makes a real effort to be led by the voices of its members.
Today, that community includes more than 800 members from across the Bay Area, a number that continues to grow.
The Brigade’s gatherings are as varied as its members: traditional book discussions, writing sprints, book swaps, literary scavenger hunts, and even Bay-wide bookstore crawls. Decisions about monthly themes and activities are made collectively. “Every voice is heard and matters, which also means that every month is different. Members share their preferences through surveys in our e-newsletter and on Instagram (@bookishbaybrigade), and we switch it up each time,” Free explains. “If one month’s selection isn’t your preference or in your area, the next will be something completely different. The variety keeps things fun and ensures everyone has a turn to be excited.”
Members say the community delivers on its promise. “The BBB is a really great group of friendly, funny individuals who made me feel welcomed right away,” says author and member Todra Payne. Another recalls their first event: “Most of them were meeting me for the first time, but they felt like old friends.”
Benicia plays an important role in that story. “Our town has a surprisingly rich literary history! Jack London began writing here, Stephen Vincent Benét grew up in the Arsenal, we have poets who are celebrated globally, and others just beginning their journey,” Free says. “The Bookish Bay Brigade is our way of honoring that history while helping today’s local writers and readers to leave their own mark in our town’s literary history.”
The Bookish Bay Brigade offers countless ways for Benicia readers, writers, and businesses to get involved in its ever-growing literary community. From featuring local writers and cozy “bookish spaces” like cafés, bookstores, libraries, and other great reading spots, to creating a simple, free listing on their Bookish Places Map, the group makes it easy for the community to connect. Participating businesses can also join the Discounts for Members program, offering perks like special rates, complimentary goodies, or in-store discounts, while writers are encouraged to add their information to the Authors of the Bay page to share their work with fellow readers. The Brigade is also on the lookout for welcoming venues to host events, whether that’s a library, bookstore, or neighborhood café. By hosting events locally, the Brigade not only serves Benicia readers and writers but also introduces Bay Area members to the city’s unique charm.
For Free, that’s the heart of it: using books to bridge people to one another. But she also sees the Brigade as part of a bigger movement: a response to a literary world under pressure. “Reading rates in the U.S. are falling, with young readers showing the lowest literacy scores in decades, and this decline is colliding with an unprecedented wave of book bans and funds to libraries being cut,” she says. The group is not only a way to engage readers with each other, but also a community which hopes “to celebrate and uplift the spaces that make access to books possible.”
On September 6th (National Read a Book Day), the Bookish Bay Brigade is hosting a Bay Area-wide Bookstore Crawl. Become a member today and enjoy this community event complete with prizes, bookstore stops, and a bookish scavenger hunt. “It’s the perfect blend of community, discovery, and fun, and many bookstores are participating by offering gifts for every member that comes into their shops that day.”
Looking ahead,
Free hopes the Bookish Bay Brigade continues to grow as a hub for connection and advocacy. Visit https://www.bookishbaybrigade.com/ to learn more and become a member. We hope to see you at a future event!
