English Books & Literature

Free English Classes for Women only with Créche. You are welcome to bring your children! **9:30am: doors open** **10:00am: Class starts** **10:30am: door closes** **11:30am: Class finishes** **11:30am: Créche closes** Optional: **Coffee and cake 11:30am to 12:30** Further details: www.freeenglishclasses.org

¡Bienvenidos! Welcome! *Etc Etcetera es un intercambio de conversación totalmente gratis, donde puedes practicar inglés y español con hablantes nativos, y conocer unos amigos nuevos.* **Come and join us at ‘Etc Etcétera’ this coming week, our Spanish/English language and culture exchange based here in Peckham. We are a group of mixed english and spanish speakers that meets at 7.30pm every other Thursday - feel free to show up whenever you can make it through the evening.** \*\*\* This has always been, and remains, a pretty relaxed, free-flowing intercambio - absolutely no pressure, so the plan is just take things at your own pace and get chatting to the person nearest to you. A basic grasp of your second language (si sea Español o Ingles) is strongly recommended.. The guys are all absolutely lovely and super welcoming, we have new people every week alongside the growing squad that are now fast becoming our regulars, our family and our friends. We will be there, sharing stories and ideas over the course of the evening, collecting some new friends, and making plenty of grammatical errors along the way. \*\*\* Absolute everybody is welcome – this is an open, LGBTQIA+ safe, and inclusive space. Come alone, or bring some friends – you’ll always be welcomed with open arms and a smile. **Our goals at Etc Etcétera:** 1. Build new connections across the thriving Latin American and Spanish-speaking community here in South East London 2. Improve your language abilities, whether you’re working on your Spanish or looking to perfect your English 3. Make new friends and build up a network of like-minded people interested in Latin and Spanish culture, right here in Peckham 4. Support local businesses in the surrounding area \*\*\* **Food and drink:** **We typically meet from 7.30 at Kruk Restaurant in their front garden (they have heaters) - they have arranged a massive discount on drinks (3.50 pints, yeeees) and on food in their new restaurant all night.** Occasionally we move location once we get going, depending on the vibe; so just join the whatsapp group for updates, other plans and to stay in touch with new squad you’ve met at an intercambio: [https://chat.whatsapp.com/JkZKW9V8cvz1XaX1mSt8ag](https://chat.whatsapp.com/JkZKW9V8cvz1XaX1mSt8ag) request to join here). **Transport / getting here:** By Train: Peckham Rye Station is right round the corner, serving London Bridge, Blackfriars, Clapham Junction and Overground Services. Also, multiple bus routes stop right outside the station. They run until late! \*\*\* Really looking forward to seeing you there! RSVP to let us know you’ll be coming and join the WhatsApp group for more updates and to join the community 🙂 We’re normally there for a few hours so come and go as you please 🤙

