What we’re about
Do you like reading classic novels or poetry? Each month we will select a classic work and have an in-person discussion around it. Anything from Austen to Zola is fair game.
Naturally, the definition of "classic" is subjective. A good collection of free, public domain ebooks can be found here. Classic of course doesn't necessarily need to be public domain, or even "old", but it would be best to have some convenient way to read it without requiring a purchase. Luckily the Stockholm public library has a very good collection of novels in English.
The discussion will be in English; being classics however, most (if not all) of the works we'll read will have a Swedish translation, and they will typically be available at the public library.
The works will be chosen by committee, so if there's a particular book you'd like to read, that can probably be accommodated.
Upcoming events (2)
See all- Fictions (Ficciones) by Jorge Luis BorgesKällarbyn, Stockholm
Fictions (Ficciones, approx. 174 pages) is a collection of short stories originally published in Spanish between 1941 and 1956 by the Argentinian author Jorge Luis Borges.
From Goodreads:
"The seventeen pieces in Ficciones demonstrate the whirlwind of Borges's genius and mirror the precision and potency of his intellect and inventiveness, his piercing irony, his skepticism, and his obsession with fantasy. Borges sends us on a journey into a compelling, bizarre, and profoundly resonant realm; we enter the fearful sphere of Pascal's abyss, the surreal and literal labyrinth of books, and the iconography of eternal return. To enter the worlds in Ficciones is to enter the mind of Jorge Luis Borges, wherein lies Heaven, Hell, and everything else in between."There are multiple copies available at the Stockholm public library in a variety of languages. The English translation goes by either Fictions or Ficciones. Many of the stories also appear in the collection Labyrinths, which the library also has.
- White Nights by Fyodor DostoevskyKällarbyn, Stockholm
White Nights (1848, approximately 112 pages) is a novella by the Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky. From Goodreads:
"Set in St. Petersburg, it is the story of a young man fighting his inner restlessness. A light and tender narrative, it delves into the torment and guilt of unrequited love. Both protagonists suffer from a deep sense of alienation that initially brings them together. A blend of romanticism and realism, the story appeals gently to the senses and feelings."
There are multiple copies available at the Stockholm public library. Note that there is already a fairly long queue so I would reserve it early if you're planning on borrowing it (apparently this book has been popular on social media recently). There is also a free ebook on Project Gutenberg.
