Confessions of a Dutch Reading Club

In a small Dutch town, an all male reading club invite Father Antonius to speak at their tenth anniversary celebration. Father Antonius has written an autobiography based on his secret diaries and the life he describes is far from being a life of devotion. While his controversial book upsets the church, it intrigues the reading public. Before agreeing to speak at the Dutch reading club, Antonius sets a task for the men, he asks them to write in private journals before collating their stories into an Anniversary book to be shared with the group. The men struggle to get started, finding the exploration of their inner worlds a challenge. Gradually they give themselves over to the task, revealing long hidden pain, desires, fears and hopes. The final pieces, to be drawn together in the group's Anniversary book, reveal countless secrets, which will change the group forever. 'Confessions of a Dutch Reading Club' is a pertinent examination of the male psyche. Each member of the reading group, as carefully constructed by Patricia Van Stratum, reflects issues deeply relevant today, from the lasting influence of a seminary education, to child abuse within the catholic church, to headline grabbing topics like alcohol abuse. This is a book to entertain and provoke, and one in which we meet memorable, yet familiar, characters.