26 Jan
The Rag Trader
Want to discuss great books with like-minded friends in Dublin?
The Dublin chapter has been in place since 2017. We have about 6 core members 30 or so active members. Pre COVID we would have had lively meetings averaging about 25 ladies. Numbers dropped a lot during lockdown where we had zoom meetings. It was lovely being back in The Rag Trader sitting around the open fire, on comfy seats with cocktails in hand for the last few months. Great to see new faces each month
Grab your seat!What we are reading...
About the book
A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende
From the author of The House of the Spirits, this epic novel spanning decades and crossing continents follows two young people as they flee the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War in search of a place to call home.
In the late 1930s, civil war grips Spain. When General Franco and his Fascists succeed in overthrowing the government, hundreds of thousands are forced to flee in a treacherous journey over the mountains to the French border. Among them is Roser, a pregnant young widow, who finds her life intertwined with that of Victor Dalmau, an army doctor and the brother of her deceased love. In order to survive, the two must unite in a marriage neither of them desires.
Together with two thousand other refugees, they embark on the SS Winnipeg, a ship chartered by the poet Pablo Neruda, to Chile: “the long petal of sea and wine and snow.” As unlikely partners, they embrace exile as the rest of Europe erupts in world war. Starting over on a new continent, their trials are just beginning, and over the course of their lives, they will face trial after trial. But they will also find joy as they patiently await the day when they will be exiles no more. Through it all, their hope of returning to Spain keeps them going.
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The Gloss Membership
An olive branch to start a conversation.
The Gloss is so much more than a book club, we start the conversation around books – but it always leads to deeper more meaningful connection and provides the foundation for lifelong friendships. Join us and discover a wide variety of new books, new authors, new friends and enjoy a glass of wine all at the same time. We’re delighted to welcome you into The Gloss!
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