WICE upcoming events

LO301 Booker Books: The End of Everything, by M. John Harrison (30 Oct 2026)

Fri, 30 Oct 2026 14:00:00 GMT

M. John Harrison’s The End of Everything is a darkly comic and unsettling post-apocalyptic novel centered on Phillip Tennent, who survives by collecting strange objects washed ashore from the English Channel. In a world altered by an unexplained catastrophe—where governments have weakened, the natural world has changed, and familiar geographies seem uncertain—Phillip discovers a mysterious, shape-shifting object he cannot simply leave behind. What follows is both an adventure and a meditation on uncertainty, perception, and the limits of what human beings can understand.

The Booker Book group reads and discusses—in English—books that have either received, or been on the short list for, the Booker Prize.

Two spaces are reserved for new WICE members. If no new WICE members have registered five days prior to the meeting, those two spaces will become available to the general WICE membership.

Registration for the October meeting opens on Saturday, 26 September.

LN061 Murder, They Read: Better the Blood (06 Nov 2026)

Fri, 06 Nov 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Better the Blood -- Michael Bennett, New Zealand.

Per amazon.com: An absorbing, clever debut thriller that speaks to the longstanding injustices faced by New Zealand’s indigenous peoples, by an acclaimed Māori screenwriter and director. Kirkus Reviews characterises the book as "a striking debut and a significant addition to Indigenous literature."

https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/michael-bennett/better-the-blood/

Availability: amazon.com in several formats; orderable from Shakespeare and Co, Momox

Registration opens on Saturday, 03 October.

LN091 The New Yorker: Short Stories (09 Nov 2026)

Mon, 09 Nov 2026 14:00:00 GMT

WICE’s “New Yorker Short Story Group” is for anyone interested in reading short stories and novellas written by some of today’s very best emerging and established authors. Each monthly discussion will focus on 2 stories recently published in the New Yorker. Selections will be announced at the beginning of the month of the next scheduled meeting.

Stories for Monday, 9 November will be announced on or about 1 November.

Registration opens on Tuesday, 13 October.

LN101 The Karla Trilogy: the World of John Le Carré (10 Nov 2026)

Tue, 10 Nov 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Book 3. Smiley's People

In this age of new technologies and old treaties being revised, it's interesting to read and review John Le Carré's vision of the world (The Soviet Union vs the West and China was still dormant). So many of the terms we use today come from his own private lexicon. We all know what a Mole is! Join us for a read or a re-read and a look at the world today as he predicted it back then.

And if we get a chance, we will read his son’s, Nick Harkaway's, book Karla's Choice, the prequel to Tinker, Tailor.

Over the course of four monthly meetings, we’ll examine clever plots, surprising twists, and the social worlds that shaped these beloved stories. Whether you’re new to classic detective fiction or already a fan, this group offers a warm and lively space to enjoy and discuss these timeless whodunits.

Two spaces are reserved for new WICE members. If no new WICE members have registered by five days before the group meets, those two spaces will become available to the general WICE membership.

Registration opens on Wednesday, 13 October.

Black Expatriate Writers/artist in Paris (11 Nov 2026)

Wed, 11 Nov 2026 13:00:00 GMT

During the early to middle part of the twentieth century, many African American artists left the United States for France, and specifically Paris. They arrived, in many ways, as refugees and exiles, escaping the racial violence in the United States. Some came with rose-colored glasses, seeing France's motto of Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité as a welcome sign, and in fact, they did experience—some, certainly more than in the US—liberty, equality, and fraternity. Artists such as Josephine Baker experienced this, and in fact, she became, in 2021, the first Black woman and first American-born individual to be enshrined in the Panthéon. However, many, such as William Gardner Smith and James Baldwin, also saw the inequalities in France, notably the disparate treatment they received as "civilized" African Americans in relation to the mistreatment of individuals from France's colonies such as Algeria and Senegal.

This book club, which will take place over three meetings this fall, will explore the ways that the writers mentioned above experienced France and what they learned from their experiences in Paris and beyond. The book club will consist of short walking tours, a brief introduction by Matthew Teutsch for each text, and discussion at places to be determined. We will read the following, in this order.

William Gardner Smith The Stone Face (September 15—2 pm in front of Les Editeurs)

James Baldwin No Name in the Street (October 15—3 pm Top floor in Les Editeurs)

Josephine Baker Fearless and Free: A Memoir (November 11—2 pm; location to be determined)

Book 3: Fearless and Free — Josephine Baker

Josephine Baker’s Fearless and Free presents the celebrated performer and activist in her own words, drawing on conversations conducted over many years with the French journalist Marcel Sauvage. Baker recounts her rise from poverty in Missouri to international fame in 1920s Paris, where her performances made her one of the most recognizable figures of her generation. The memoir also traces her work for the French Resistance, her military honors, and her later involvement in the American civil rights movement, offering a vivid portrait of a life shaped by performance, celebrity, political commitment, and a determination to challenge racial barriers.

