Queer Books

**Book Club** With ***Marco Astolfi*** For **LGBTQIA+** **[Free with registration](https://wearevillage.org/en/shop/book-club/w23-2026)** **“The Loves of My Life” by Edmund White (2025)** In this late-life memoir, Edmund White looks back on decades of desire, intimacy and queer experience. Moving from the closeted 1950s to the age of apps, he recounts encounters, relationships and fleeting connections that shaped both his life and his writing. The result is a candid, witty and deeply personal portrait of love in its many forms. This final memoir by Edmund White, one of the most influential voices in queer literature, traces more than sixty years of gay life through the lens of desire. From furtive encounters in mid-century America to the sexual liberation of the post-Stonewall years and the shadow of the AIDS crisis, White’s recollections map an entire cultural history alongside his own biography. Structured less as a linear narrative than as a constellation of lovers, episodes and reflections, the book blends erotic confession with literary meditation. White writes about transactional sex, longings, power dynamics and emotional attachments with his signature mix of irony, tenderness and intellectual curiosity. What emerges is not only a chronicle of excess and experimentation, but also a sustained inquiry into the meaning of love—whether fleeting, one-sided or transformative. At once provocative and reflective, “The Loves of My Life” becomes a celebration of queer existence across generations, shaped by memory, loss, humour and an enduring devotion to beauty and language. **Book Club** Fur **LGTBQIA+** Mit ***Marco Astolfi*** **[Kostenlos mit Anmeldung](https://wearevillage.org/shop/book-club/w23-2026/)** #### Village Book Club in English: "The Loves of My Life" von Edmund White (2025) In diesem späten Memoir blickt Edmund White auf Jahrzehnte von Begehren, Intimität und queerer Erfahrung zurück. Von den repressiven 1950er-Jahren bis ins digitale Zeitalter erzählt er von Begegnungen, Beziehungen und flüchtigen Verbindungen, die sein Leben und Schreiben geprägt haben. Das Ergebnis ist ein offenes, witziges und sehr persönliches Porträt von Liebe in all ihren Formen. Dieses letzte Memoir des bedeutenden Autors der queeren Literatur zeichnet über sechs Jahrzehnte schwulen Lebens anhand von Begehren und Beziehungen nach. Von heimlichen Begegnungen im Amerika der 1950er Jahre über die sexuelle Befreiung nach Stonewall bis hin zur AIDS-Krise entfaltet White zugleich seine eigene Biografie und eine kollektive Kulturgeschichte. Statt einer linearen Erzählung entsteht ein Mosaik aus Liebhabern, Episoden und Reflexionen. White verbindet explizite Erinnerungen mit literarischen Überlegungen und schreibt über käuflichen Sex, Sehnsucht, Machtverhältnisse und emotionale Bindungen mit Ironie, Zärtlichkeit und analytischem Blick. Dabei geht es weniger um Provokation als um die Frage, was Liebe bedeuten kann – als flüchtiger Moment, als unerfüllte Projektion oder als prägende Erfahrung. „The Loves of My Life“ wird so zu einer vielstimmigen Feier queerer Existenz, getragen von Erinnerung, Verlust, Humor und einer lebenslangen Hingabe an Sprache und Schönheit.

Dear Members of the Silent Book Club – Berlin West, We have some important news to share with you all. Starting with our next event, **on the 11th of June at the Another Country Book Shop,** we have decided to move our event schedule from Meetup to Luma. This means that, from now on, we will be posting our upcoming events and activities on Luma. The link to the calendar is [https://luma.com/silent-book-club-berlin-west](https://luma.com/silent-book-club-berlin-west) We encourage those of you who wish to stay up to date with our events to subscribe to the new calendar, as from June 2026 onwards we will no longer be posting on Meetup. Looking forward to reading with you again and again, Laura and Francesco \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- We have decided to change because Meetup has become more restrictive with the features available on its free plan, which was creating some friction for both you and us. We want to keep our events free of charge, and Luma offers a much more generous free package. With Luma, we will be able to: \- Schedule unlimited events in advance \- Open more seats for each event \- Publish events further ahead so you can plan more easily What this will mean for you: \- You can sign up with just your name and email address — no need to create a Luma account \- You can view all upcoming events on the Luma calendar and register in advance \- More spots will be available for each event We hope this makes signing up and planning ahead much easier.

