2023 marks the fourth centennial of the publication of the ‘First Folio’, which was published in 1623, seven years after the death of William Shakespeare. This collection of 36 of Shakespeare's works brought together by two of his friends, John Heminges and Henry Condell under the full title of: Mr. VVilliam Shakespeares comedies, histories, & tragedies. […]
In La Divina Commedia, or The Divine Comedy, Dante Alighieri (Italy, 1265 - 1321) describes a journey he makes through the various departments of life after death. Over the course of 14,233 verses, he finds old friends and enemies, meets historical and mythological figures, and is shown around by his favourite writer, Virgil. And finally […]
Melville's Moby-Dick, or The Whale (1851) is an American as well as a universal epic, and a stylistic masterpiece. It is the tragic quest of the monomaniac Captain Ahab, who seeks revenge on the white whale that has bitten off his leg. The young narrator ('Call me Ishmael') embarks on the Pequod among a crew […]
Unfortunately, this year's Poetry International event at Mayflower Bookshop has been cancelled.
Hypocrisy and corruption unmasked On Sunday August 27th, Mayflower Bookshop's Great Books series will feature Nikolai Gogol's play ‘The Government Inspector’ (In Dutch: De Revisor) as the third lecture in this series. Gogol (1809-1852), a Russian writer of Ukrainian origin, is known for his ingenious and often absurdist work. To this day, ‘The Government Inspector’ […]
You are cordially invited to join us on September 1st at 8:00 PM at Mayflower Bookshop, Breestraat 70, for an extraordinary Mayflower Special: "Pink Books," marking the essence of the first Leiden Pride. We are thrilled to host the highly acclaimed author Splinter Chabot, renowned for his best-selling novel "Confettiregen" (Confetti Rain). Immerse yourself in […]
On Sunday September 24th, Coco Hoek will give the fourth lecture in Mayflower Bookshop’s Great Books series, featuring the famous novel Les Liaisons Dangereuses (In Dutch: Gevaarlijk spel met de liefde). Written by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos, this epistolary novel was originally published in four volumes from 1782 and celebrated for its exploration of seduction, revenge and malice. The […]
On Sunday, October 29th, germanist and performer Hans van der Veen will give a talk on Goethe’s famous epistolary novel Die Leiden des Jungen Werthers (The sufferings of young Werther). The novel, published in 1774, was Goethe’s first novel, and made Goethe almost overnight into one of the most famous authors. Young Werther, falls head […]
Enchanted by books: Don Quixote and Miguel de Cervantes On Sunday November 26, Ruud Hisgen, anglicist, literary scholar and writer, will conclude our Great Books series with a lecture on the Spanish classic ‘El ingenioso hidalgo don Quijote de la Mancha’ (The ingenious nobleman Don Quixote of La Mancha). This famous novel by Miguel de […]
Dinner for One, a classic on German television for over 40 years (but less well known in Britain) is a short sketch picturing Miss Sophie’s 90th birthday party, featuring her butler James in the roles of her four guests, who have all passed away… For the fourth time, this hilarious sketch will be performed in […]
Dinner for One, a classic on German television for over 40 years (but less well known in Britain) is a short sketch picturing Miss Sophie’s 90th birthday party, featuring her butler James in the roles of her four guests, who have all passed away… For the fourth time, this hilarious sketch will be performed in […]
On Thursday December 21st at 1930, Mayflower’s Freek Bouricius will continue Mayflower’s Christmas tradition with a reading of a slightly shortened version of Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol. This timeless Christmas story is the perfect preparation for your Christmas!