How a Backyard Dinner With Friends Became Dubai’s Favourite Book Club

Once upon a time, Dubai resident Sophia Khalifeh had an idea. She was coming out the other end of a protracted reading slump when she took the initiative to invite a small group of intimates to her backyard for an informal book club. Around a candlelit dinner table, they shared food, drinks and, most importantly, their critical thoughts on Kuzuo Ishiguro’s riveting ‘Never Let Me Go’. One year later, those warm gatherings have evolved into Campy Chronicles, a book club that now draws a crowd far beyond her circle of friends.

Khalifeh, still in her 20s, has a knack for slipping into spaces and leaving them better than she found them. Her background spans creative industries - art, design, fashion - and she approaches her life as a series of curatorial projects, each one tailored to her exacting aesthetic. Her TikTok is a pot-pourri of fleeting glimpses that make up Sophia’s World, spanning everything from nifty fit checks to public announcements.

Success came to Campy Chronicles in practically no time. A month after that fateful backyard dinner, the club landed a collaboration with Level Shoes that opened up the hearth to a wider audience. To expand the outreach even further, Sophia’s TikToks offered followers a behind-the-scenes look at what a typical meeting might look like: cosy settings, plates of glittering pastries and lively conversations. The response was immediate. Messages poured in from strangers asking if they could join. “People were constantly asking me whether the event was public, and I would always say I’m working to make that happen,” Sophia recalls. “Eventually I thought ‘I’m going to go public in September and see what happens’.” By September, the doors to Campy Chronicles were officially open, and people arrived in droves.

Though the change in environment was seismic, the club never lost its original spirit. Campy Chronicles is, at its heart, a celebration of stories and the ability to open one’s heart. “From the very beginning, the purpose of this club was for me to be able to express myself,” Sophia says. There’s an air of relief in her voice, as if her goal had been largely accomplished. The meetings are as much about the people as they are about the books. But what do the meetings look like?

Members arrive early to chat over tea and pastries before any literary discussions take place. “I want people to really meet each other,” says Sophia. “It makes a big difference when everyone has that personal bond going into the discussion portion of the meeting.” Sophia opens each session with a presentation - an overview of the book that sets the tone for what’s to come. Members then rate the book out of five stars and participate in “fan casting,” a playful exercise where everyone imagines which actors would best fit the book’s characters if it were to be made into a movie. The floor then opens to a freewheeling discussion, where all perspectives are welcome. “The chemistry between people is always the highlight of every event I do,” Sophia shares. “You can be talkative, or you can be reserved - either way, make yourself at home.”

The club’s reading list reflects Sophia’s sensibilities: thoughtful, contemporary and often centred on female voices. Past selections have included Sally Rooney’s ‘Intermezzo’, Elena Ferrante’s ‘My Brilliant Friend’, and Julia Cameron’s ‘The Artist’s Way’. Occasionally, the group delves into heavier themes. In January 2025, they discussed Kaveh Akbar’s ‘Martyr!’, a searing debut novel that explores grief, addiction and identity through the lens of an Iranian-American protagonist. The selection process is democratic - Sophia curates three options, and members vote to decide the book.

Campy Chronicles isn’t limited to literature. Sophia’s love of cinema has found its way into the club’s programming, with outdoor screenings held at venues like the Hive JVC. These events, which often draw upwards of 80 attendees, are open to all - no prior reading required. “During the time I spent living in New York, cinema was so important to me, and it’s still something I carry with me here in Dubai,” Sophia says. Attendees bring blankets and settle in under the stars, creating a communal atmosphere that mirrors the intimacy of the book discussions.

Their next screening, set to be held on January 30th, will have attendees get together to watch Greta Gerwig’s ‘Little Women’ in a venue themed around the film. On the website, where guests can register to join, Sophia writes about ‘Little Women’: "When I watched this film in 2019 during its release, it moved me in a way I couldn't comprehend. I was a college student in New York with dreams that I couldn't see anymore, and ‘Little Women’ reminded me of my course. I felt so lucky to be a woman, so honoured to live a life, and left the film overwhelmed by inspiration and a desire to make something I could call my own." Six years after the film came out, Sophia will be sharing the experience of watching it with her audience, in a club she can call her own.