Reading

Join us to read through a play, script in hand. You don't need to memorise any lines, but you'll get the chance to read, and bring as much character and performance to your reading as you like. You don't have to read aloud if you don't want to, and there's no expectation of ability - we're an encouraging, good-natured group! Play script: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TP7wDDJc8GNFw-pDN4KSa_lEq70KM5Y-/view?usp=sharing You will need: \- a digital or physical copy of the text \- enthusiasm for theatre

**We only accept approved registrations for this event. Register on Luma: [https://luma.com/igw02vjg](https://luma.com/igw02vjg)** London Tech Week is full of conversations about what enterprise AI could do. This is the event for the engineers who have to build it. Specifically: agents that hold up past the demo. The ones that need memory that persists across sessions, context that doesn't collapse under load, behaviour that's auditable when something goes wrong, and infrastructure that can actually take the weight. That's a harder problem than most will admit - and we're going to get into it properly. Two engineering teams, one evening. Bring your hardest questions. Pizza and drinks on us. **Speakers** **[Tobie Morgan Hitchcock](https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobiemorganhitchcock/) — Co-Founder & CEO, SurrealDB** **[Martin Schaer](https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinschaer/) — Solutions Engineer, SurrealDB** **[Ziv Ilan](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ziv-ilan-nvidia/) — Super AI team, NVIDIA** *** **Agenda** * 18:00 - Doors + drinks + pizza * 18:30 - Welcome * 18:35 - Talks + Q&A * 20:00 - Drinks + networking * 21:00 - Close *** **About the speakers** **[Tobie Morgan Hitchcock](https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobiemorganhitchcock/) (CEO & Co-Founder, SurrealDB)** Tobie Morgan Hitchcock is CEO & Co-Founder of SurrealDB, an AI-native, multi-model database for modern applications. A tech entrepreneur and software engineer with 17 years in the software and cloud-computing industries, he founded SurrealDB in 2021 with a focus on distributed databases and highly-available architectures. **[Martin Schaer](https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinschaer/) (Solutions Engineer, SurrealDB)** Martin is a computer science engineer working at SurrealDB and his own GenAI startup. He recently worked in lab automation designing declarative frameworks for instrument drivers, and his background spans everything from 3D visualisation for robotic systems to founding an advertising agency in Costa Rica. **[Ziv Ilan](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ziv-ilan-nvidia/) — Super AI team, NVIDIA** Ziv Ilan is a solution architect at NVIDIA, focusing on LLM evaluation, optimization, and deployment. He joined from deci.ai (acquired by NVIDIA), where he worked on neural architecture search and model compression techniques for generative AI and computer vision models. Ziv holds an electrical and electronics engineering B.Sc. from Tel-Aviv University and an M.B.A. from HEC Paris. He uses his technical and business expertise to drive AI solutions development and deployment.

Ever grappled with a loop of endless thoughts? You’re not alone. Struggling to switch off your thoughts? This talk might help. Join us on Thursday 11 June, 6:30pm – 8:00pm at the Savoy Place in London for insights on how to find calm in a busy mind, and move from overthinking to a clearer way of thinking. Overcoming Overthinking will be led by Sister Jayanti, a global speaker and one of the most respected meditators, with 60 years of practice. Known for her warmth and clarity, she is a sought-after voice on leadership and wellbeing. This event is part of a 9 Cities UK tour - all events are free of charge. **This event is now FULLY BOOKED.** **This is a free in-person meditation.** **If you would like to make a voluntary donation, please click** [here.](https://www.innerspace.org.uk/donations/ "https://www.innerspace.org.uk/donations/") \* I consent to my submitted data being collected and stored. We will process your personal data in line with the GDPR requirements and always store it securely and use it only for the purpose for which it has been collected. We will not pass on your details to any third parties without your consent.