Finding Community: Pathways Out of Loneliness ##### May 14 2026 - July 23 2026 with ***Marco Obermüller*** **6 x Thursday** on 14./05 – 28./05 – 11./06 – 25./06 – 09./07 and 23./07. free event with[ ](https://wearevillage.org/en/shop/einsamkeitserien2/w20-2026/)**[Registration](https://wearevillage.org/en/shop/einsamkeitserien2/w20-2026/)** English for **LGBTQIA**+ In our group work, spaces emerge in which belonging and exchange can be experienced directly. Personal topics are explored together and experiences are shared, making new ways out of isolation tangible. Facilitated exercises, shifts of perspective, and shared reflection foster connectedness, strengthen social effectiveness, and create strategies for sustainable relationships that extend beyond individual sessions. Loneliness can arise when people have few opportunities to experience genuine connection with others. This is where the group comes in, creating spaces in which a sense of belonging can be actively experienced. By working together on personal topics, a social space of resonance emerges that replaces isolation with relationship and contact. Through the structured sharing of experiences, loneliness becomes visible, discussable, and therefore open to change. Through facilitated interaction, shifts in perspective, small experiments in experiencing contact, and shared reflection, participants develop new forms of connectedness and strategies for social effectiveness. The group functions not only as a source of support, but also as a learning environment for shaping relationships. In this way, resilient connections are formed that extend beyond the individual meeting and help to sustainably reduce loneliness. **Belonging versus loneliness: everybody can feel lonely sometimes** As human beings we have a natural longing for social connection and support by others. Due to individual and structural discrimination queer people have an ever higher risk to suffer from chronic loneliness. In cooperation with the **Landesstelle für Gleichbehandlung** – (Berlin State Office for the Equality of Treatment – against Discrimination) **we are village \| queer matters** has set itself the goal to offer some programming on the issue of loneliness in the queer community. We have also created a **[survey](https://forms.gle/BZkLsma3sRX2vdRb8)** to find out more about your experiences of loneliness. With your help, we can create a better program that meets your needs and with which we can create more togetherness! **This group consists of a maximum of 15 participants with registration.** **Language**: This series will be held in English. This series is open to everyone. Your English should be fluent enough to follow an event in English. **Cost**: free event with registration **Important**: you must commit to all 6 sessions. **Dates**: 14./05 – 28./05 – 11./06 – 25./06 – 09./07 and 23./07.

A small weekly circle for reading, writing, conversation, and shared curiosity. For our first gathering we will spend time with fragments from Maggie Nelson's *The Argonauts* and Bhanu Kapil's *Ban en Banlieue*, using them as starting points for reflection, discussion, and writing. No academic background or writing experience needed. Just bring a notebook and a willingness to think alongside others. 📍 Café Cralle, Berlin 🗓 11 June, 19:00 👥 Small group (2 spots currently available)

