Kelsey Bettis discovered the Fleuria Audiobook Walking Club the way people discover many things they didn’t know they needed: Instagram’s algorithm served it to her.
asserted
algorithm → discover → her
Perhaps, she suspects, the app had picked up on how many romance novels she was reading.
asserted
she → suspect → novels
Bettis had been looking for ways to be more social, but she was also struggling with anxiety and finding it difficult to connect with people.
asserted
it → look → people
A walking club seemed manageable.
asserted
club → seem → ?
She could talk if she wanted to—or retreat into her book if she didn’t.
uncertain
she → talk → book
“The audiobook walks allowed me to be social in a way that didn’t require talking to other people if I didn’t want to,” she says.
asserted
she → allow → people
“I had the option.”
asserted
I → have → option
Bettis soon became part of the small army of women wearing headphones that gathers at least once a month—sometimes more often—on beaches and trails across Southern California.
asserted
that → become → California
She ended up going for coffee with some of the women she met on her first walk.
asserted
she → end → walk
“The best part is the connection with other people,” she says.
asserted
she → say → people
She kept coming back, and eventually began inviting friends, too.
asserted
She → keep → friends
There was something irresistible, she says, about watching “a bunch of women mobbing down the beach” while enjoying something they collectively loved.
asserted
they → be → something
The person responsible for that delightfully strange scene was Stephanie Pao, who owns The Fleuria, a mobile bookstore housed in a book truck.
asserted
who → own → truck
Pao has loved audiobooks since the cassette-tape era, and in July 2025, she invited her social-media followers to join her for a walk.
asserted
she → love → walk
She had no idea whether anyone planned to come.
asserted
anyone → have → idea
If five people appeared, she decided, it would be fun.
asserted
it → appear → ?
As it turned out, 50 showed up.
asserted
50 → turn → ?
At a later event in Long Beach, nearly 200 people joined.
asserted
people → join → Beach
“Reading is often such a solitary hobby,” Pao says.
asserted
Pao → say → ?
“But readers want to meet other readers.”
asserted
readers → want → readers
Audiobook walking clubs are now emerging around the country, turning an activity typically enjoyed solo into a low-pressure social event.
asserted
clubs → emerge → event
For about an hour, everyone listens to a book of their choosing as they walk, then gathers afterward to compare notes, trade recommendations, and—in many cases—make plans to see each other again.
asserted
they → listen → other
It’s a book club without assigned reading, a walking group without racing, and a social activity that allows you to stop socializing whenever you’d like.
asserted
you → ’ → racing
How audiobook walking clubs work
asserted
clubs → work → ?
In a conventional book club, people read the same book by a specific date, then arrive prepared to say something reasonably intelligent about it.
asserted
people → read → it
Audiobook walking clubs require no such advance planning—or the social pressure of sitting around in a circle.
asserted
clubs → require → circle
All you need is a book on your phone, a pair of headphones, and comfortable shoes.
asserted
you → need → headphones
At Pao’s events, people often spend about 30 minutes mingling before the walk.
asserted
people → spend → walk
Then they put on their headphones and separate into faster and slower groups, each person absorbed in a different story.
asserted
person → put → story
“Everyone can participate, no matter your book taste,” Pao says.
asserted
Pao → participate → taste
When the group is small enough, she asks people to share what they’ve selected—and inevitably, someone lights up because another walker is listening to the same book or adds a new title to their list.
asserted
walker → ask → list
When the walk ends, many linger around the book truck to discuss what they listened to or make plans for coffee.
asserted
they → end → coffee
Pao sometimes organizes walks in conjunction with craft markets, bookstores, or library events.
asserted
Pao → organize → markets
After one of her favorite events, everyone enjoyed the sunset together.
asserted
everyone → enjoy → sunset
“We all got to watch something beautiful together,” Pao says.
asserted
Pao → get → something
In the Washington, D.C., area, Morgan Menzies runs a similar group called Pages on the Path.
asserted
Menzies → run → Path
Menzies moved to D.C. from New Jersey and wanted to make friends, so she started the group with one other person.
asserted
she → move → person
Now, around 30 readers typically attend its monthly outings.
asserted
readers → attend → outings
Participants have ranged in age from 13 to around 80; new parents push babies in strollers or carry them strapped to their chests.
“There are like a thousand run clubs in D.C.,” Menzies says.
asserted
Menzies → range → D.C.
But not everyone wants—or is able—to run.
asserted
everyone → want → ?
…and 55 more, not listed.
The Aporia
