English Books & Literature

Hi all, we’ll be discussing Things Fall Apart by China Achebe. New members are welcome to join as well. We’ll be meeting at Wereldcafé.coop, a quiet place run by volunteers with organic food & drinks. Participation fee is €1. See you there, and happy reading! Here's a list of what we've read so far: Character by Ferdinand Bordewijk (1938) Death in Venice by Thomas Mann (1911) Dom Casmurro by Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis (1899) Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë (1847) Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin (1956) Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro (2021) Sátántangó by László Krasznahorkai (1985) The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (1925) The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov (1940) The Odyssey by Homer (c. 800 BCE) Maurice by E.M. Forster (1914) Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee (1999) The Trial by Franz Kafka (1925) Nausea by Jean-Paul Sartre (1938) Thérèse Raquin by Émile Zola (1867) All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque (1929) Middlemarch by George Eliot (1872) The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes (2011) Elective Affinities by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1809) Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov (1955) Gilgamesh (c. 2100 BCE) Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf (1925) The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann (1924) Chess by Stefan Zweig (1942) Snow Country by Yasunari Kawabata (1935) The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck (1939) The Blind Owl by Sadegh Hedayat (1937) The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy (1886) Stoner by John Williams (1965) The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro (1989) Oeroeg by Hella S. Haasse (1948) Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger (1961) The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath (1963) The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera (1984) Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad (1899)

Nos juntaremos en el centro cultural Metaprosa para practicar español/ castellano y Neerlandés/Flamenco/Dutch con un café o una cerveza en la mano. Apto para todos los niveles. Dirección: chaussé de Saint Pierre 9, 1040 Etterbeek Hemos creado un grupo de Whastapp en caso de que estéis interesados en comunicaros antes de cada martes ya que somos consciente de que a veces nos hay suficiente gente para practicar neerlandés [https://chat.whatsapp.com/IaESqYfdbGiFVPR5teQkIf](https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/chat.whatsapp.com/IaESqYfdbGiFVPR5teQkIf__;!!DOxrgLBm!DOeGH6jS_pBgwY_CvN1vYuh-JPX71kQpuIJl8WlhFejYKqyHCL0Q3HkfIXxOF7cvSDOpeAeYzr8K_zELLw75wZA7pfw2-jQW7_2x6UaK$) No Spam please!

Would you like to improve your language skills and networking in a casual atmosphere? This event is for you! All languages welcome! Everyone is welcome! The aim is to speak with native/fluent speakers of your target language(s). You'll be around all types of people throughout the whole event. We will be in a private area. A great atmosphere is guaranteed! You'll have to order a drink to attend the event 😀 Don't hesitate to contact us for any further information

La idea es quedar y practicar francés y español en Bruselas. Apto para todos los niveles. Groupe pour améliorer l'espagnol et français à Bruxelles. Pour tous les niveaux. Nos juntaremos en el Centro Cultural Metaprosa (Chaussée de Saint Pierre 9, 1040 Etterbeek, Bruselas) para conversar con un café o una cerveza en la mano. Todos los martes de 19.00- 21.30.

Would you like to improve your language skills and networking in a casual atmosphere? This event is for you! All languages welcome! Everyone is welcome! The aim is to speak with native/fluent speakers of your target language(s). You'll be around all types of people throughout the whole event. We will be in a private area. A great atmosphere is guaranteed! You'll have to order a drink to attend the event 😀 Don't hesitate to contact us for any further information

Do you like keeping your French up to date? Or do you want to help the ones that need some help here? If so, this meet up activity might be something for you :) Let's meet in order to have conversations in French together! * How to find us? - This meetup will take place at an easy to find venue, which is very close to subway station Gare Central and nearly to Grande place Brussels In this venue, it's possible to eat a little something - or to just have some drinks. we are in the hotel there is the big table , If you want speak with a few people you can change your chair or your place. For those who already speak a bit of French - ANYONE that can take part in the Meet up without having to ask "What does this mean?" all the time, is MORE than welcome! (And yes, pretending to understand it all and "Nodd and smile IS allowed :) ) Because reading and listening are very good teachers too... In fact anything that doesn't slow down practicing the language goes :) Or in more strict words: this Meet up is not the best place to go to for absolute beginners If you can not find call please Olivier 0476600552 or Mehrdad 0486652242 [https://www.google.com/maps/place/Rue+du+March%C3%A9+Aux+Herbes+100,+1000+Bruxelles/@50.8466178,4.3551211,3a,28.7y,35.83h,95.4t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1spHFBcXTJGMiNd7y_1PFAgg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!4m5!3m4!1s0x47c3c47f9e11971f:0x7c45bfb50b08362a!8m2!3d50.8467965!4d4.3553835](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Rue+du+March%C3%A9+Aux+Herbes+100,+1000+Bruxelles/@50.8466178,4.3551211,3a,28.7y,35.83h,95.4t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1spHFBcXTJGMiNd7y_1PFAgg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!4m5!3m4!1s0x47c3c47f9e11971f:0x7c45bfb50b08362a!8m2!3d50.8467965!4d4.3553835) Address is Rue du Marché Aux Herbes 100 Enjoy the Meetup!