**Die Prägungen unserer Kindheit stehen manchmal einem glüklichen Leben im Weg - auch bei Freundschaften.** **Dieses Buch geht diesen Prägungen & dysfunktionalen Glaubenssätzen auf den Grund.** +++++++++++++++ **🏡 Wir treffen uns im Monbijou-Park mit Picknick-Decke** **💶 Teilnahmegebühr: 5 EUR** **📘 [Amazon-Link zum Buch: Befreiung von Scham und Schuld.](https://amzn.to/4kNaqPP)** (Werbung: Als Amazon-Partner verdiene ich an qualifizierten Verkäufen.) +++++++++++++++ **🌳 Über das Meetup** Dieses Meetup ist eine gemeinsame Besprechung des Buches "Befreiung von Scham & Schuld". Wir unterhalten uns darüber, was wir in dem Buch gelesen haben - und welche Bedeutung es für unser Leben hat. **Um an dem Treffen teilzunehmen, solltest Du mindestens bis Seite 106 gelesen haben.** Einige der 8 Fallbeispiele am Anfang kannst Du für das erste Treffen überspringen, lies jedoch mindestens 2 Fallbeispiele, um ein Gefühl zu bekommen. (Das Buch hat 422 Seiten, die sich lohnen). . **Das Buch ist leicht & angenehm geschrieben.** . +++++++++++++++++ **🌻 Mehr zum Inhalt** Manchmal funktionieren Freundschaften nicht, weil man * sich nicht öffnen kann, * zu schüchtern ist, * andere Menschen nicht an sich heran lässt * klammert * zu viel will * wegrennt * nicht die richtigen Menschen trifft * schlechte Erfahrungen gemacht hat * oder oder oder ... . ... alte Themen aus der Kindheit holen einen ein. . Ebenso stehen Glaubenssätze wie "ich bin nicht gut genug", "ich bin nicht liebenswert", "Ich bin unfähig", "Ich muss mich beweisen", ... guten Freundschaften im Weg. . Das ganze Leben, Partnerschaften und Erfolg im Beruf scheinen von blöden Glaubenssätzen durchsetzt. Bei machen mehr, bei anderen weniger. . In dem Buch: **"Befreiung von Scham und Schuld"** von Laurance Heller und Angelika Doerne geht es genau darum: . Wie prägen schlechte Kindheitserlebnisse und die Beziehung zu unseren Eltern unsere heutigen Beziehungen. . Zur allgemeinen Erleichterung: Nicht nur schlechte Gefühle prägen uns, sondern auch die vielen guten Gefühle 🦋🌞🌻🤗. . **Der Stoff ist intensiv. Deshalb gibt es diesen Austausch mit Gleichgesinnten.** Ist das Buch für Dich interessant, d**ann komm gern dazu!** . **+++++ 😊 Teilnehmer-Stimmen** . "Der Austausch hilft mir, das Buch und mich richtig zu verstehen. Das hat Tiefe. Ich mag die Offenheit." . "Jede meiner Empfindungen, Körperreaktionen, Gefühle und Gedanken ist nur davon geprägt, wie ich aufgewachsen bin. Das habe ich mit dem Buch verstanden." . . **+++++🔷 Hintergrund** **👱🏽‍♂️ Zu mir: Ich bin Georg Preller.** Seit 4 Jahren betreibe ich die Seite [www.abenteuer-freundschaft.de](www.abenteuer-freundschaft.de). Ich bin ausgebildeter NLP Lehrtrainer ([DVNLP](https://www.dvnlp.de/)) & Coach. Ich gebe Workshops über Freundschaft & schreibe ein Buch über Freundschaft. Mir ist es wichtig, dass Menschen gute & glückliche Freundschaften führen und damit ein friedliches & glückliches Leben führen. . Auf meiner Websiete findest Du viele Tipps, wie man gute Freundschaften anbahnt. . Zurzeit erforsche ich tiefe Themen der Psychologie. Ich will wissen, wie alte Prägungen uns im Wege stehen, die richtigen Freundschaften zu knüpfen. **Dieses Buch ist Teil dieser Forschung.** . **🎯 Andere Workshops** In der Meetup-Gruppe findest Du noch andere Workshop, zu ähnlichen Themen. Zum Beispiel: * **Bindungsstile & Bindungstypen** \- wie sie unsere Freundschaften und Beziehungen beeinflussen * **Authentische Ehrlichkeit:** Endlich über das Reden, über das man sonst schweigt oder lügt. . **👋🏽 Get in touch & stay in touch:** **✈ Telegram-Kanal: [t.me/abenteuer_freundschaft](http://t.me/abenteuer_freundschaft)** für Events, Workshops & Neuste Erkenntnisse aus der Freundschaftsforschung (Überschriften) **✉ Freundschafts-Newsletter:** [https://abenteuer-freundschaft.de/newsletter](https://abenteuer-freundschaft.de/newsletter) Alle 4 Wochen das Neuste aus der Freundschaftsforschung; oft schreibe ich seltener, nämlich nur dann, wenn es wirklich etwas zu berichten gibt. **🔥 6 Zutaten großartiger Freundschaften** 2022 wollte ich herauszufinden, was großartige Freundschaften wirklich ausmacht. Das Ergebnis ist das 30seitige eBook: "Die 6 Zutaten großartiger Freundschaften". Du erhältst das eBook zurzeit kostenlos mit der Anmeldung zum Newsletter [https://abenteuer-freundschaft.de/newsletter](https://abenteuer-freundschaft.de/newsletter)

