Central London Humanists

Our casual lunch meetings are on the last Sunday of every month at the Penderel's Oak pub in Holborn. These lunches are ideal if you are unfamiliar with the humanist community and want to find out more over a chat in a quieter sit-down event, as compared with our busier, noisier, weekday evening drinks socials. You can expect to meet like-minded people, make friends, and network with activists/volunteers — there are always CLHG committee members present at these lunches. -- Penderel's Oak has wheelchair access. Nearest tube station is Holborn. Post on this page if you need help with directions. There will be tables inside the pub reserved for "Humanists". £3 cash per person to attend. CLHG events FAQ: http://bit.ly/2KEAE62

January's Book is Leonardo Da Vinci. The Biography by Walter Isaacson Walter Isaacson, the author of the acclaimed bestsellers Steve Jobs, Einstein, and Benjamin Franklin brings Leonardo da Vinci to life in this exciting new biography. "Based on thousands of pages from Leonardo’s astonishing notebooks and new discoveries about his life and work, Walter Isaacson weaves a narrative that connects his art to his science. He shows how Leonardo’s genius was based on skills we can improve in ourselves, such as passionate curiosity, careful observation, and an imagination so playful that it flirted with fantasy. He produced the two most famous paintings in history, The Last Supper and the Mona Lisa. But in his own mind, he was just as much a man of science and technology. With a passion that sometimes became obsessive, he pursued innovative studies of anatomy, fossils, birds, the heart, flying machines, botany, geology, and weaponry. His ability to stand at the crossroads of the humanities and the sciences, made iconic by his drawing of Vitruvian Man, made him history’s most creative genius. His creativity, like that of other great innovators, came from having wide-ranging passions. He peeled flesh off the faces of cadavers, drew the muscles that move the lips, and then painted history’s most memorable smile. He explored the math of optics, showed how light rays strike the cornea, and produced illusions of changing perspectives in The Last Supper. Isaacson also describes how Leonardo’s lifelong enthusiasm for staging theatrical productions informed his paintings and inventions. Leonardo’s delight at combining diverse passions remains the ultimate recipe for creativity. So, too, does his ease at being a bit of a misfit: illegitimate, gay, vegetarian, left-handed, easily distracted, and at times heretical. His life should remind us of the importance of instilling, both in ourselves and our children, not just received knowledge but a willingness to question it—to be imaginative and, like talented misfits and rebels in any era, to think different." While we are very social and welcoming, the book group's primary focus is on discussing books. Feel free to turn up if you haven't managed to finish this month's book but note that the group works best when we have all read at least some of the book and are prepared to share our opinions. Katia:[masked] --------------------------------------------------------------------------- We kindly ask for £3 cash per head to help cover the costs of our speaker meetings, venue hire, our annual Meetup subscription fees, and the CLHG membership of various international humanist bodies. The collection is made during each meeting. You can also make an online donation (https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=ZWCNRJ25BDL96) at any time. Events are advertised on multiple online portals, and through email, so the RSVP numbers on any one portal will not reflect the actual greater attendance on the day. We encourage dialogue, debate and sharing of information on our site but ask people to keep their comments cordial. Any views expressed here are those of the individual posting them and may not reflect those of the CLHG.

Join us in Covent Garden for a LIVE screening of Richard Eyre’s beautiful production of Verdi's La Traviata. Live Screenings are a wonderful way to experience the Opera at a more reasonable price. The best professionals capture the action in Covent Garden's Royal Opera House and this is transmitted live to a cinema screen; the excellent camera work at the ROH and the enveloping sound system in the movie theatre insure that you get the full experience of the drama and music with the best view. The Story of La Traviata: Verdi's timeless opera of a courtesan who sacrifices all for love. Alfredo Germont and the courtesan Violetta Valéry fall in love at a party in Violetta's Paris salon. Alfredo is determined to cure Violetta of her tuberculosis, and the couple leave Paris and begin a contented life in the country. But Violetta's happiness is destroyed when Alfredo's father Giorgio Germont pays her a visit. Violetta’s scandalous relationship with Alfredo is jeopardizing Giorgio Germont’s daughter’s engagement, and Germont persuades Violetta to leave his son. Heartbroken, Violetta promises not to tell Alfredo why. Alfredo is stunned when Violetta disappears, and decides she must have left him from self-interest. He confronts her at a Paris party and leaves her. Only when Violetta is dying does he learn the truth. Tickets are £26 (this includes a £3 donation to Central London Humanists). Please sign up in the next two weeks. If you have any questions call Katia[masked]

Every first Wednesday of the month we meet for a social evening at the Penderel's Oak pub in Holborn. Whether you're non-religious, questioning your previously-held beliefs, or just an open-minded person looking to mingle, these socials could be just right for you. You can expect to meet like-minded people, make friends, network with community activists, and have a lively discussion on the issues of the day. Some people arrive at 6pm, but there is no specific time to be there and people continue to arrive throughout the evening. Invariably quite a few of us are still engrossed in discussion come closing time (~11:30pm). Normally around 40 of us turn up, so we aren't too hard to find. We are a really friendly, diverse group and love to welcome new faces, so please do come and join us. — Penderel's Oak has wheelchair access. Nearest tube station is Holborn. Post on this Meetup event if you need any travel information from the organisers. There will be 5-6 tables inside reserved for "Humanists", ask the bar staff as well if you are not sure where we are. £3 cash per person to attend. CLHG FAQ: http://bit.ly/2KEAE62