Join us on June 11th from **6:00pm** for a Data Streaming meetup hosted by **Moniepoint!** **PLEASE bring your PHOTO ID and REGISTER with your First and Last Name. For security purpose** 🗓 **Agenda:** * 6:00pm – 6:30pm: Food/Drinks and Networking * 6:30pm - 7:15pm: Tom Scott, CEO, Streambased * 7:15pm - 8:00pm: *Abraham Imohiosen,* Engineering Manager * 8:00pm - 8:30pm: Q&A Networking. 💡**Speaker One:** Tom Scott, CEO, Streambased **Title of Talk:** Infinite Kafka? Rethinking Retention with Iceberg **Abstract:** Apache Kafka is designed for high-throughput, low-latency event streaming, not cost-efficient long-term storage. Yet we constantly see cases like event sourcing, audit/compliance, and large-scale reprocessing forcing that pattern onto it. As retention increases, costs grow linearly to support edge cases, one-time runs, and “checkbox” use cases. Can Iceberg help here? In this talk, Tom explores a hybrid architecture that separates hot and cold data while preserving Kafka’s log semantics. Using a combination of Kafka and Apache Iceberg, he demonstrates how to extend Kafka into low-cost object storage, enabling effectively unlimited retention without sacrificing performance or access patterns. The result is a unified log that supports both real-time processing and long-term replay, removing the traditional trade-off between cost and capability in Kafka-based systems. **Bio:** Long-time enthusiast of Kafka and all things data integration, Tom has more than 15 years of experience in innovative and efficient ways to store, query, and move data. Tom is currently CEO at Streambased, a company focused on unifying operational and analytical data estates into a single, consistent, and efficient data layer. 💡**Speaker Two:** Abraham Imohiosen, Engineering Manager, Fraud Prevention Tools. **Title of Talk:** From CDC to Decision: Kafka as the Fraud Detection Pipeline's Connective Tissue **Abstract:** Fraud detection isn't one system — it's a system of moving parts (databases, feature stores, rule engines, ML models, case management tools) that all need to agree on what just happened, in milliseconds. Kafka sits in the middle of it, and treating it as "just the message bus" leaves a lot of value on the table. In this talk, I'll walk through three jobs Kafka does inside Moniepoint's fraud detection pipeline: moving events between services, powering real-time aggregations and windowed features, and acting as a CDC source that turns database changes into the canonical stream feeding a final aggregate store, as well as routing evaluated events into the case management system for final decisioning. **Bio:** *Abraham Imohiosen is an Engineering Manager at Moniepoint, where he leads the Fraud Prevention team in building case management systems and machine-learning detection models that protect millions of customers and billions in transaction volume. He has over 10 years of experience across fintech and cloud-based architectures, having previously led the delivery of Monieworld Transfers and a savings product. Abraham holds an M.Sc. in Robotic Systems Engineering from RWTH Aachen University.* \*\*\* If you are interested in hosting/speaking at a meetup, please email community@confluent.io

**C'est Plus Facile!** Venez pratiquer le français avec nous! Rejoignez notre rencontre conviviale pour échanger, progresser et partager dans une ambiance chaleureuse. Quel que soit votre niveau de français (sauf si vous êtes totalement débutant), tout le monde est le bienvenu. Apportez votre bonne humeur et l’envie de parler français! À bientôt

Let's meet at St James's Park tube station outside the ticket gates (come up to the exit on the side towards Scotland Yard from platform level), we'll walk over together. This talk sounds fascinating! I bet it's much more about history than just the provision of gas to the local area. I booked only four tickets, please pay me the attendance fee of £3 when we meet. It will go towards site costs. I would like to set off quickly from the tube station meeting point. I want to avoid us having to squeeze into single seats here and there.

*“One of the most stunning trick stories in the history of detective fiction…”.* For our next read, we will discuss one of the all-time great mystery novels: *The Poisoned Chocolates Case* **About the book:** * This classic story by Anthony Berkeley features multiple plausible solutions to the same mystery; a group of armchair detectives each propose a completely different explanation for the crime. * The book can be viewed as a meta-commentary on the mystery genre (but it's a lot more entertaining than that sounds). * The fictional "Crimes Circle" of armchair detectives in the book is based on real crime authors including Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers. **About the event:** * Location: The Mad Hatter Pub, 3-7 Stamford St, London SE1 9NY * Timing: Saturday 13th June from 3-5pm. * I'll have a sign on the table and a copy of the book so it should be easy to spot where we're meeting. * Our table is booked for six - please update your RSVP if you are unable to attend so that other people can join. * We have a WhatsApp group - totally optional but message me on Meetup if you want to join. Happy reading!

The foundational adventure story of Western literature and the quintessential hero's journey. Homer's Odyssey follows Odysseus, king of Ithaca, on his ten-year voyage home from the Trojan War — past Cyclopes, Sirens, vengeful gods and treacherous seas — while his wife Penelope holds off a houseful of suitors and his son Telemachus goes searching for him. We're reading the E.V. Rieu translation for Penguin Classics, which turned the poem into vivid, pacy English prose and has been a gateway to Homer for millions of readers since 1946. Timely with Christopher Nolan's film adaptation landing this July. Look forward to discussing at the Metronome.