YAAAS QUEEN! Hilarious monthly comedy show with fierce and fabulously funny queens! [Tickets Link](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/yaaas-queen-women-lgbtq-comedy-show-tickets-1094698806599?) Yaaas Queen is a monthly celebration of fierce and fabulously funny queens, kings and royal criminal queers! The show is in English and on second Thursday of every month. This is not just a stand-up comedy open mic – it is a fun and safe space for women & LGBTQIA+ comics who want to either try stand-up for the first time, work on their funny bits or experiment with other comedy formats. There’s always a different line-up of experienced and less experienced jesters and we try to make it as varied as possible! It is also a cosy opportunity for you, our lovely audience members, to meet like-minded, open-hearted people who enjoy laughing, can take a joke and just want to have a marvellous evening. You are welcome to come and support us with your ecstatic applause, roaring laughter and loving support no matter who you are or what you have or don’t have in your pants, bags and cupboards! Curious to try stand-up? Talk to us after the show! Doors: 20:00 Showtime: 20:30-22:30 (with break) This comedy show is produced by the fabulous Queen Bees Comedy collective consisting of Anja Woot, Carmen Chraim and Kat Nip

Come along, grab a coffee, shut up, and write! We will do at least two sessions of each 45 minutes of writing and two breaks. We will start the first writing session at 10:45. For space reasons we only allow a limited number of attendees, so please update your RSVP if you can't come. We'll probably be grouped around the large table in the back room's center. In the summer, also outside. Looking forward to seeing you there!

This time we will be discussing **Yazmin Zaher: The Coin.** We look forward to seeing you! If you have book suggestions, would like to vote on our next reads, or join us for additional activities, please ask someone at the meeting to add you to our WhatsApp group. Just a heads up: **The cafe only accepts card payments for amounts over €10**, so you may want to bring some cash for smaller orders. Please remember to cancel your participation in good time if you are not coming. This will give someone else enough time to read the book and come to the meeting.

Dear Book Enthusiasts, For our June gathering, we’ll be reading ***The Summer Book*** by the Finnish writer **Tove Jansson**. First published in 1972, this quiet and deeply moving novel follows the relationship between a young girl and her grandmother as they spend a summer together on a small island in the Gulf of Finland. Through brief, luminous episodes, Jansson explores childhood, aging, nature, solitude, and the subtle bonds between generations with warmth, humor, and extraordinary sensitivity. Gentle yet profound, *The Summer Book* is a celebration of life’s small moments and the beauty of human connection. **📅 Date & Time: Sunday, 14.06.2026 at 15:00** **📍 Location: Audrey coffee, Holzendorffstraße 18, 14057 Berlin** **💬 Fee: As always, a 3 € contribution after the meeting helps cover organization costs** As I mentioned in earlier announcements, due to personal reasons I will not be able to attend a few upcoming meetings. Three lovely friends of mine — Miry, Kat, and Cristina — who also happen to be regulars in our book club, kindly agreed to moderate and host this gathering during my absence. I truly hope you’ll join me in giving them a very warm welcome and your support. I’m very much looking forward to hearing all about your discussion and to gathering together again soon. Warmly, Sofya