Registration will open the day after the previous meeting.

LN131 The Long View: To Be Determined (13 Nov 2026)

Fri, 13 Nov 2026 14:00:00 GMT

"The Long View: Our Human Odyssey" is a nonfiction book group that will consider books that are oriented towards helping us understand what we—as humans—are, how we arrived here in evolutionary terms (physical, cultural, etc.), and our place in the world.

To date we have read and discussed:

"A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived: The Stories in Our Genes,"" by Adam Rutherford.
Salt: A World History" — Mark Kurlansky
"Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" — Yuval Noah Harari

Some of the other titles we are considering for future sessions are:

"Guns, Germs, and Steel" — Jared Diamond
"The Dawn of Everything" — David Graeber and David Wengrow
"The Righteous Mind" — Jonathan Haidt
"Catching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human" — Richard Wrangham

Because these books tend to be longer than the books that are read and discussed in our monthly fiction book groups, we meet approximately every 8 - 10 weeks.

LN191 Living Room Players: "The Skin of Our Teeth" by Thornton Wilder (19 Nov 2026)

Thu, 19 Nov 2026 13:00:00 GMT

The Skin of Our Teeth — Thornton Wilder

Thornton Wilder’s Pulitzer Prize-winning The Skin of Our Teeth is an unconventional three-part comedy-drama centered on the Antrobus family of Excelsior, New Jersey, who repeatedly struggle to survive disasters that threaten humanity itself. Moving freely across historical periods and deliberately breaking theatrical conventions, the play turns one seemingly ordinary American family into an allegory for the endurance of humankind. At once comic and philosophical, it explores catastrophe, resilience, family conflict, and humanity’s persistent capacity to begin again.

Please find here a text of the play: skin-of-our-teeth pdf.pdf

The readings take place at a member's apartment in the 15th. The address, door code, and phone number are sent in the 7-day and 1-day reminder emails.

Two spaces are reserved for new WICE members. If no new WICE members have registered seven days before the event, those two spaces will become available to the general WICE membership.

Registration for the November reading opens on Friday, 16 October.

BS173 French History Book Club (19 Nov 2026)

Thu, 19 Nov 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Discovering the History of France: The Queens of the Valois Period
As we make our home in France, it is both enriching and worthwhile to deepen our
understanding of the country’s fascinating history. This year, we have begun our
exploration of the roles and influence of the queens of France during the Valois period.
At our last meeting, we explored the story of Anne of Brittany, who became Duchess
at just 11 years old. We followed her determined struggle to preserve Brittany’s independence in the face of growing pressure from the French Crown and discovered how her ambitions were ultimately thwarted. Her marriage to Charles VIII brought
Brittany under French control, marking a pivotal moment in the duchy’s history.

In November, we continue this fascinating story! We will explore the repudiation of Jeanne de France, Anne of Brittany’s second marriage to the new monarch, Louis XII, and her return to the role of Queen of France.

Our next discussion on November 19 th at 3-5pm will cover Chapters 3 and 4 of Simone Bertière's Le Beau XVIe siècle .

Whether you have been following our journey from the beginning or are thinking of joining us for the first time, you are warmly welcome. There are always fresh perspectives to share and fascinating stories to bring the past to life. We look forward to learning together and welcoming new members to our discussions!

La lecture et les discussions se dérouleront en français, ce qui vous permettra de vous plonger dans le texte tout en pratiquant et en appréciant la conversation en français.

Pour toute question, veuillez contacter Mary-Jo Reef: maryjo@wice-paris.org.

We'll meet in person at Le Nelson's Café, 16 rue Coquillière, 75001

Métro : Lignes 1/4/7/11/14
RER A/B/D Châtelet Les Halles
Bus : 74, 85 : Louvre – Etienne Marcel / Bourse du commerce

About the leader: Mary-Jo Reef is a retired professor of Sociology from a U.S. University. She has been an active WICE member for the past 16 years and has called Paris home for nearly 10 years, during which time she led the French-English conversation groups twice a week for five years. "My longstanding interest in French history continues to enrich my life in Paris and deepen my appreciation of French culture and society."

LN201 Café Littéraire: ""No Exit," by Jean-Paul Sartre (20 Nov 2026)

Fri, 20 Nov 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Jean-Paul Sartre’s No Exit is a classic existentialist play in which three recently deceased strangers find themselves confined together in a room for eternity. There are no conventional instruments of torture; instead, their punishment consists of their relentless exposure to one another’s judgments, desires, and manipulations. The play gives us Sartre’s famous line, “Hell is other people,” dramatizing his philosophical concern with how the gaze of others can imprison us in identities we cannot fully control.

