The English Book Club (or, The Book Lives On)

The English Book Club was one of the first clubs to be founded at CERN. Since the late 1950s it has been a literary lifeline for English speakers in a predominantly French-speaking environment.

The English Book Club has moved once again, and now has its home in Hut 564. Earlier lodgings included the fire station (remember "Fahrenheit 451") and the basement of Building 3, where it got flooded (shades of "Robinson Crusoe").

"When people arrive in this country, they often feel a bit lost," explains Adam Park, who is in charge of the club’s communications. "Finding the club makes them feel at home. That’s why we have members from other international organisations, too." In the old days, of course, merely obtaining a book in English could be difficult. While it’s become much easier, thanks to specialty bookstores in Geneva, and of course the Internet, books remain an expensive item.

For those looking for one of the great classics, there is the Meyrin library. "Our ambition is to offer a rather lower-brow read, although you’ll find Hemingway and Susskind, too," explains Morna Robillard, the club’s treasurer. "We welcome all proposals," she continues. "We have even started a children’s section." No surprise, then: the club’s mystery and science fiction sections are among its most popular. The stalwarts are well represented, with 30 tomes of Dick Francis and 12 of Isaac Asimov. And we also have popular classics. The best-sellers include the Harry Potter books and Stephen King, but also a few that might surprise you at CERN, like Lord of the Rings or the more controversial Angels and Demons.

The club has some purely science-related books by Stephen Hawking, Richard Feynman and Albert Einstein, and classics such as C.P. Snow’s The Two Cultures. Morna Robillard hastens to add that the English Book Club is not in competition with the CERN library. Its objective is reading for relaxation purposes.

As the club’s president, Mark Jones, puts it: "These books have come from afar, and many could tell more than one tale, as they have helped to forge friendships through the club." Books from the club have accompanied scientists travelling to the far ends of the Earth, but have also helped shift workers while away the long hours of the night. For those who appreciate a good book, the English Book Club is a rich source of fascinating stories.

More information at

http://club-englishbookclub.web.cern.ch/club-EnglishBookClub/