We sat in our friend John’s backyard. Lawn chairs seated in a circle. We read Homer’s The Odyssey for our semi-annual get together. Some of us read it in high school but none of us ever thought deeply about it back then. None of us wanted to read it alone this time.

We had lived more life by now. We’ve watched friends and family die, served in combat, and struggled with addiction. We’ve seen more of the world and had families of our own. We talked about the book’s major themes: how wars abroad always come home and how actions have consequences.

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It all reminded me why I love my book club. The juicy bits when I learn something about my longtime friend I never knew. Or when they continue to show up for me and go out of their way to make me feel heard. Books can be like the best relationships. They require effort to understand them; they challenge me to be better; and they demand that I show up for them and myself.

Before we started that morning for The Odyssey, one of my close friends Reilly made a make-shift mobile app for us to put our thoughts down and begin talking about the book before we met. Another friend, Joel, and I approached Reilly when the weekend ended. We wondered why more men didn’t read and apparently didn’t have the meaningful relationships we had. Reilly, Joel, and myself began our mission there. I put out an online survey to ask my friends, coworkers, and colleagues about the situation.

We quickly found the culprit. Too many “doom scroll”, “bed rot”, and spend hours of the day searching for something in the digital world. Many people told us they never have time to read or to meet up with their friends. However, they somehow find hours each week for YouTube, Reels, Threads, or TikToks.

Joel, Reilly, and myself believe people are meant for more. We believe many 21st century problems can be solved when people read more with others. This is the vision behind Passage.

There’s an easy way to get started. Ask your spouse, partner, friend, family member, or your existing book club members to start a Reading Team. A Reading Team is a small group who commit to the book and each other. It can be as small as two people. You can start in person, by text, email, or just call them. The important thing is to start. We’ll be here to help and will keep sharing real stories, insights, and guidance for how to get the most out of reading with others.

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The Atlantic got people talking about how “The End of Reading is Here.” The article is worth your time and imagines what a “postliterate” society looks like. It's not good folks. To us, the article underscores how reading is a powerful form of connection - a bridge to other people. We think you should cross that bridge and we want to help you.

“Books stand the test of time because they are like the best human relationships. They require effort to understand them; challenge you to be better; and demand that you show up. They foster reflection, inspiration, empathy, and emotion. They create inner change and personal growth that no scroll, chatbot, or algorithm can replicate.”

- Passage Vision Statement

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