The book group meets at the organizer's apartment. The directions, door code, telephone number, etc., are sent in the 7-day and 1-day reminder emails, following registration.

Two spaces are reserved for new WICE members. If no new WICE members have registered by five days prior to the meeting, those two spaces will become available to the general WICE membership.

Registration for the November meeting opens on Saturday, 17 October.

LN271 Booker Books: The Things We Never Say, by Elizabeth Strout (27 Nov 2026)

Fri, 27 Nov 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Elizabeth Strout’s The Things We Never Say follows Artie Dam, a high-school history teacher whose outwardly stable life conceals a profound sense of estrangement from the people and world around him. When he discovers a long-hidden secret, the assumptions on which he has built his life begin to shift, forcing him to reconsider his marriage, his relationships, and his understanding of himself. With Strout’s characteristic attentiveness to ordinary lives, the novel explores loneliness, intimacy, secrecy, and the fragile bonds that connect us to one another. Ellen Bryson will be the guest leader for this discussion.

The Booker Book group reads and discusses—in English—books that have either received, or been on the short list for, the Booker Prize.

Two spaces are reserved for new WICE members. If no new WICE members have registered five days prior to the meeting, those two spaces will become available to the general WICE membership.

Registration for the November meeting opens on Saturday, 24 October.

LD041 Murder, They Read: Razorblade Tears (04 Dec 2026)

Fri, 04 Dec 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Razorblade Tears -- SA Cosby, Southeastern USA. I found this title to be absorbing and a fast read. Set in the Southeastern USA. Made a number of recommended reading lists, including Barack Obama's summer reading list. From Kirkus Reviews: "Violence and love go hand in hand in this...lean, mean crime story about 2 bereaved fathers getting their hands bloody."

https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/s-cosby/razorblade-tears/

Availability: American Library in Paris, Momox (physical), orderable from Shakespeare & Co, Smith&Son, amazon.com

Registration opens on Saturday, 07 November.

LD081 The Karla Trilogy: the World of John Le Carré (08 Dec 2026)

Tue, 08 Dec 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Book 4. TBD

And if we get a chance, we will read his son’s, Nick Harkaway's, book Karla's Choice, the prequel to Tinker, Tailor.

Two spaces are reserved for new WICE members. If no new WICE members have registered by five days before the group meets, those two spaces will become available to the general WICE membership.

Registration opens on Wednesday, 11 November.

LD141 The New Yorker: Short Stories (14 Dec 2026)

Mon, 14 Dec 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Stories for Monday, 14 December will be announced on or about 1 December.

Registration opens on Tuesday, 10 November.

BS173 French History Book Club (14 Dec 2026)

Mon, 14 Dec 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Our next discussion on November 19 th at 3-5pm will cover Chapters 3 and 4 of Simone Bertière's Le Beau XVIe siècle .

La lecture et les discussions se dérouleront en français, ce qui vous permettra de vous plonger dans le texte tout en pratiquant et en appréciant la conversation en français.

Pour toute question, veuillez contacter Mary-Jo Reef: maryjo@wice-paris.org.

We'll meet in person at Le Nelson's Café, 16 rue Coquillière, 75001

Métro : Lignes 1/4/7/11/14
RER A/B/D Châtelet Les Halles
Bus : 74, 85 : Louvre – Etienne Marcel / Bourse du commerce

LD171 Living Room Players: "The Odd Couple" by Neil Simon (17 Dec 2026)

Thu, 17 Dec 2026 13:00:00 GMT

The Odd Couple — Neil Simon

Neil Simon’s The Odd Couple is a comedy about two recently separated men who become roommates despite being temperamentally incompatible. Felix Ungar is anxious, meticulous, and obsessively neat, while Oscar Madison is relaxed, untidy, and accustomed to living amid disorder. Their domestic clashes provide much of the play’s humor, but beneath the comedy is an affectionate exploration of friendship, loneliness, compromise, and the difficulty of learning to live with another person’s habits and vulnerabilities.

Please find here a text of the play: The Odd Couple.pdf

The readings take place at a member's apartment in the Marais. The address, door code, and phone number are sent in the 7-day and 1-day reminder emails.

Two spaces are reserved for new WICE members. If no new WICE members have registered seven days before the event, those two spaces will become available to the general WICE membership.

Registration for the December reading opens on Friday, 16 November.

LD181 Café Littéraire: To be determined (18 Dec 2026)

Fri, 18 Dec 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Title to be determined.

The book group meets at the organizer's apartment. The directions, door code, telephone number, etc., are sent in the 7-day and 1-day reminder emails, following registration.

Two spaces are reserved for new WICE members. If no new WICE members have registered by five days prior to the meeting, those two spaces will become available to the general WICE membership.

Registration for the November meeting opens on Saturday, 21 November.