Jon Lee Anderson has documented Afghanistan’s recent history like few others, from the late 1980s mujahideen resistance to the post 9/11 intervention and the Taliban’s return in 2021. His new book, *To Lose a War*, brings together almost twenty-five years of reporting, combining earlier dispatches with new material to present a clear, chronological account of how the conflict unfolded and why it ended in collapse. He is joined by Christina Lamb, Chief Foreign Correspondent at *The Sunday Times*, whose long-standing reporting across Afghanistan and Pakistan provides essential regional insight, and Saad Mohseni, co-founder and chairman of the Moby Group, Afghanistan’s largest media organisation. Together, the panel will examine the early expectations of 2001, the misjudgements and strategic shifts that shaped the war, and the legacy now confronting Afghans and Western policymakers. They will also consider the regional implications of Taliban rule, the future of media and civil society, and what meaningful international engagement with Afghanistan might look like. **Jon Lee Anderson** has been a staff writer at *The New Yorker* since 1998 and is one of the leading chroniclers of war and political transition. He has reported from conflict zones across the world, including Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Libya, Angola, Somalia and Lebanon, and has also produced extensive work from Latin America, including profiles of figures such as Augusto Pinochet, Fidel Castro, Hugo Chávez and Gabriel García Márquez. His books include *To Lose a War: The Fall and Rise of the Taliban*, *Che Guevara: A Revolutionary Life*, *Guerrillas*, *The Fall of Baghdad*, and *The Lion’s Grave: Dispatches from Afghanistan*. He has received numerous international reporting awards, including the Maria Moors Cabot Prize, and has been writing from the field since beginning his career in Peru in 1979. **Christina Lamb** is Chief Foreign Correspondent at *The Sunday Times* and one of the UK’s most acclaimed international reporters. She has covered conflicts across the world for more than three decades, earning sixteen major awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society of Editors and Foreign Correspondent of the Year Award six times. She was appointed OBE in 2013. She is the author of ten books, among them the global bestseller *I Am Malala* (with Malala Yousafzai), *What War Does to Women*, *Our Bodies, Their Battlefield*, *Farewell Kabul*, and *The Africa House.* **Saad Mohseni** is the co-founder and chairman of the Moby Group, Afghanistan’s largest independent media organisation and a major regional broadcaster. Since 2003, he has been central to building Afghanistan’s modern media sector, creating new platforms for news, public debate and entertainment after the fall of the Taliban. He is the author of *Radio Free Afghanistan: A Twenty-Year Odyssey for an Independent Voice in Kabul*, which charts the effort to establish a free press in Afghanistan and the struggle to sustain it following the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. Booking details: [https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/afghanistan-two-decades-of-war-and-its-legacy-tickets-1980765834933?aff=erelexpmlt](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/afghanistan-two-decades-of-war-and-its-legacy-tickets-1980765834933?aff=erelexpmlt) We’ll go to the bar after the lecture at 7.30pm to share impressions. Join me on: English reading club: [www.meetup.com/persian-culture](https://www.meetup.com/persian-culture) Spanish reading club: [www.meetup.com/gaia-libros](https://www.meetup.com/gaia-libros) French reading club: [www.meetup.com/gaia-livres](https://www.meetup.com/gaia-livres) Instagram @persian_culture_ Whatsapp group: [https://chat.whatsapp.com/EZk35ZbJZ6W6wwyHyuxoS2](https://chat.whatsapp.com/EZk35ZbJZ6W6wwyHyuxoS2)

Improve your Spanish/English with a bunch of friendly people over a pint! ¡Puedes mejorar tù Español/Ingles con un grupo de personas amables con una bebida!