📚 Book Club Invitation: When the World Sleeps: Stories, Words, and Wounds of Palestine by Francesca Albanese For our next meeting, we’ll be discussing When the World Sleeps, a powerful and deeply human exploration of life under occupation, the role of language in shaping reality, and the personal stories often hidden behind headlines. Drawing on years of experience as a human rights expert and observer of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Francesca Albanese examines how narratives are formed, whose voices are heard, and what happens when suffering becomes invisible to much of the world. The book raises important questions about justice, memory, identity, international responsibility, and the power of words to both reveal and obscure reality. Whether you agree with the author’s perspective or not, the book offers an opportunity for thoughtful discussion about conflict, human rights, media narratives, and the human experiences behind political events. 📅 Date: Saturday, 4 July ⏰ Time: 11:30 📍 Venue: Carpe Diem, Avenue de Tervuren 13, 1040 Brussels Expect an open, respectful, and engaging discussion in a relaxed setting, with good coffee and good company. As always, you’re welcome whether you’ve finished the book, started reading it, or simply want to join the conversation. Those who wish can stay for lunch afterwards. 🏡 Book Club Home Rules 1️⃣ You’re welcome even if you didn’t finish the book 2️⃣ We listen to understand, not to win 3️⃣ Curiosity, respect, and openness come first Looking forward to another lively exchange of ideas. 📞 Questions: 0474.60.83.70

El libro de julio es *Los árboles mueren de pie* de Alejandro Casona, es una obra teatral en tres actos publicada y estrenada en Buenos Aires en 1949. El señor Balboa tenía un nieto desalmado al que, un día, tuvo que echar de casa. Luego de un tiempo, para que su esposa no se deprima, Balboa empieza a escribir cartas apócrifas haciéndose pasar por su nieto. El nieto de verdad decide volver a su hogar (en busca de dinero), pero el barco en el que venía se pierde. Balboa contrata a Mauricio para que, en combinación con una linda muchacha, Isabel, finjan ante la abuela ser el nieto perdido y su feliz esposa. Hasta ahora hemos leído: Los árboles caídos también son el bosque de Alejandra Kamiya Niñapájaroglaciar de Mariana Matija Te di ojos y miraste las tinieblas de Irene Solà Diario de Japón de María José Ferrada. Antigua vida mía de Marcela Serrano Te quejas de llena de Paola Molina Un lugar soleado para gente sombría de Mariana Enriquez La invención de Morel de Adolfo Bioy Casares Nubosidad variable de Carmen Martín Gaite Temporada de huracanes de Fernanda Melchor La fortuna de Matilda Turpin de Álvaro Pombo Cadáver exquisito de Agustina Bazterrica. El país de la canela de William Ospina Los hombres invisibles de Mario Mendoza La próxima vez que te vea te mato de Paulina Flores Salvo mi corazón todo está bien de Héctor Abad Faciolince Chamanes eléctricos en la fiesta del sol de Mónica Ojeda Roza tumba quema de Claudia Hernández Mujeres del alma mía de Isabel Allende. Huaco retrato de Gabriela Wiener Los pasos perdidos de Alejo Carpentier Tres enigmas para la organización de Eduardo Mendoza. Delirio de Laura Restrepo Cuentos completos de Marvel Moreno El ruido de las cosas al caer de Juan Gabriel Vásquez Feria de Ana Iris Simón Ficciones de Jorge Luis Borges Canto yo y la montaña baila de Irene Solà La isla de los hombres solos de José León Sánchez Historias de cronopios y de famas de Julio Cortázar La hija única de Guadalupe Nettel Cauterio de Lucía Lijtmaer Elena sabe de Elena Piñeiro Castigo divino de Sergio Ramírez El beso de la mujer araña de Manuel Puig Monsieur Pain de Roberto Bolaño. Cuentos completos (volumen I) de Julio Cortázar As usual for the first Saturday group, you may use both English and Spanish during the book discussion; you just need an acceptable level of oral comprehension of both languages to fully enjoy it. Participar cuesta 1€ (para cubrir el coste de la suscripción a MeetUp). Durante la conversación elegiremos el libro para el mes siguiente, podéis proponer cualquier libro que os apetezca leer o discutir. El número de participantes está limitado. Si no podéis participar, por favor, indicadlo actualizando el RSPV en MeetUp.

Hallo Freunde der deutschen Sprache, wir laden alle, die gern ihr Deutsch üben wollen, zum nächsten Treffen ein! Bei schönen Wetter sitzen wir vielleicht sogar im Garten des James Joyce. Falls Ihr angemeldet seid, aber nicht kommen könnt, wären wir dankbar für Eure Abmeldung. Wir freuen uns auf den Austausch mit Euch!

Making the new Friends after work or in your vacation.

