Qarǵyn book club: a new literary pulse in Kazakhstan’s cultural landscape

Perizat Myrzakhmet, the club’s founder, leads the very first Qarǵyn book club session.

In recent years, celebrity book clubs have reshaped how readers engage with literature. Oprah’s Book Club, Reese’s Book Club, and Emma Watson’s Our Shared Shelf have transformed individual reading into collective cultural experiences. These platforms have proven that a well-curated book community can inspire readers, elevate lesser-known authors, and spark meaningful conversations. But what happens when this model is reimagined within a uniquely Kazakhstani context? Enter Qarǵyn, a homegrown book club founded by writer, blogger, and screenwriter Perizat Myrzakhmet in November 2024.

Combining intellectual rigor with creative flair, Qarǵyn is more than a club — it’s a movement. With each monthly gathering, it’s redefining how Kazakh readers engage with books, each other, and the wider world.

A format that sparks dialogue

At the heart of Qarǵyn lies a distinctive format: four speakers, one of whom is a public figure or influencer, each present a book they are deeply passionate about. The presentations are performative, persuasive, and personal — a blend of literary analysis and public speaking. Audience members, equipped with QR codes, vote for the most compelling speaker, while those who ask thoughtful questions are rewarded with books or small gifts.

This gamified, audience-centric format does more than entertain — it fosters critical thinking, confidence, and curiosity. According to founder Perizat Myrzakhmet, the idea was born out of frustration with superficial book discussions and the lack of space for young people to defend their own perspectives:

“I believed that if someone can defend their favorite book in front of a crowd — speak about it with clarity and conviction — they’ll also be able to defend their values and boundaries in real life. Of course, sitting in a circle and asking, ‘What did this book mean to you?’ is valuable — it helps us process our inner thoughts. But learning to speak publicly and own your opinion — that’s a skill we often lack. That’s why we built this format.”

In some sessions, the authors themselves are invited to present their own work — sharing why they wrote the book and why it matters. This not only enriches the dialogue but also supports and uplifts local writers by giving them direct access to an engaged readership.

For the audience, the format is both entertaining and enriching. In just one evening, they walk away with deep impressions of at least four books. If something resonates, they’re likely to go out and buy it — not out of obligation, but out of genuine curiosity.

Perizat draws inspiration from international book club models, especially those that foster meaningful community and purpose among readers. While Qarǵyn loosely echoes celebrity-led clubs like Oprah’s or Reese’s, its goals are grounded in local realities. Whereas celebrity clubs often prioritize author interviews, curated lists, or lifestyle branding, Qarǵyn centers the reader’s voice. It values lived experience over literary status, performance over promotion.

Where Oprah asks, “What did this book teach you?” — Qarǵyn asks, “Can you make this book matter to us?”

That subtle shift in power — from author to speaker, from panel to performance — is what makes Qarǵyn participatory, empowering, and uniquely tailored to the Kazakh context. It adapts global ideas with cultural fluency and a grassroots spirit.

From private reading to public voice

For Perizat Myrzakhmet, the club is about more than reading — it’s about self-discovery and social growth. As she reflects:

“ When I was a child, I used to read books just for the storyline. I cared only about the characters’ fates—what would happen to them in the end? That’s what kept me turning the pages. Then, at some point, I became attached to particular authors. Once I liked one, I’d read everything they had written. For example, I once read every single work by Magauin, down to the last detail.

But after I turned thirty, I realized something deeper: reading helps you discover yourself. What scene made me cry? What line made me laugh? What story gave me pause to reflect? I began to see that the parts of a book that move us—however small—are tied to our own unresolved questions. Even the most brilliant book might leave you cold if it doesn’t touch something within you. That’s when I understood: books are mirrors. You can read 400 pages and take nothing from it if the story doesn’t resonate with your own life. But when it does, the impact can be profound.”

By encouraging participants to articulate why a book matters to them, Qarǵyn becomes a platform for self-reflection and empowerment — especially for young Kazakhs seeking to find their voice in an increasingly complex world.

Since its first session in October 2024, Qarǵyn has held seven sold-out events, attracting diverse audiences from different age groups and cities across Kazakhstan. Many attendees discover the club through social media, often buying tickets based on a speaker’s compelling teaser or book choice. But what brings them back isn’t just the book — it’s the energy, the openness, the erkin community (free, non-hierarchical space) that Qarǵyn fosters.

“We don’t impose restrictions,” says Myrzakhmet. “There’s no ‘you can’t say that’ here. We’re not just discussing books — we’re building a space where people can be heard.”

The club’s format has already inspired interest from readers in other cities like Almaty, Shymkent, and Ekibastuz, many of whom are eager to start similar gatherings in their own communities.

Voices from the circle

For Nurligul, a first-time attendee and passionate book lover, the experience was unexpectedly transformative.