**📆 *Date to be confirmed.*** Fecha por confirmar. 🚀 ***From the City to the Camino.*** De la ciudad al Camino. ***After organizing several Walk & Talk events in Barcelona and Tenerife, we’ve decided it’s time to take this concept to the next level.*** Después de organizar varios eventos de Walk & Talk en Barcelona y Tenerife, hemos decidido que es hora de llevar este concepto al siguiente nivel. ***People have absolutely loved the formula.*** A la gente le ha encantado nuestra fórmula: * ***Meeting new people from all over.*** Conocer gente nueva de todo el mundo. * ***Hitting those 10k steps a day.*** Cumplir con los 10k pasos diarios. * ***Practicing Spanish and English with natives from around the world.*** Practicar español e inglés con nativos de todo el mundo. ***And what better place than the Camino de Santiago to turn our 90-minute Saturday strolls into a full 90-hour immersive week?*** ¿Qué mejor sitio que El Camino de Santiago para llevar nuestros paseos de 90 minutos de los sábados a una semana de inmersión total de 90 horas? **🥾 *How it works***. *Cómo funciona* ***We are looking for a small, balanced group.*** Buscamos un grupo pequeño y equilibrado: * ***10 Native or fluent English speakers.*** 10 Hablantes nativos o fluidos de inglés. * ***10 Native or fluent Spanish speakers.*** 10 Hablantes nativos o fluidos de español. ***The goal is a strict 50/50 split so you always have someone to practice with. No "tourist traps," just a week of real connection and language exchange.*** El objetivo es un 50/50 estricto para que siempre tengas a alguien con quien practicar. Sin "trampas para turistas", solo una semana de conexión real e intercambio de idiomas. **❓ *How many days?*** ¿Cuántos días son? ***Plan for 7 days (6 nights). We’ll walk the final 100km to Santiago to get the "Compostela" certificate.*** Cuenta con 7 días (6 noches). Recorreremos los últimos 100 km hasta Santiago para conseguir el certificado de la "Compostela". **❓ *What’s the budget?*** ¿Cuál es el presupuesto? ***We’re still finalizing details, but expect a total investment of around €750 - €950.*** Aún estamos cerrando detalles, pero cuenta con una inversión total de unos 750€ - 950€. ***This is an all-in-one package that includes.*** Es un paquete con todo incluido que contiene: * ***Shared accommodation in hostels.*** Alojamiento en hostales seleccionados (habitaciones compartidas). * ***Breakfasts and Dinners (lunch/picnic on your own).*** Desayunos y cenas incluidos (el almuerzo/picnic en ruta es por cuenta propia). * ***Luggage transport between stages.*** Transporte de mochila entre etapas. * ***Full Immersion Program (+90 hours of live practice).*** Programa de Inmersión Total (+90 horas de práctica real). * ***Pre-trip Training: Access to our online courses and prep sessions to get to know each other and gain speaking confidence before we even start walking.*** Fase de Preparación Previa: Acceso a nuestros cursos online y sesiones para ir conociéndonos y ganar confianza al hablar incluso antes de empezar a caminar. **❓ *Do I need to be an athlete?*** ¿Tengo que ser un atleta? ***Not really, but you should be comfortable walking about 20km a day. It’s a challenge, but we’ll go at a steady, conversational pace.*** Realmente no, pero deberías sentirte cómodo caminando unos 20 km al día. Es un reto, pero iremos a un ritmo constante y conversacional. **❓ *Where is the meeting point?*** ¿Cuál es el lugar de encuentro? ***We will all meet in Sarria (Lugo). Most people fly into Santiago or Madrid and take a train/bus to join the group there.*** Nos reuniremos todos en Sarria (Lugo). La mayoría de la gente vuela a Santiago o Madrid y coge un tren o autobús para unirse al grupo allí. ❓ ***Why join the list?*** ¿Por qué unirte a la lista? ***Places will be very limited (only 20 spots). If you join the waitlist, you’ll get the itinerary and the early-bird price before we announce it on social media.*** Las plazas serán muy limitadas (solo 20). Si te unes a la lista, recibirás el itinerario y el precio reducido antes de que lo anunciemos en redes sociales. **📩 *Just RSVP "YES" to join the list. We’ll reach out to you as soon as the dates and details are ready.*** Solo dale a "Asistir" para entrar en la lista. Nos pondremos en contacto contigo en cuanto tengamos listas las fechas y los detalles.y los detalles. ***⚠️ IMPORTANT: This is a Waiting List. The date you see is just a placeholder to keep the event active. By clicking "RSVP," you’re simply telling us you’re interested so we can send you the info first.*** IMPORTANTE: Esto es una Lista de Espera. La fecha que ves es solo para mantener el evento activo. Al darle a "Asistir", solo nos confirmas que te interesa para que podamos enviarte la información antes que a nadie.

Back to Naguib ❤️ We are reading Palace Walk, the first novel in Naguib Mahfouz’s Cairo Trilogy, offers a richly detailed portrait of family life in early twentieth-century Cairo. Centered on the authoritarian figure of al-Sayyid Ahmad and the inner lives of his wife and children, the novel examines power, repression, gender, faith, and the tension between tradition and modernity against the backdrop of Egypt’s political awakening. بين القصرين، الرواية الأولى في ثلاثية القاهرة لنجيب محفوظ، تقدم تصويرًا ثريًا ودقيقًا للحياة الأسرية في القاهرة في مطلع القرن العشرين. وتتمحور الرواية حول شخصية السيد أحمد عبد الجواد السلطوية، والعوالم الداخلية لزوجته وأبنائه، حيث تتناول قضايا السلطة والقمع والهوية والإيمان، والتوتر بين التقاليد والحداثة، على خلفية اليقظة السياسية في مصر. We will meet on the 14th of February from 2-4 pm to discuss it ( you still have the rest of ther day for Valentine celebrations 😁). Location TBD