**Cuddling as Collective Care – all genders** for **LGBTQIA+** **[Book a Ticket](https://wearevillage.org/en/shop/regenerative-touch/w26-2026)** **Member: 15 €** **Regular: 30 €** This Cuddle Puddle offers a safe, consent-based space for people of all genders within the LGBTQIA+ community to experience non-sexual touch, communal connection and rest. Guided exercises support emotional wellbeing, boundaries, and self-awareness. **Cuddle Puddles** are structured, guided spaces where people can experience the benefits of non-sexual touch — such as reduced stress, nervous system regulation, and a deeper sense of belonging. Touch, when consensual and caring, can support emotional resilience and mental health. This **Cuddle Puddle** is open to all genders within the LGBTQIA+ community, creating a space where diverse identities can meet beyond gendered expectations. A non-gender-restricted setting allows for broader empathy, mutual understanding, and connection, while honoring individual boundaries, choice, and safety at all times. **General Information** • This format is for all queer people (LGBTQIA+) interested in experiencing touch in a safe(r) setting. • This is a clothes-on format. • Bring a sheet and towel to cover cushions, mats, or massage tables. • This event will be in English • This event is also available at a reduced member price – but not part of the three-free-monthly-events benefit. • Concession tickets upon written request to **[events@wearevillage.org](mailto:events@wearevillage.org)** **Kuscheln als kollektive Fürsorge – Alle Geschlechter** für **LGBTQIA+** **[Anmeldung](https://wearevillage.org/shop/regenerative-touch/w26-2026/)** **Mitglied: 15 €** **Regulärer Preis: 30 €** Dieser Cuddle Puddle bietet einen sicheren, einvernehmlichen Raum für Menschen aller Geschlechter aus der LGBTQIA+ Community, um nicht-sexuelle Nähe, gemeinschaftliche Verbindung und Entspannung zu erleben. Die angeleitete Erfahrung stärkt emotionales Wohlbefinden, Körperwahrnehmung und klare Grenzen. **Cuddle Puddles** sind angeleitete Räume für bewusste, nicht-sexuelle Berührung, die Stress reduzieren, das Nervensystem regulieren und das Gefühl von Zugehörigkeit stärken können. Konsensuelle Nähe unterstützt emotionale Stabilität und psychische Gesundheit. Diese Cuddle Puddle ist für alle Geschlechter innerhalb der LGBTQIA+ Community geöffnet. Ein nicht-geschlechtergetrennter Raum ermöglicht vielfältige Begegnungen jenseits von Rollenbildern und Erwartungen. So entsteht ein Feld für mehr Empathie, gegenseitiges Verständnis und authentische Verbindung, immer auf Basis von Wahlfreiheit, klaren Grenzen und gegenseitigem Respekt **Was ist Regenerative Berührung?** Regenerative Touch ist ein monatlicher Workshop für Queer People, bei dem wir uns gegenseitig helfen, langsamer zu werden, in unseren Körper zu kommen und in einer unterstützenden und nährenden Umgebung die wohltuende Wirkung von regenerativer Berührung erkunden. Berührung, die im täglichen Leben oft übersehen wird, ist ein grundlegendes menschliches Bedürfnis. In diesen Workshops schaffen wir einen Raum, der ausschließlich ihrer regenerativen und heilenden Kraft gewidmet ist, frei von romantischen oder sexuellen Konnotationen. Berührung kommuniziert direkt und erreicht Orte, die Worte nicht erreichen können. Hast du jemals die beruhigende Wirkung einer warmen Umarmung oder einer tröstenden Hand auf deiner Schulter erlebt? Selbst ein kurzes 15-minütiges Handhalten kann zu einer signifikanten Senkung der Herzfrequenz und des Blutdrucks führen und eine starke Entspannungsreaktion signalisieren. Eine einfache 20-sekündige Umarmung kann zu höheren Oxytocinspiegeln führen, dem Hormon, das mit Bindung und Vertrauen verbunden ist. Jeden Monat wird unser trauma-sensitiver Moderator den Abend um Themen wie Präsenz, Regulierung des Nervensystems und emotionale Sicherheit gestalten und sich auf praktisches Erleben anstatt auf zu viele Worte oder Techniken konzentrieren. Es sind keine Vorkenntnisse in Körperarbeit erforderlich – bring einfach deine Neugier mit. **Vorteile** – Erfahre eine Verringerung von Angstzuständen und Depressionen sowie eine erhöhte emotionale Widerstandsfähigkeit durch beruhigende, achtsame Berührung. – Kultiviere wertschätzende Anwesenheit und tiefere Verbindungen zu dir selbst und anderen. – Unterstütze die Heilung von Traumata und setze in einer sicheren, nährenden Umgebung Emotionen frei. – Verbessere deine Stimmung und deine Immunfunktion, indem du Stress reduzierst und Endorphine freisetzt. – Fördere ein Gefühl von Gemeinschaft und Zugehörigkeit durch gemeinsame, nonverbale Erfahrungen. – Ermutige tieferes Mitgefühl und Akzeptanz durch sanften, unterstützenden Kontakt.