“I had no idea where I was going,” she admits. “I only bought the ticket the day before, after seeing a speaker promise that her talk would be fire — and it truly was.” Expecting a typical panel discussion, she was surprised to find something far more dynamic: exciting books, powerful presentations, and a room full of people who love books. 

As someone who leads a public speaking club in Kazakh, she was struck by the unique format. “I was so used to book clubs where people focus on discussions and sharing opinions on one book, or events where the author presents their own books, I didn’t expect I would witness great mix of public speaking and book selling. Yes, selling, I do think it’s about selling your favorite book to the audience and make them read the book, too. I thought it is the great way to promote reading and loving the book.”

She left with vivid impressions from all four speakers — one challenged her opinion on a book she’d avoided, another made her reflect on Kazakh music, a third changed her view of an author, and the guest speaker made her rethink how she uses social media.

“My only regret,” she adds, “is not coming earlier. But now I know what I was missing.”

One of those memorable speakers was Balnur Sardarbek, a professional musicologist who joined Qarǵyn’s April session to present a newly published book about the Kazakh music group 91/23.

“I first heard about Qarǵyn from Perizat Myrzakhmet’s page,” she says. “Since she’s a writer and true book lover, I knew it would be something meaningful. The format felt fresh, and I wanted to be part of it.”

She chose a book directly related to her field, believing that speakers are most compelling when presenting topics they care deeply about. “When you talk about something you truly know and love, the audience feels it too.”

For Balnur, Qarǵyn isn’t just about books — it’s about rekindling a passion for reading in a distracted age. “Even lifelong readers lose touch with books. But seeing a room full of people excited about literature — especially in Kazakh — gave me real hope. We need more spaces like this.”

A feminist space in disguise

One of the most insightful perspectives on Qarǵyn comes from Aigerim Kusainkyzy — a legal expert, feminist researcher, and a regular guest at the club’s book discussions. To her, the club is more than just a book discussion forum — it is a rare feminist and decolonial space in the Kazakhstani cultural landscape.

“As a gender expert and feminist researcher, I view this women-led book club in Astana — where each month, four speakers present and discuss their favorite books entirely in the Kazakh language — as a transformative space of cultural and intellectual empowerment. These gatherings are far more than literary events; they are sites of feminist knowledge production, community solidarity, and linguistic affirmation."

Kusainkyzy emphasizes that in Kazakhstan — where Soviet legacies, patriarchal norms, and post-colonial language politics converge — Qarǵyn represents a subtle yet strategic intervention. By hosting all discussions in Kazakh, the club asserts cultural sovereignty and revives indigenous epistemologies.

“The choice to conduct all discussions in Kazakh is not merely a linguistic preference; it is a political act. It resists the gendered marginalization often embedded in dominant postcolonial languages and structures. This club cultivates a counterpublic where women articulate their intellectual agency in their own language, on their own terms.”

A group photo of speakers and participants from Qarǵyn’s most recent April session.

From a feminist perspective, Qarǵyn functions as a microcosm of participatory citizenship. It offers a platform where women — many of whom are traditionally underrepresented in public discourse — engage in critical reflection and collective meaning-making.

“These conversations, anchored in literature but expanding far beyond, allow women to explore themes of identity, inequality, memory, and belonging in ways that resonate deeply with local realities. The structure itself—non-hierarchical, dialogic, and inclusive — mirrors feminist values of equity and reciprocity.”

Kusainkyzy also highlights the club’s embodiment of a distinctly Kazakh feminist ethic she calls qamqorlıq — a practice of care and mutual respect grounded in cultural values.

“Through shared reading and dialogue, participants cultivate empathy, challenge stereotypes, and foster intergenerational learning. In a society where women’s voices are often confined to private spaces, this grassroots civic engagement reclaims public space for women’s narratives and leadership.”

In a post-Soviet context where both the Kazakh language and female voices have historically struggled for space, Qarǵyn offers a quiet yet radical alternative. Its all-Kazakh format is not merely a cultural statement — it is a political one. Here, women co-create a public sphere built on care, courage, and collective voice.

A book club becoming a movement

In Kazakhstan’s evolving cultural landscape, Qarǵyn is emerging as more than just a book club. It is a feminist space, a youth forum, a platform for cultural revival, and a celebration of Kazakh identity — one book at a time. Its rise reflects more than a literary trend; it signals a collective yearning for connection, confidence, and critical thought — in our own language, on our own terms.

The spirit of Qarǵyn is spreading. Readers from across the country have reached out, eager to create similar spaces in their own cities. Myrzakhmet doesn’t aim to replicate a format, but to spark a movement.

And perhaps, in every city, in every reader who dares to speak from the heart about a book they love, Qarǵyn is quietly planting the seeds of something much bigger: a literary future shaped by dialogue, authenticity, and shared meaning. One story, one gathering, one voice at a time.