Join us for a Q&A with **Fanny Chiarello**, writer, musician and author of *Basta Now: Women, Trans & Non-Binary in Experimental Music*. In this powerful and wide-ranging book, Chiarello gives voice to artists who have historically been marginalised within experimental and avant-garde music scenes, challenging dominant narratives and rethinking who gets heard. Chiarello will discuss the making of *Basta Now*, her approach to storytelling, and the political importance of documenting alternative musical histories. The event will explore experimental music as a site of resistance, collaboration and possibility, as well as the intersections of gender, creativity and cultural access. This Q&A offers an opportunity to reflect on listening practices, visibility, and the urgent need for more inclusive archives of sound and practice. Fanny Chiarello is the author of novels, poetry and children's literature, edited by numerous renowned French publishers. She notably wrote *A happy woman*, telling one month in New York with Meredith Monk. *Basta Now (Women, Trans and Non-Binary in Experimental Music)* is her first essay, and her first book in English; it has been released on Permanent Draft, a music label dedicated to finta\* artists that she cofounded with Valentina Magaletti. Her work around *Basta Now* also takes the form of a column in a French quarterly dedicated to avant-garde music, *Revue & Corrigée*, a show on LYL Radio ([https://lyl.live/show/basta-now](https://lyl.live/show/basta-now)) and an Instagram account, @basta_now, a daily rendez-vous with a finta\* musician. This event forms part of Raised Voices, a day‑long immersive celebration of storytelling beyond the page, exploring how stories come to life through music, zines, and audiobooks. For full listings, head to https://libraries.lewisham.gov.uk/events/category/raised-voices

Join authors Lloyd Bradley, Dan Hancox and Emma Warren for an in‑conversation panel exploring how music shaped their formative years and creative paths. Through stories and shared listening, they’ll reflect on music as a powerful tool for storytelling and self‑expression. Lloyd Bradley is one of the UK’s foremost black music experts and a seasoned cultural commentator both in print and in person. His book ***Bass Culture: When Reggae Was King*** (Penguin) remains the world’s best-selling book on Jamaican music and culture; the internationally acclaimed ***Sounds Like London: 100 Years of Black Music in the Capital*** (Serpents Tail) is the first and only to explore Britain’s modern black music as one continuous thread; he co-authored ***Ian Wright: A Life In Football*** (Little Brown), positioning the Arsenal legend firmly in context as a contemporary black icon. This year sees the publication of the third in his black music trilogy, ***Funk Is Its Own Reward*** (Little Brown) – American black music from 1968 to 1979 – which, as with its predecessors, reconnects the music to the culture that created it. Dan Hancox is a writer and editor from south London, interested in grassroots culture, radical politics, cities, crowds, riots, social history, food, gentrification and proper binmen, working mostly for The Guardian. He is co-host of the Cursed Objects podcast, and author of three books: ***The Village Against the World, Inner City Pressure*** and ***Multitudes*.** Emma Warren has been documenting grassroots music and culture for decades. Her latest book ***Up the Youth Club*** was published by Faber last year. She is also the author of ***Dance Your Way Home*** (Faber, 2023), which was a *Sunday Times* book of the week, a *Guardian* book of the year, and formed the basis of the Southbank Centre’s 2025 summer season. Other works include ***Steam Down: Or How Things Begin*** (Rough Trade Books, 2019), which was an *Irish Times* read of the year. ***Make Some Space*** and ***Document Your Culture*** were published on her own Sweet Machine imprint. The British-Irish dual national and south east Londoner worked as a journalist on magazines including The Face, and as a mentor at youth-run Brixton publication ***Live***. She currently runs a weekly writer’s programme at Woolwich Creative Club, a free after-school music project for 9-16 year olds. Her radio show on Worldwide FM ran for six years.

We love a good chat. Come and join us at Table 45

WAS GESCHIEHT, WENN ZWEI MENSCHEN EINEN TAG VERBRINGEN, ALS WÄRE ES IHR LETZTER? Ein Roadtrip voller Komik, Dramatik und unvorhersehbarer Abzweigungen von Deutschlands Bestsellerautor Nr. 1 Sebastian Fitzek - mit zwei skurrilen, ans Herz gehenden Hauptfiguren, die unterschiedlicher nicht sein könnten. Livius Reimer macht sich auf den Weg von München nach Berlin, um seine Ehe zu retten. Als sein Flug gestrichen wird, muss er sich den einzig noch verfügbaren Mietwagen mit einer jungen Frau teilen, um die er sonst einen großen Bogen gemacht hätte. Zu schräg, zu laut, zu ungewöhnlich - mit ihrer unkonventionellen Sicht auf die Welt überfordert Lea von Armin Livius von der ersten Sekunde an. Bereits kurz nach der Abfahrt lässt Livius sich auf ein ungewöhnliches Gedankenexperiment von Lea ein - und weiß nicht, dass damit nicht nur ihr Roadtrip einen völlig neuen Verlauf nimmt, sondern sein ganzes Leben! "Sebastian Fitzek ist in einem für ihn untypischen Literatur-Genre unterwegs - und macht dabei keine schlechte Figur. (...) Ein mit Leichtigkeit geschriebenes Werk voller Humor und Komik." Passauer Neue Presse "Spitzbübisch, ironisch und voll humoriger, aber tiefgründiger Dialoge." Belletristik-Couch(.)de

