Reading

**Agenda:** * 6:30 pm - 7:00 pm: Introduction and housekeeping * 7:00 pm - 8:15 pm: Book discussion * 8:15 pm - 8:30 pm: Next books

Dive into a meaningful **in-person discussion** at the Literature & Theology Reading Group's next meetup as we explore 'The Temptation of St Anthony' by Gustav Flaubert. Flaubert spent fifty years of his life working and reworking this story about the temptation of a 3rd century hermit. The final work incorporates great poetry, theology, philosophy and ethical meditation. **Each session is accompanied by a lecture** from Dr Aidan Cottrell-Boyce, exploring its spiritual and theological significance. Please make sure you have **[sign up for this session](https://londonjesuitcentre.churchsuite.com/events/k4csoldk)** on our online portal. If you cannot attend in person, you can also [join us online](https://londonjesuitcentre.churchsuite.com/events/da1b7zhk) on 24 June. All are welcome to be a part of this vibrant community dedicated to exploring the intersection of faith and literature!

Let's read Modern Standard Arabic together and help each other. This get-together continues weekly. Please disregard attendee numbers, as most members come without registering here. There is no charge for this time together.

**This event is supported by The Royal Institute of Philosophy’s [Local Partners Programme](https://royalinstitutephilosophy.org/news/fund-your-event/).** **N.B. this meeting will be held in person in the Prince of Wales pub near Covent Garden. There is also an online session held on Thursday if you are not in London or are not able to attend in-person.** Halfway through our thematic 'Quest' year, we are going back farther than we've ever been to one of the oldest surviving stories, one of the foundations of Western, and now global literature. Homer's Odyssey is the tale of Odysseus' homecoming to Ithaca after defeating the Trojans - his temptations, battles, failures and victories, all interwoven with his wife Penelope's resolve to fend off suitors, and his son Telemachus' search for news of his father. Expect discussions of duty, justice, temptation and different forms of power and leadership. The meeting starts at 7pm with drink breaks at 8 and 9. The discussion will end around 10pm, but leave whenever you need to. Here's the blurb from goodreads.com: If the *Iliad* is the world's greatest war epic, then the *Odyssey* is literature's grandest evocation of everyman's journey though life. Odysseus' reliance on his wit and wiliness for survival in his encounters with divine and natural forces, during his ten-year voyage home to Ithaca after the Trojan War, is at once a timeless human story and an individual test of moral endurance.

*“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.

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

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.

**📔 Books and Banter: The Secret History by Donna Tartt • All Readers Welcome** Come and join us to open up a conversation about this month's pick, The Secret History by Donna Tartt with people who just enjoy a good back-and-forth, and no two nights ever play out the same. Reading ahead is great but not required, and bring whatever section you're itching to discuss, and bring your scribbled notes — because what you clocked is exactly what someone else sailed past. Everything's fair game for debate — with the discussion built entirely from what people bring, and the energy tends to build as the evening goes on. Every night is a fine first night — and the group is an easy one to slot into, all you need is yourself and an opinion, and the night usually ends with people wanting to keep going. --- **What the session looks like:** - Arrive, grab a seat, and say hi if you're new — no icebreakers, just talk - Talk opens on a first question and flows on from there, no set agenda - Near the end there's a chance to pitch the next read **What helps:** - Your copy of the book, paper or screen - Bookmarks or sticky notes on your favourite bits - Curiosity and patience for other readings - Something warm to drink if the mood takes you ⭐ *"Honestly the best hour of my month — the takes were nothing like mine, and that was the whole point"* – regular 💡 **Before you come:** mark the passage you reckon the table will pounce on, since a single flagged scene beats a vague impression, and the group makes it easy from that first line on. --- 🗯️ Come for the book, stay for the discussion — join us and bring your read and the discussion takes it from there. The talk starts when you arrive. 🗯️

This month we’ll be reading Goddess of the River by Vaishnavi Patel. Feel free to come even if you don’t finish the book!

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.