About
Welcome to SOAS Alumni Book Club previously known as BOOK and TALK: FIRST SOAS ALUMNI BOOK CLUB.
The SOAS ALUMNI BOOK CLUB was born out of the idea to continue some form of group discussion after graduation, out of a love for books, all kinds of books, history, fiction, philosophy, politics, art, biographies and so forth, and what books and conversations could do. Through reading and conversations, the aim is to create a fun and informative space and connect with each other through books which can propel a variety of ideas. Let's continue the conversation!
Check out this site for news on our gatherings and some pictures and book related information.
Come join us and let's talk about books!
@noursalehs @soasalumni
History of the SOAS ALUMNI BOOK CLUB / Book and Talk: First Soas Alumni Book Club
In 2013, the idea of the SOAS ALUMNI BOOK CLUB came to Nour Saleh after finishing her studies, to keep the conversation going from the class debates after graduation, and engage an atmosphere of dialogue, perspective and empathy through the help of books. Shortly after she spoke to Gulus Egilmez about joining for the Book Club, then with Pierre Pagezy, all together, Book and Talk was born online, and with the SOAS Alumni Team, Book and Talk First SOAS Alumni Book Club took flight.
Since our first book club meet up in 2015, we are now known as SOAS ALUMNI BOOK CLUB. Gulus Egilmez and Pierre Pagezy, friends forever of SOAS ALUMNI BOOK CLUB and who were there from the start, having travelled abroad and back, are currently engaged on other ventures. Nour Saleh continues to head up the SOAS Alumni Book Club, as we continue the conversation with the aim to dive into books and see through pages, through words, through discussions an array of topics, themes, a way to connect and a possibility to bring about ideas, we hope that this site's history will keep on growing and that we keep on having interesting talks together.
Let's keep the conversation going and connect through books!
Welcome to SOAS Alumni Book Club previously known as BOOK and TALK: FIRST SOAS ALUMNI BOOK CLUB.
The SOAS ALUMNI BOOK CLUB was born out of the idea to continue some form of group discussion after graduation, out of a love for books, all kinds of books, history, fiction, philosophy, politics, art, biographies and so forth, and what books and conversations could do. Through reading and conversations, the aim is to create a fun and informative space and connect with each other through books which can propel a variety of ideas. Let's continue the conversation!
Check out this site for news on our gatherings and some pictures and book related information.
Come join us and let's talk about books!
@noursalehs @soasalumni
History of the SOAS ALUMNI BOOK CLUB / Book and Talk: First Soas Alumni Book Club
In 2013, the idea of the SOAS ALUMNI BOOK CLUB came to Nour Saleh after finishing her studies, to keep the conversation going from the class debates after graduation, and engage an atmosphere of dialogue, perspective and empathy through the help of books. Shortly after she spoke to Gulus Egilmez about joining for the Book Club, then with Pierre Pagezy, all together, Book and Talk was born online, and with the SOAS Alumni Team, Book and Talk First SOAS Alumni Book Club took flight.
Since our first book club meet up in 2015, we are now known as SOAS ALUMNI BOOK CLUB. Gulus Egilmez and Pierre Pagezy, friends forever of SOAS ALUMNI BOOK CLUB and who were there from the start, having travelled abroad and back, are currently engaged on other ventures. Nour Saleh continues to head up the SOAS Alumni Book Club, as we continue the conversation with the aim to dive into books and see through pages, through words, through discussions an array of topics, themes, a way to connect and a possibility to bring about ideas, we hope that this site's history will keep on growing and that we keep on having interesting talks together.
Let's keep the conversation going and connect through books!
About us.....
Favourite book?
Not sure if it is my all time favourite, but 'Les Mains Sales' (Dirty Hands) by Jean Paul Sartre left an impact. Why? When i first read it at school, i was shocked to read about the complexities there may be around loyalty, principles and beliefs. I thought loyalty was a given, so to read that it wasn't, was startling-it still is to be honest. Favourite place to read a book? I would love to say in a cafe, but there, i usually end up more looking at the book rather than actually reading it! So my favourite place would be at home on the sofa with a coffee. What does Book & Talk mean to you? Not wanting all these great discussions we were having to stop after graduation, i thought that an alumni book club could keep the conversation going. Book & Talk SOAS Alumni Book Club does that. Books are a great way to start conversations on different ideas and topics that need to be discussed. Book Clubs bring people together and hopefully through different opinions and perspectives bring about empathy. Any significant quote that you would like to share? I can't pick and for now these two quotes, but it might change! “Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth.” Meditations, Marcus Aurelius “You must have chaos within you to give birth to a dancing star.” Friedrich Nietzsche. |
Favourite book?
Metamorphosis- Franz Kafka
What has that book meant to you?
Reading Metamorphosis is essentially staring into existential art. Yes it's absurd, but awakening one morning transformed into a huge bug is not far off from awakening one morning to find you no longer identify with your surroundings. The feelings of isolation and strangeness are very familiar, and so are people's (family and friends) attempts to maintain the status quo in terms of your identity, gender positioning, thoughts, and beliefs.
Favourite place to read a book?
In a bookstore. Not telling you why though.
What does Book & Talk mean to you?
Some books just need to be discussed and ideas need to be shared. Book and Talk is a place to do this over cakes and err alcohol. (sometimes!)
Do you have a significant quote from a book you'd like to share?
Yeah, from Of Mice and Men;
"As happens sometimes, a moment settled and hovered and remained for much more than a moment. And sound stopped and movement stopped for much, much more than a moment."
Metamorphosis- Franz Kafka
What has that book meant to you?
Reading Metamorphosis is essentially staring into existential art. Yes it's absurd, but awakening one morning transformed into a huge bug is not far off from awakening one morning to find you no longer identify with your surroundings. The feelings of isolation and strangeness are very familiar, and so are people's (family and friends) attempts to maintain the status quo in terms of your identity, gender positioning, thoughts, and beliefs.
Favourite place to read a book?
In a bookstore. Not telling you why though.
What does Book & Talk mean to you?
Some books just need to be discussed and ideas need to be shared. Book and Talk is a place to do this over cakes and err alcohol. (sometimes!)
Do you have a significant quote from a book you'd like to share?
Yeah, from Of Mice and Men;
"As happens sometimes, a moment settled and hovered and remained for much more than a moment. And sound stopped and movement stopped for much, much more than a moment."
Favourite book?
The Magic Skin, Balzac What has that book meant to you? We should realise the value of what we have Favourite place to read a book? On trains or planes What does Book & Talk mean to you? An ideal place to discuss, an occasion to better understand what we read, a second family. Do you have a signifiant quote from a book you'd like to share? "the friend that we have lost do not repose in the bosom of the earth, but are buried deep in our hearts, and it has been thus ordained that we may always be accompanied by them" The Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas |