What we’re about
Want to discuss literature with others but don't have time to commit to longer books? In this book club, we focus on short stories so that anybody can join in, even those who only have time to read on the tram! Here's how it works:
- Every week, we announce a selection of short stories in English (possibly translated) freely available online.
- Anybody who wants to participate reads the stories in advance on their own. The texts for any given week usually take an hour or two to read.
- We meet on Sunday to discuss the stories.
Our discussions don't follow a set agenda and are all based on what we happen to find interesting for any given story. The story choices are member-driven, so feel free to suggest anything that interests you!
Upcoming events (4)
See all- Child's play (?) featuring Julio Cortázar 🚸Språkcaféet, Göteborg
📚 About our sessions
Please read the stories listed below before attending. For every story we will start with summarizing the story so that we have it fresh in our minds. We will share our opinions about the story, which parts we liked and which we didn't like, and we will discuss any and all aspects of the story and the writing.📖 About this session
For this session, we will read and discuss two stories where Latin American short story 🐐 Julio Cortázar seemingly uses children and their point of view as metaphors to very human emotions. Coincidentally, both stories are eponymous for two of his most acclaimed short story publications. Those stories are:"End of the game" 🗽 - 1964 (ca 5000 words). Also available in Spanish here.
"Bestiary" 🐯 - 1951 (ca 6000 words). Also available in Spanish here.
After the discussion, feel free to stick around, socialize, and make new friends. ☕
- 👃🦵👀 Her body & other parties? American women throughout the yearsSpråkcaféet, Göteborg
📚 About our sessions
Please read the stories listed below before attending. For every story we will start with summarizing the story so that we have it fresh in our minds. We will share our opinions about the story, which parts we liked and which we didn't like, and we will discuss any and all aspects of the story and the writing.📖 About this session
This session is the story of a little experiment. The session aims to run through 125 years of history and go through different stories in different times about the relationship of American women and their bodies. The point is to see what has changed and what has remained in the message, despite the change in style and language.Have things changed after all this time? What were the old issues? What are the new issues? Are the same issues there after all that time? To discuss the previous questions and more, the four selected stories will be the core and the common thread for the discussion. All the stories in this sessions are worth to be told, but unfortunately, not all the stories worth to be told are part of this session.
For this session, please read the following stories:
👻🏘️😱 The Giant Wistaria - Charlotte Perkins Gilman (The Yellow Wallpaper and Other Stories, 1891) (3000 words)
🤢💔 Lady With a Lamp - Dorothy Parker (Big Blonde, 1931) (3000 words)
💇🤫🇰🇪 Nairobi - Joyce Carol Oates (High Lonesome: New and Selected Stories, 1983) (2500 words)
🍽️👨⚕️ Eight Bites - Carmen Maria Machado (Her Body & Other Parties, 2017) (6000 words)After the discussion, feel free to stick around, socialize, and make new friends. ☕
Session soundtrack and inspiration: 100 Years - Florence + The Machine and Hunger - Florence + The Machine