**MONTY ENGLISH CONVERSATION GROUP** [https://montyenglish.co.uk/english-conversation-group-classes-in-london](https://montyenglish.co.uk/english-conversation-group-classes-in-london) **How to find us** When you arrive at the Royal George we go down into the basement and you will find us there. Just ask a staff member if you cannot find us! Here is the location of the Royal George on google maps: [https://maps.app.goo.gl/HpkySsu2rEqUUub1A](https://maps.app.goo.gl/HpkySsu2rEqUUub1A) * Food or drink at the pub is not included (please make at least one purchase - they have a good range of drinks and great food if you feel hungry) **How are the lessons?** The lesson is a General English lesson focused on speaking and error correction - every lesson we usually cover 3 different topics. This will encourage you to use new vocabulary and practise grammatical structures. The group has a limit of 25 people but I usually accept people if you are on the waiting list. You will be divided into groups of 3-6 with others of a similar speaking level so you'll have plenty of opportunity to talk and ask questions to your qualified, native teacher Jon. The lesson takes place in the relaxed environment of the Royal George basement which is a pleasant pub, a two-minute walk from Tottenham Court Road tube station. The lesson is ideal for pre-intermediate, intermediate and upper-intermediate students wishing to get to the next level. If you have any questions about the English lesson then please call me or send me a message. **Payment** Payments can be made in cash or by card (free of charge) when you come to the class. If it is your first time it is only £2! After your first time it is £5 for a single class or you can buy a ticket that makes each class cheaper; 5 classes for £20, 10 classes for £25 (you can use these tickets whenever you like and do not need to come in a set period of time) or 20 classes for £40 which has a limited use to within a six-month period. You can also pay via our website: [https://montyenglish.co.uk/english-conversation-group-classes-in-london](https://montyenglish.co.uk/english-conversation-group-classes-in-london) I hope to see you soon - if you have any questions please message me (via WhatsApp) on 07771 561 576 All the best, Jon (event organiser)

Salam, Discussions of the Arab world, particularly the Gulf States, increasingly focus on sectarianism and autocratic rule. These features are often attributed to the dominance of monarchs, Islamists, oil, and ‘ancient hatreds’. To understand their rise, however, one has to turn to a largely forgotten but decisive episode with far-reaching repercussions—Bahrain under British colonial rule in the early twentieth century. Drawing on a wealth of previously unexamined Arabic literature as well as British archives, Omar AlShehabi details how sectarianism emerged as a modern phenomenon in Bahrain. He shows how absolutist rule was born in the Gulf, under the tutelage of the British Raj, to counter nationalist and anti-colonial movements tied to the al-Nahda renaissance in the wider Arab world. A groundbreaking work, *Contested Modernity* challenges us to reconsider not only how we see the Gulf but the Middle East as a whole. We‘ll continue with our 2026 reading list: 3-*Sultana’s Dream* by Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain—Bangladesh 4-*The Opium War: Drugs, Dreams and the Making of China* by Julia Lovell 5-*Rickshaw Boy* by Lao She—China 6-*The* *Motorcycle Diaries* by Che Guevara 7-*One Hundred Years of Solitude* by Gabriel García Márquez—Colombia 8-*How Europe Underdeveloped Africa* by Walter Rodney 9-*Heart of Darkness* by Polish author Joseph Conrad—Congo 10-*The Wretched of the Earth* by Frantz Fanon 11-*Homegoing* by Yaa Gyasi—Ghana 12-*Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty* by Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson Enjoy Bahrain! Join me on: [-www.meetup.com/gaia-libros](http://-www.meetup.com/gaia-libros) [-www.meetup.com/gaia-livres](http://-www.meetup.com/gaia-livres) -[www.meetup.com/persian-culture](www.meetup.com/persian-culture) -Instagram: @persian_culture_