\*\*\*\*\*\* ***For address and more details see the website www.pausify.org*** \*\*\*\*\*\* **Event Info:** Pausify is the **biggest community and most active** of book lovers and creatives in Berlin. Impressions: Instagram: **[@Pausify (Co-Reading Space)](https://www.instagram.com/pausify_org/)** Events happen every Sat and Sun at 11 AM. Bring along your **current book to read** (or something **creative** to work on) and join us for this mix of a shared focus time + discussion. \- 11:00\-11:30 \- Meet & greet \- 11:30\-12:30 \- Silent focus time \- 12:30 \- Discussion of books/ projects over coffee Afterwards, join for lunch if you'd like (optional). **Drinks & snacks are included** ☕️ * **To reserve your place, a ticket (€9,90/event) or a community pass (only €17,90/MONTH) [from the website ](https://pausify.org/)*www.pausify.org* is required** * **Attendance here doesn’t show all sign-ups from other platforms. We usually have about 50 to 100 people at each event.** ***FAQ: Why does it cost money if I bring my own project?*** Because we rent a beautiful, central space for every event. Ever thought your monthly apartment rent was too high? Well, multiply that – that’s what commercial spaces in big cities like Berlin cost *per hour*. Of course, if all you want is just some quiet time, your home or a library is perfect. But if you’d like to focus & connect with others in an inspiring space – with drinks, snacks included – that’s what your ticket helps to cover. See pics from our events below - and on our Instagram: **[@Pausify (Co-Reading Space)](https://www.instagram.com/pausify_org/) ☕️** **[Pausify Co-Reading Space Website](https://pausify.org/) www.pausify.org** For questions, please contact us over [Website ](https://pausify.org/) www.pausify.org as this platform can have issues. Thank you! *Please note that photos and videos may be taken during the event and used for promotional purposes to highlight and share the experiences at our events. If you have concerns, don't hesitate to approach the event organizers before the event.*

