Events

Join us for a relaxed afternoon of reading, talking, drinking, eating and maybe even some alfresco writing. So pack your picnic basket (or Albert Heijn bag) and come on over. And if you have a few books you're ready to let go of, throw those in too—we'll find them a new home. Don't know anyone? Don't be shy. To find us, just look for lots of books and our mascot, Clementine (a medium-sized orange dog who looks a bit like a fox). If the weather gods smile upon us, you can check in here on the day for a better idea of our exact location on the green (it's not that big). And if the weather is looking dubious, any changes of plan.

Rebecca O’Connor, Irish poet, novelist and literary magazine editor, will be giving a special master class for us on Sunday, 13 October from 17:00 – 18:30 at Boekhandel van Rossum, Beethovenstraat 32, 1077 JH Amsterdam. Reception with wine and cheese to follow.

Note: autumn 2019 course members, you can use your member's discount code to receive 25% off—you will have received an email with your code upon registration.

O'Connor's debut novel He Is Mine and I Have No Other, which was published in 2018 by Canongate, has been called "An evocative, atmospheric and thought-provoking read" (Sunday Independent), "Quite brilliant" (Irish Examiner), and "A heady dive into the vulnerability, passion and recklessness of youth" (Sydney Morning Herald). Her poetry collection We’ll Sing Blackbird was shortlisted for the Irish Times Shine Strong Award and she is the recipient of a Geoffrey Dearmer Prize (Poetry Review) and a New Writing Ventures Poetry Award (chaired by Andrew Motion).

With her husband Will Govan, O'Connor founded and directs the acclaimed literary magazine The Moth—offshoots of which include The Caterpillar (a magazine for kids), The Moth Short Story Prize and the €10,000 Moth Poetry Prize.

In conversation with our director Sarah Carriger, O'Connor will discussing technique in her novel, her process and her work as editor of The Moth. We’ll also be speaking more generally about the writing and publishing. There will be plenty of room for your questions.

We hope you can join us for the class and stay afterwards to get your book signed and mingle with other writers over drinks & bites. And to keep the inspiration going, we’ll send you an exercise based on the novel.

To get the most out of the class we recommend you read the novel in advance. You can purchase at Boekhandel van Rossum or major book retailers.