Grief can be complicated and is often impossible to put into words. In our new English-language book club we’ll be looking at writers and characters’ experiences of love, loss, and remembrance.
Through fiction and non-fiction, classic and contemporary works we‘ll be looking at how stories can help us make sense of grief and remind us that loss is a universal experience. Join us for gentle conversation and reflection in a space to inspire and connect. Hosted by Hamburg-based writer and celebrant Louise Brown.
Before each meeting, we’ll announce the book so everyone has time to read it. When we meet, we’ll share thoughts, favourite passages and personal reflections. You don’t have to be a literary expert to take part. This book club is not academic and more about sharing thoughts, listening to others, and discovering new perspectives. Each session is a space for conversation, reflection and connection.
The book club will take place four times a year on Saturday, 14 –15:30. This is not a closed group, you can register before each session.
In our next edition of Reading Grief, April 25th, we will be reading „The Wedding People“ by Alison Espach, a story about a woman with nothing left to lose, a chaotic wedding and unexpected connections. What might seem like a light beach read at first actually explores deeper themes such as grief, depression, and loss. Through characters like Phoebe, who mourns the end of her marriage and her hope of having biological children, Gary, who grieves his wife, and Lila, who mourns her father, the novel offers different perspectives on the grieving process. Balancing heavier topics with warmth and humor, The Wedding People is ultimately a story about coping with loss, forming new connections, and rediscovering meaning in life – even in the darkest moments.
Dates of the book club
- February 21, 2026: Grief Is the Thing with Feathers, Max Porter
- April 25, 2026: The Wedding People, Alison Espach
- September 19, 2026
Space is limited, do not forget to register!
Louise Brown
was born in London in 1975 and moved with her family to northern Germany as a teenager. She studied political science Berlin. Louise is a journalist and also works as a funeral speaker in Hamburg. She is the author of several books, including the bestselling „Was bleibt, wenn wir sterben“ (Diogenes) and her latest book „Zuversicht. Von den kleinen Wundern des Lebens.“
