This Month

 Synopsis:

Three of Europe’s greatest rivers - the Rhine, the Rhone, and the Po - share the same geological patch of Alpine ice in the jagged heights of central Switzerland. Coursing down through the peaks, they gave birth to three different European cultures as they flowed across the continent – German, French and Italian.

From this shared geological cradle, these waterways have shaped the landscape, influenced urban centres, laid the foundation for economies and created an intricate network of transport, trade and agriculture. From the Romanesque buttresses and vines of Provence to the Wagnerian music of the Rhine and the artistic miracles of Lombardy, the heart of Western Europe – its languages, religion, philosophy, science, politics and art – has been nourished by these waters.

Setting off in the dramatic mountain landscape where this story begins, acclaimed historian Robert Winder traces the rivers’ journeys from their increasingly fragile glacial sources, revealing in shimmering detail their impact on Europe’s rich history as they flow towards the sea.

Biographical Notes:

Robert Winder is a former Literary Editor of The Independent, and also a regular writer for the Guardian, Observer and others. His book on the history of immigration to Britain - Bloody Foreigners (the title is ironic!!) - was one of the inspirations behind the Museum of Migration, which plans to open in the City of London at the end of next year… Britain’s missing museum, telling the story of how the movement of people has been an essential part of the British story. Robert is a founder trustee.

His new book Three Rivers, just published in America and Italy as well as the UK, is a history of Europe based on the way it has been shaped by three of its great rivers.

Synopsis:

Is a diplomat’s life really as glamorous as a royal visit, or as dramatic as a coup d’état in Turkey? Leigh Turner CMG is a former British ambassador who led posts in Ukraine, Turkey and Austria. In a witty globe-trotting adventure through one of the most intriguing careers a person can have, Leigh will talk about his interactions with royalty of both the aristocratic and celebrity kinds, with brilliant and extraordinary people, and the lessons we all can draw from this – whether aspiring diplomats or non-diplomats. Based on his book "Lessons in Diplomacy: Politics, Power and Parties” (Bristol University Press, September 2024) -  in German as “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Diplomacy: Wie Diplomatie die Welt erklärt” (Czernin Verlag) -  Leigh will do a deep dive into key lessons such as “How to survive a crisis”, “How to handle politicians”, and “How to know people”. Have you ever wondered what diplomats and ambassadors really do? Leigh Turner will be happy to explain. 

 Biographical note:

Leigh Turner CMG is a retired diplomat and author based in London and Amsterdam. Leigh grew up in Africa and the UK, going on to study in Swaziland, Manchester and Cambridge. After hitch-hiking around 27 of the United States in 1979, Leigh had a 42-year diplomatic career, which he draws on in his 2024 book “Lessons in Diplomacy”. He is also the author of three thrillers, including “Blood Summit” (2018), set in Berlin, and two collections of feminist black comedies, ”Seven Hotel Stories” (2020) and “Seven More Hotel Stories” (2026).

He was UK Ambassador to Austria and UK Permanent Representative to the UN in Vienna from 2016 - 2021. Previous roles were: HM Consul General Istanbul and Director General for Trade Turkey, Central Asia and South Caucasus; HM Ambassador in Kyiv, Ukraine; Director of Overseas Territories in London. He was also based in the British Embassy in Bonn and Berlin from 1998-2002.

Leigh will bring copies of “Lessons in Diplomacy” to sign on the night.