At a private party this summer at Little Prince, a French restaurant in SoHo, New Yorkers danced under disco lights and lined up at the bar.
And then there was Noah Syndergaard, a star pitcher for the Mets, who stood in a corner and spoke passionately — to anyone who would listen — about his book club.
“I got drafted out of high school in 2010, so I didn’t go to college,” he told one woman he had just met. “For me, reading is a way to continue my education,” continued Mr. Syndergaard, also known as Thor because of his long blond hair and 6-foot-6 build.