Do you have spare books lying around your home? Do you want to read new interesting books for free while socializing with interesting people? This is the event for you. We will enjoy nice drinks and snacks together at a beautiful lounge bar in London. You can bring your books and exchange them with whoever has the books you want to read. Since this is a Science and Philosophy book club, it would be great for you to bring non-fiction books that are insightful and thought-provoking. If you want to bring fiction books that are scientifically or philosophically insightful, feel free to bring those as well. Since it is a social event, I encourage everyone to make deep meaningful conversations and make new friends. You can come alone or bring your friends with you. If you come alone, there is no need to be shy or scared. I will welcome you and introduce you to cool interesting people to speak with. Also feel free to come even if you forget to bring any books.

Welcome, readers! Our June read is ***Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible*** ***Voyage*** **by Alfred Lansing.** A work of nonfiction, and one of the most astonishing survival stories in history, we follow Sir Ernest Shackleton and his crew after their ship is crushed by Antarctic ice. Stranded in one of the harshest environments on Earth, the men endure months of isolation, freezing temperatures, and near starvation—yet refuse to give up hope. Lansing brings their ordeal to life through vivid detail and firsthand accounts, capturing both the brutality of nature and the resilience of the human spirit. At its core, the story is a powerful testament to leadership, perseverance, and the unbreakable will to survive against impossible odds. 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 **all** **drinks must be purchased at the bar.** Happy reading! 📖

Welcome, readers! Our July read is ***A Short Walk Through a Wide World*** *by Douglas Westerbeke*. We'll follow a young woman bound by a mysterious condition that forces her to keep moving across the globe. As she journeys through vibrant cities, quiet landscapes, and centuries of time, each stop reveals new connections, fleeting relationships, and deeper questions about belonging. The novel blends adventure with introspection, exploring what it means to search for home when you can never stay in one place. It’s both a love letter to the vastness of the world and a poignant meditation on identity, memory, and human connection. 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 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

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.

**📚 Reading Club: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid – Free to Join** We're meeting up to share thoughts on our current read, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid in a casual and welcoming atmosphere, and the discussion tends to go in unexpected directions. Discussion flows wherever the group takes it — with the book as a launchpad for wherever things lead, and people who expected a quiet evening often end up talking the longest. No requirement to finish — come wherever you are in the book, and mark the parts that surprised you most, and bring your analysis — as the group's conversation is richer for having every viewpoint in the room. Anyone is welcome regardless of reading experience — and you will find the group easy to talk with from the start, bring your reactions and leave the rest to the discussion, and the group's warmth makes it genuinely easy to join in. --- **Good to bring:** - Any notes or passages you flagged while reading - A copy of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo to reference during discussion - An open mind and a willingness to debate **A quick overview:** - Everyone finds a seat and the discussion opens whenever the group is ready - The group digs into the book and the conversation goes wherever it leads - At some point toward the end the group votes on or suggests next month's read 💡 **Worth knowing:** note the moment you felt the strongest reaction whatever that was, since your strongest reaction is usually your most interesting contribution, and you will find that even a rough note is worth more than nothing. --- 🌻 The best reading is always shared reading — sign up and bring your reading experience however partial and you will leave with more than you came with. The conversation gets better with every reader in the room. 🌻

**📖 Literary Circle: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid · No Commitment Required** We're sitting down to analyse and talk through this month's pick — The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid in a relaxed and open group setting, and you rarely leave without a new perspective. Come having read whatever you managed, and note any characters or moments you want to unpack, and bring your reading notes — because unfiltered reactions tend to open up the most interesting threads. Newcomers are always made to feel at home — and you will find the group easy to talk with from the start, bring the book and a willingness to talk, and the discussion tends to do the heavy lifting. The session is loosely structured — with disagreement and debate genuinely encouraged, and every reading of the same book turns out to be a different book. ⭐ *"Left with a completely different view of the book — the host keeps things inclusive without making it feel managed"* – returning reader 💡 **Pre-session tip:** mark the page you most want to talk about, because it takes thirty seconds and pays off for the entire session, and everything after that is just conversation. --- ✨ Reading alone is one thing — reading together is another — RSVP and come ready to talk and you will leave with more than you came with. Your seat is waiting. ✨

**📜 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. ✨