For the first meeting in February, we will discuss Rachel Joyce's 2012 novel, *The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry*. The book quickly became a best-seller and has since been adapted into a film and a stage musical. 'One of the sweetest, most delicately-written stories I've read in a long time. One man's walk along the length of England to save the life of a dying woman... Philosophical, intriguing, and profoundly moving.' (Foyles) 'Joyce's uplifting bestseller about an ordinary man's extraordinary odyssey from one end of the country to the other has been taken to the nation's hearts.' -Waterstones https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13227454-the-unlikely-pilgrimage-of-harold-fry We will hold the meeting at Barbie Green near the Barbican. Some come along for some tasty brunch food as we delve into this heartwarming story. N.B. We will be charging an event fee of £3, non-refundable, to discourage no-shows and contribute to the running costs of the group. Please only sign up if you intend to come along as space is limited to make for an effective discussion!

Chetori, This fresh prose translation by Maryam Mafi of 105 short teaching stories by Rumi, which form the core of the six-volume Masnavi, explores the hidden spiritual aspects of everyday experience. Rumi transforms the seemingly mundane events of daily life into profound Sufi teaching moments. These prose gems open the mystical portal to the world of the ancient mystic. Do you speak French and would like to be part of a reading group and other events in French? [https://www.meetup.com/gaia-livres/](https://www.meetup.com/The-London-French-Club/) Do you speak Spanish and would like to be part of a reading group in Spanish? [https://www.meetup.com/gaia-libros/](https://www.meetup.com/London-Spanish-Club/) Or join my eclectic English book club: [https://www.meetup.com/gaia-books](https://www.meetup.com/gaia-libros/) instagram: @persian_culture_ -Whatsapp group: [https://chat.whatsapp.com/EZk35ZbJZ6W6wwyHyuxoS2](https://chat.whatsapp.com/EZk35ZbJZ6W6wwyHyuxoS2)

Calling all founders, CEOs, lawyers, doctors, and entrepreneurs to join our special *Founder Edition* of Sip & Read meetup event. Let's sip on fine wine and discuss our first book **The 5AM Club- Own Your Morning Elevate Your Life, by Robin Sharma**. We will pair this book with our favorite wine at **Wine on High** and engage in thought-provoking discussions on startup businesses and entrepreneurship, and network with like-minded individuals in a cozy book club setting. Come prepared to discuss this month's book. At the end of each book club meeting, we will take next book and venue suggestions from the participants for the next meeting. Whether you are a book lover, women entrepreneur, or a content creator, this event is perfect for sharing ideas and insights with other funders and founders in the entrepreneurial world. Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to connect, learn, and grow together. Sign up now to reserve your spot! *Fun fact! This meetup was established in 2015 and had over 1,000 members. I had to shut down operations while attending law school, but we're back!!*

**I’m planning future book club meetups and would love your input. Please choose your top three from the list below—your picks will help decide what we read next!** **Book Options** *The Hong Kong Widow* – Kristen Loesch *American Spy* – Lauren Wilkinson *God of the Woods* – Liz Moore *Listen for the Lie* – Amy Tintera *The Swallows* – Lisa Lutz *The Drowning Kind* – Jennifer McMahon *The Eights* – Joanna Miller *The Quiet Librarian* – Allen Eskens Thanks so much for sharing your pick! Please **reply in the comments** with your top three. I can’t wait to see which books rise to the top and to discuss them together at our next meetups.