Dear Folks!! Let’s swap our old books and connect with new friends. Contribution to Our Events Starting this year, we kindly ask participants to contribute in one of the following ways: €5 per event, or €40 annual membership fee If you feel like supporting us beyond this, to help people who can’t afford it, you are very welcome to do so 💛 If the contribution is a concern for you, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us directly 😉 These contributions will help us: Cover the annual Meetup platform fee Encourage everyone to respect RSVPs We will donate 10% collected fees to support Queer oriented organisations in the end of the year. Bank details: Yifei Yang BE79 6509 1524 4133 Communication: your name+ event/membership To make sure your spot is reserved, please complete your registration once you sign up. We will prioritize those who have completed the registration process. Thank you very much for your understanding and cooperation. Cheers! 🥂 Brussels Sprouts 🇧🇪🥬💚 Cheers YF

Meet and make the new Friends✨❤️

How do we connect to people? What is so great about being different? Is love selfless? Should we be dreamers or realists? What values are we losing? When are we at our best? Does childhood ever end? Is morality a matter of convenience? What makes a person beautiful? Such questions, and many more, await you Sunday at Sister's Cafe (second floor) . After introductions we will collect questions from the group participants, choose one by voting then discuss it for an hour. Then most of us stay for drinks and bizarre conversations :-).

**Our July novel is: *Listen for the Lie* by Amy Tintera** **This month’s novel was named one of the best books of 2024. It’s a domestic thriller with crime, mystery, and murder, told from women’s perspectives. The story includes a detective, an unreliable narrator, and plenty of suspense. The book is 352 pages in print and 9 hours and 18 minutes on audiobook.** What if you thought you murdered your best friend? And if everyone else thought so too? And what if the truth doesn't matter? After Lucy is found wandering the streets, covered in her best friend Savvy’s blood, everyone thinks she is a murderer. Lucy and Savvy were the golden girls of their small Texas town: pretty, smart, and enviable. Lucy married a dream guy with a big ring and an even bigger new home. Savvy was the social butterfly loved by all, and if you believe the rumors, especially popular with the men in town. It’s been years since that horrible night, a night Lucy can’t remember anything about, and she has since moved to LA and started a new life. But now the phenomenally huge hit true crime podcast "Listen for the Lie," and its too-good looking host Ben Owens, have decided to investigate Savvy’s murder for the show’s second season. Lucy is forced to return to the place she vowed never to set foot in again to solve her friend’s murder, even if she is the one that did it. The truth is out there, if we just listen.

Let’s meet and discuss John Updike's Rabbit, Run, the first in his series of four novels following the life, hopes, and disappointments of former local basketball star, Harry "Rabbit" Angstrom, as he fitfully confronts and evades adulthood.

July is Summer/Lake Vibes theme! * The book we will be discussing is The House Across the Lake by Riley Seger * Feel free to attend whether or not you’ve read or finished the book * Trying something new for July, book club will be at the Starbucks inside the Dublin Barnes & Noble. So due to the location, snacks and drinks will not be provided this time. * Please update your attendance status here on the event page if you are attending or unable to. This time is extra important for this, due to limited spots for this event.

It’s time for the groups first social event, Game Day! We will be playing a mix of board games, card games, possibly Jackbox TV games, and beyond. The games will be more relaxed & beginner friendly, this is a time to have fun and get to know each other! I’ll be providing pizza, let know if you’d like to contribute any snacks or refreshments ◡̈ Also feel free to message me if you’d like to suggest any games. If you’ve been thinking about attending book club this is the perfect time to join in. This is not the monthly Book Club meeting where we discuss the voted on book, that is on July 25th. Please reach out to me here or on instagram ( LitterallyEmily ) with any questions.

Come join us to discuss our July pick "Tusk Love" by Thea Guanzon! Book description: A merchant’s daughter who yearns for adventure gets more than she bargained for when she falls for a broodingly handsome stranger in this saucy romantasy from the New York Times bestselling author of The Hurricane Wars. “A true delight of a book! Spicy and heartfelt—this one is a winner all around.”—Katee Robert, author of Neon Gods As the daughter of an ambitious merchant, Guinevere’s path has been predetermined: marry into a noble house of the Dwendalian Empire, raise her family’s station, and live quietly as a lordling’s obedient wife. But Guinevere longs for a life unbounded by expectations, for freedom and passion and adventure. Those distant dreams become a sudden reality when her caravan is beset by bandits, leaving her guards slain and Guinevere stranded alone on the dangerous Amber Road. Her only chance of survival is to travel alongside Oskar, the aloof half-orc who saved her during the attack. Unlike Guinevere, Oskar’s path is not so set in stone. With his mother dead and his apprenticeship abandoned, all that’s left is a long, lonely walk to a land he’s never seen to find family he’s never met. The last thing he needs is a spoiled waif like Guinevere slowing him down—even if the spark between them sizzles with promise. Despite his cold exterior, Oskar is brave and thoughtful and unlike anyone Guinevere has ever met. And while Guinevere may be sheltered, she brings out a softness in him that he has never dared to feel before. As the flames of their passion grow, they realize that soon they’ll need to choose between their expected destinations or their blossoming romance. Written by New York Times bestselling author Thea Guanzon at the behest of Critical Role’s Jester Lavorre, Tusk Love brings the most romantic story on Exandrian bookshelves to life.