A evening with Jan van Mersbergen and John Walsh.

Saturday, 11th June 2011 at 7.30pm
Peirene Premises, 17 Chevertorn Road, London N19 3BB

From left to right: John Walsh, Meike Ziervogel, Jan van Mersbergen

"A combination of fringe theatre, psychiatrist's couch, conversazione society and flirtation parlour, the Peirene salon is unlike any other literary gathering. It was intellectually stimulating but full of laughter, argumentative but friendly, seriously focussed on the Novel but without forgetting the Wine. And Meike Ziervogel -- gracious, beautiful and just slightly wicked -- is the best salonniere since Madame Geoffrin in 18th century Paris."  John Walsh

"I had an lovely evening at Cheverton Road. John Walsh is smart and has a good feeling for literature. To have a good boxingfight you need two equal opponents, and I think John and I were a good match. But it wasn't a fight; it was a nice and intelligent conversation, also thanks to the audience which had great concentration, asked smart questions and were ready for a laugh once and a while. That symbiosis of seriousness and laughter really suits me, and in a way tells who I am. I think thats the point of traveling all the way to London. The book tells its story, I can tell mine..." Jan van Mersbergen

The Salon was attended by (in alphabetical order): Betty Armstrong-Roser, Roelof Bakker (photographer), Marina Bradbury & guest, Madelaine Burbridge & 3 guests, Howard Curtis (translator), Jill Foulston (editor), Vivien Geddes & guest, Dagmar Gleditzsch (scout) & guest, David Gilott, Ana Gordon & guest, Andy Hine (Foreign Right Director, Little Brown) & guest, Anna Koch (writer, BBC) & guest, Hanja Konchandski (writer), Susan Lynch (writer) & guest, Kate Pickard & guest, Lucy Popescu (reviewer, writer), Simon Rowley, Claire Samson & 4 guests, Jamie Searle (translator), Sebenem Senyener (writer), Irene and Peter Snook, Julia Steward (author), Hub Stockmann, Elisabeth Russell Taylor (writer), James Tennent (Dalkey Archive Press), Shelley Weiner (writer) & guest, Ronny Zuckermann

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Please join us for the launch of Peirene’s fifth title, Tomorrow Pamplona. I am delighted to welcome the author, Jan van Mersbergen who will be in conversation with John Walsh from The Independent. 

Jan van Mersbergen stands at the forefront of new Dutch writing. He has published five novels. His concise and tense style has earned him critical acclaim and a wide readership. Tomorrow Pamplona is his first translation into English.

John Walsh writes two weekly columns for The Independent, Tales of the City and BTW. Has been editor of The Independent Magazine, literary editor of The Sunday Times and features editor of the London Evening Standard.
  

Please book early by phoning 0207 6861941 or email: meike.ziervogel@peirenepress.com.

We request an £10/ per person donation towards the artist' fees. Dinner & drinks will be served after the reading.

The Peirene Salons are now sponsored by The Wine Society. Thanks to them, our invitees will enjoy wonderful European wine.

Special thanks to the Dutch Foundation for Literature who are funding Jan's travel.

• Tomorrow Pamplona
• John Walsh in The Independent
• Salon Invitation