**Our February novel is: Julia by Sandra Newman** **This month is a classic, dystopian, fiction, literary fiction, women’s fiction, and science fiction novel. The book is 394 pages in print and 14 hours and 20 minutes on audiobook.** **An imaginative, feminist, and brilliantly relevant-to-today retelling of Orwell’s 1984, from the point of view of Winston Smith’s lover, Julia, by critically acclaimed novelist Sandra Newman.** Julia Worthing is a mechanic, working in the Fiction Department at the Ministry of Truth. It’s 1984, and Britain (now called Airstrip One) has long been absorbed into the larger trans-Atlantic nation of Oceania. Oceania has been at war for as long as anyone can remember, and is ruled by an ultra-totalitarian Party, whose leader is a quasi-mythical figure called Big Brother. In short, everything about this world is as it is in Orwell’s 1984. All her life, Julia has known only Oceania, and, until she meets Winston Smith, she has never imagined anything else. She is an ideal citizen: cheerfully cynical, always ready with a bribe, piously repeating every political slogan while believing in nothing. She routinely breaks the rules, but also collaborates with the regime when necessary. Everyone likes Julia. Then one day she finds herself walking toward Winston Smith in a corridor and impulsively slips him a note, setting in motion the devastating, unforgettable events of the classic story. Julia takes us on a surprising journey through Orwell’s now-iconic dystopia, with twists that reveal unexpected sides not only to Julia, but to other familiar figures in the 1984 universe. This unique perspective lays bare our own world in haunting and provocative ways, just as the original did almost seventy-five years ago.

Welcome, readers! Our February read is **_1984 by George Orwell._** In 1984, George Orwell imagines a world where the government watches everyone, rewrites reality, and punishes even private thoughts. Winston Smith dares to question this system, believing that truth and love might still exist. His rebellion draws him into a chilling struggle against a power that knows him better than he knows himself. The novel leaves readers asking whether freedom is possible when reality itself can be controlled. Looking forward to discussing with everyone! We will meet at Zaftig Brewing Co in their event room in the back. We are welcome to bring in our own food, but **drinks must be purchased at the bar.** Happy reading! 📖

Join us for The Fisherman by John Langan. In upstate New York, in the woods around Woodstock, Dutchman's Creek flows out of the Ashokan Reservoir. Steep-banked, fast-moving, it offers the promise of fine fishing, and of something more, a possibility too fantastic to be true. When Abe and Dan, two widowers who have found solace in each other's company and a shared passion for fishing, hear rumors of the Creek, and what might be found there, the remedy to both their losses, they dismiss it as just another fish story. Soon, though, the men find themselves drawn into a tale as deep and old as the Reservoir. It's a tale of dark pacts, of long-buried secrets, and of a mysterious figure known as Der Fisher: the Fisherman. It will bring Abe and Dan face to face with all that they have lost, and with the price they must pay to regain it.

Join us as we get together to see the steamy-romance-period-drama, WUTHERING HEIGHTS. Director Emerald Fennell gives us her take on the romance between Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw from the classic Emily Bronte novel. Here’s a description, trailer and plan for this event: DESCRIPTION: The film tells a passionate and tumultuous love story set against the backdrop of the Yorkshire moors, exploring the intense and destructive relationship between Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw. The film is directed by Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman, Saltburn) and is loosely based on the classic novel by Emily Bronte. It stars Margot Robbie, Jacob Elordi, Alison Oliver, Owen Cooper and Hong Chau! TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fLCdIYShEQ BUZZ & REVIEWS: The film is earning a solid 70% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes, where critics say, “The Oscar-winning British filmmaker crafts a sumptuous bad romance that’s quite haughty, darkly hilarious and ultimately heartfelt.” Others call it a “sexy, exhilarating and visually stunning adaptation of the classic novel by Emily Brontë.” We’ll see for ourselves on Friday! PLAN: Purchase your ticket for the 7:00pm showing and meet inside the theater lobby between 6:30 and 6:45pm! Advance ticket purchase not required for this theater but early arrival is advised! Be sure to mention you’re with the Movie Group for admission and concession discounts! Immediately following the movie, don’t miss the best part of the night – food and drinks at the nearby Rusty Bucket! For those new to the theater, parking is available in the lot near Brassica, which will put you conveniently right between the theater and restaurant! Look forward to seeing you there, Dan