RSVP on Luma: [https://luma.com/60nqjrxe](https://luma.com/60nqjrxe?utm_source=Meetup) Silent Reading / Creating Club is a gathering for people who enjoy focusing together in public. Bring a book, a notebook, a sketchpad, knitting needles, whatever you’d like to spend a quiet hour doing. All projects and all participants are welcome. We’re building a community of readers and creators who value depth, presence, and shared silence. The reading and creating isn't the real highlight, though, it’s in the people who return and make it feel like a familiar room. (Please RSVP “yes” only if you can make it, so we can save a seat for you and others on the waitlist.) Our Meeting Point is the **W66 Café**. There’s no entrance fee, but please order at least one item from the café and don’t bring outside food or drinks 🙂 No assignments, expectations, or pressure. Just a shared hour of intentional silence, followed by the opportunity for good conversation. 🕰 Our Agenda **10:30 – 11:00** Arrivals, ordering drinks/food, light social time **11:00 – 12:00** The Great Quiet Hour (Read. Write. Sketch. Code. Think. Sit.) **12:00 – 12:30** Optional socializing: share what you were reading or creating, or simply continue in quiet focus. ## 🏡 House Guidelines To keep this space calm and welcoming for everyone: • Silence during the focus hour (no calls or conversations) • Put cellphones on silent mode • If using technology, please avoid meetings or audio (headphones please!) • Arrive before 11:00 if possible to minimize disruptions

**Village Heart Circle** hosted by **Marco Astolfi** & **Torsten Bless** for **GBTQ men\*** **[free event with registration](https://wearevillage.org/en/shop/heart-circle/w24-2026)** Are you looking for a space where you can express your feelings and share your experiences in a loving and supportive community of GBTQ men\*? In this circle we can sit together peacefully to speak from the heart and listen with our hearts, honouring the different ways from which we come in a safe and non-judgemental space, honouring the different ways from which we come in a safe and non-judgemental space. The Heart Circle is a practice originated by Native Americans and adopted by the Radical Faeries to build community. **General Information** We open the doors at 7:30 p.m. To protect the integrity of the Heart Circle, we ask that you arrive before 8:00 p.m. **Language**: This event will be in German and/or English depending on participant needs. 🔵 Suchst du nach einem Ort, an dem du deine Gefühle und Erfahrungen teilen kannst, in einer unterstützenden Gemeinschaft von schwulen, bisexuellen, trans und queeren Männern\*? Der Kreis ist ein Ort, an dem wir friedlich zusammensitzen, aus dem Herzen sprechen und mit dem Herzen zuhören können. Ein Ort, an dem wir die unterschiedlichen Lebensumstände, aus denen wir kommen, respektieren, ohne zu urteilen. Der Heart Circle ist eine Praxis, die von den Ureinwohnern Nordamerikas stammt und von den Radical Faeries übernommen wurde, um Gemeinschaft zu bilden. **Hinweise** Wir öffnen die Türen um 19.30 Uhr. Um die Unversehrtheit des Heart Circles zu bewahren, bitten wir dich, vor 20:00 Uhr zu erscheinen. **Sprache**: Je nach Bedürfnissen der Gruppe werden wir Deutsch und/oder Englisch sprechen.

Who is in the mood for some quiet togetherness while catching up on their reading? Let’s enjoy literature or non-fiction together and come to our Reading in Companionable Silence meeting. Miro will welcome members and there is time to socialize and to order some food or a beverage - ca. 30 min. Then we read for an hour in silence. After that - time to exchange impressions, suggestions, ask questions and generally have a good time. There might be a break in the middle in order to allow for more drinks, a bathroom break etc. Only RSVP if you really intend to come and are sure that you can make it. Please don’t waste our hosts‘s time and energy by reserving a spot and then dropping out at short notice.

Join us for our June Book Club gathering where we will come together to discuss [The Queer Principles of Kit Webb](https://catsebastian.com/the-queer-principles-of-kit-webb/) by Cat Sebastian in a safe and welcoming environment. Make new friends who share your passion for books and connect with fellow LGBTQ book enthusiasts.

Join us for our July Book Club gathering where we will come together to discuss [Cemetery Boys](https://www.aiden-thomas.com/cemetery-boys) by Aiden Thomas in a safe and welcoming environment. Make new friends who share your passion for books and connect with fellow LGBTQ book enthusiasts.

