book doof

The bush doof has been with us for some time and is well covered in the dictionary.  It is ‘an outdoor dance party, usually held in a remote location, and featuring electronic music’.  Doof doof is the heavy bass rhythm in the electronic music that is popular for this kind of event so doof comes to mean the dance party itself.

A book doof is relatively new.  It is an event where people turn up with their books to a selected venue and read their books in companionable silence. Possibly there is some background music. Possibly they have a cuppa and a piece of cake and a chat at the end. Possibly you can swap books with others.  If a bookshop is running it, you may get a discount on a book.

The term book doof was coined by a Melbourne organisation that started this activity and they retain the hashtag although the term is now used generally. Book Doof in Melbourne offers a ‘quiet rave of reading, ambient soundscapes and communal page-turning pleasure!’  It seems to be popular. Does it mark a cultural change? Books are now not something you take for granted.  Reading books is a special activity to be promoted and celebrated.