SEE INFO IN ENGLISH JUST BELOW!
Till nästa gång läser vi den fantastiska Alison Bechdels senaste serieroman The secret to superhuman strength! Vi läser alltså på engelska igen och kommer även hålla träffen på engelska om det finns intresse för det.
Dear all, for our next book club meeting we will be reading the amazing Alison Bechdel´s graphic novel The secret to superhuman strength. This time will we read in English and the meeting will also be in English if there´s an interest for that.
ABOUT THE BOOK AND AUTHOR
The secret to superhuman strength - The Best Graphic Book of 2021 by Publishers Weekly, a New York Times Best Graphic Novel of 2021 and an Autostraddle Best Queer Book of the Year.
From the author of Fun Home, a profoundly affecting graphic memoir of Bechdel's lifelong love affair with exercise, set against a hilarious chronicle of fitness fads in our times
Comics and cultural superstar Alison Bechdel delivers a deeply layered story of her fascination, from childhood to adulthood, with every fitness craze to come down the pike: from Jack LaLanne in the 60s ("Outlandish jumpsuit! Cantaloupe-sized guns!") to the existential oddness of present-day spin class. Readers will see their athletic or semi-active pasts flash before their eyes through an ever-evolving panoply of running shoes, bicycles, skis, and sundry other gear. But the more Bechdel tries to improve herself, the more her self appears to be the thing in her way. She turns for enlightenment to Eastern philosophers and literary figures, including Beat writer Jack Kerouac, whose search for self-transcendence in the great outdoors appears in moving conversation with the author's own. This gifted artist and not-getting-any-younger exerciser comes to a soulful conclusion. The secret to superhuman strength lies not in six-pack abs, but in something much less clearly defined: facing her own non-transcendent but all-important acing her own non-transcendent but all-important interdependence with others.
BEFORE THE MEETING
Before the meeting, you are welcome to think about questions / interesting things that you thought about when reading to bring up for discussion. The idea is to explore lesbianism as a literary theme. Then, easy-going unpretentious book-talk will follow!
WHERE?
We will meet at Café Linne Hörnan (OBS! It is easy to get mixed up with Café Linné which is across the street, but it is at “Hörnan” that we will meet). There is a ramp for wheelchairs and the like, we want to make our events as accessible as possible, if you have any special needs or questions regarding availability just leave a message!
Whoever comes first takes a table and put up a post in the event so that we´ll find each other. If you can´t find us just write on the page, one of us will keep an eye on inbox!
FOR WHOM?
Anyone who identifies as a lesbian or is interested in lesbianism is very welcome! (You who identify yourself as, for example, queer or bi are of course welcome). As the book is available in English this time, we will also have the actual meeting in English.
ABOUT THE BOOK CLUB
The book club is arranged by Lesbiskt Rum Uppsala. The name Lesbisk Litterär Salong is a wink to the salons that were held by lesbians during the 20th century and were a place for conversation and exchange of thoughts. We meet about every sixth week and read a book with a lesbian theme. The next book is always decided at the end of each meeting by the participants, but if you can´t come and want to suggest a book, just leave a suggestion on the page!
Lesbiskt Rum Uppsala is part of Lesbisk * Makt. Read more about who we are at: https://lesbiskmakt.nu/
As a member of Lesbian Makt, you can be active in arranging events and meeting places by joining one of the local branches or starting up a new local group. It is also possible to just attend events, or simply just want to support us through your membership. The membership fee is only 20-100 SEK / year.
* Anyone who is a lesbian or is interested in lesbianism and who identifies as a woman, non-binary and / or has trans experience may become a member and is welcome to the meetings and activities.