American Chamber of Commerce in the Netherlands

The mission of the John Adams Institute is to provide a window onto the United States for Dutch audiences. The main way of carrying this out is by bringing notable Americans--novelists, politicians, historians, scientists, screenwriters, poets--to the Netherlands, and having them talk about their work and their insights.  

The John Adams Institute is pleased to present the following events:

Bret Easton Ellis - Imperial Bedrooms
Friday 17 September 2010 - 8pm
Location: Singelkerk, Singel 452 Amsterdam

Bret Easton Ellis became a celebrity novelist in 1985, at the age of 20, when Less Than Zero was published. Since then, his work has both built upon and mocked the themes that made him famous, including drug use, designer labels and generally amoral behavior.  In his new novel, he returns to the characters of his first book.  They are now in middle age, still living in Los Angeles.  Donna Tartt, in reviewing the new book, highlighted its eeriness: “the BlackBerry flashing on the nightstand in the middle of the night, everywhere the subliminal hum of menace.” 

In cooperation with Ambo Anthos publishers 

Richard Russo That Old Cape Magic
Monday 27 September 2010 - 8pm
Location: West-Indisch Huis, Herenmarkt 99 Amsterdam

Where Richard Russo’s recent novels Empire Falls and Bridge of Sighs were epic in scale, his eighth book, That Old Cape Magic is smaller: a warmly comic portrait of a man in midlife crisis. While suffering through his present-day anguish, the hero, Jack Griffin, is carrying the ashes of his father in the trunk of his car: literal baggage of his past. As the Washington Post said in its review, “Richard Russo has written a novel for people who are terrified of becoming their parents, which is to say for everybody.”  Join us for an evening with the maestro novelist of smalltown America. 

In cooperation with Signatuur publishers

Crossing Boundaries: TV, Movies and Books in the 21st Century
A new literature course presented by The John Adams Institute and De Rode Hoed

Television shows like The Sopranos and The Wire have taken the place of the serialized fiction that novelists like Charles Dickens used to write. Meanwhile, novelists today are often screenwriters as well, and in turn write books that are more cinematic. In this six-week course (taught in English), Dan Hassler-Forest of the University of Amsterdam will explore the way writers today are mixing art forms. The lectures and discussions will focus on individual authors and filmmakers, such as Bret Easton Ellis, Charlie Kaufman, Jane Campion, David Benioff, and David Cronenberg, whose work crosses boundaries between film, literature, and television. In addition, some of the authors discussed will feature at upcoming John Adams Institute events, to which students will have free entrance.

When: Thursday 9, 16, 23, 30 September 2010 and 7 and 14 October 2010
Time: 7.30pm – 9.00pm
Where: De Rode Hoed, Keizersgracht 102 Amsterdam

Including talks by Bret Easton Ellis, Michael Cunningham and others

Price: €200 per person

Please register before 1 September 2010 at info@john-adams.nl.

For more information or questions please contact Maarten van Essen at essen@john-adams.nl or 020-6247280.

SAVE THE DATE

21 October      : Jonathan Franzen

02 November   : Michael Cunningham

18 November   : Lang Lang

Ticket sale: www.john-adams.nl/tickets/index.html JAI members €11 – Students/Seniors €10 – Non members €18,50

Visit www.john-adams.nl for more information and registration.  

http://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer/

THE JOHN ADAMS INSTITUTE
Herenmarkt 97 - 1013 EC Amsterdam