**📜 Neighbourhood Read: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid** Everyone is welcome to join us to unpack and discuss the widely read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid with other local readers over a relaxed evening, and the whole evening is centred around the book and each other. Any amount of reading is welcome, and bring the lines that stayed with you, and bring your reading experience — because you do not need to be an expert reader to have something valuable to say. First time here is just as good as any other time to come — and regular members are consistently enthusiastic about welcoming new readers, bring whatever you managed to read and the conversation does the rest, and you will wonder why you waited to come along. There is no set agenda — with all opinions treated as equally valid, and even familiar readers find new angles in a good group discussion. --- **A quick overview:** - Introductions are short and the book takes over within the first few minutes - Members share their takes and the discussion branches out from there - The evening finishes with a discussion about what to read next --- ✨ Every book grows when you bring it into a room full of readers — join the group and help make it better and the discussion does the heavy lifting from there. See you on the other side of the last page. ✨

**We are expanding our creative programming opportunities with Queer Quills, a quiet writing and sharing space. Queer Quills features some prompts, supplies and friendly faces to help get some inspiration or feedback for your writing. Hope to see you there!**

**Our June novel is: *The Eights* by Joanna Miller** **This month’s novel is set during World War I. It’s a 20th-century historical fiction story about friendship and war, with coming-of-age elements and a slightly haunted tone. The book is 384 pages in print and 10 hours and 9 minutes on audiobook.** Oxford, 1920. For the first time in its one-thousand-year history, Oxford University officially admits female students. Burning with dreams of equality, four young women move into neighboring rooms in Corridor 8. Beatrice, Dora, Marianne, and Otto—collectively known as The Eights—come from all walks of life, each driven by their own motives, each holding tight to their secrets, and are thrown into an unlikely, unshakable friendship. Dora was never meant to go to university, but, after losing both her brother and her fiancé on the battlefield, has arrived in their place. Politically-minded Beatrice, daughter of a famous suffragette, sees Oxford as a chance to make her own way - and some friends her own age. Otto was a nurse during the war but is excited to return to her socialite lifestyle in Oxford where she hopes to find distraction from the memories that haunt her. And finally Marianne, the quiet, clever daughter of a village pastor, who has a shocking secret she must hide from everyone, even her new friends, if she is to succeed. Among the historic spires, and in the long shadow of the Great War, the four women must navigate and support one another in a turbulent world in which misogyny is rife, influenza is still a threat, and the ghosts of the Great War don’t always remain dead.

Join us as we discuss our June pick: Metal Slinger by Rachel Schneider! Book description: Even though she's not one of them, Brynn has spent her life among the Alaha, training to be a guard and waiting for the chance to attend the annual market hosted by the Kenta–the very same people who exiled her adopted community to a life at sea. Going to the market is a rite of passage eagerly anticipated by all young guards, but Brynn does not anticipate breaking a century-long peace treaty while there. Nor does she plan for the intense encounter with an enemy soldier that now threatens to unwind the fragile coexistence between their people–and everything Brynn once believed about herself to be true. Brynn's loyalty to the Alaha is tested when the truth of her identity is brought to light by this soldier who's taken an oath to bring her back to where she belongs. Narrowly escaping death on the violent high seas, Brynn's connection to the Alaha is further tested when she learns about the world of magic she's been denied. She was once certain of her fate and where she belonged, but the dark, knowing eyes of this stranger have her questioning everything, including her heart. Packed with knife fights and seafaring adventure, METAL SLINGER is the smash-hit start to the romantic fantasy duology, the Fire & Metal series

June is Fantasy month! • The book we will be discussing is The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab. (determined by votes from May Book Club. Message me your e-mail if you'd like a free digital copy of the book) • This event will be at the Dublin library (Room 3). Feel free to come whether or not you've started or finished the book. • Small snacks will be provided. You're welcome to bring your own snacks & drinks too! Let me know if you’d like to volunteer to bring snacks or drinks for the group. Please try to update your attendance if anything changes so we have an accurate head count for print outs and snacks :)