Chapter 2

What a month!

Dear Reader

Wow, what a whirlwind the first month of business has been. We have been in Il Piccolo, on the local news and we have had so many wonderful people stop by the store, from those living just above it to visitors all the way from Australia. It is so lovely to be in business and it is incredibly rewarding to have seen the enthusiasm that the city has had for our arrival.

Today’s newsletter includes

• Our first author event!

• A celebratory weekend

• Join a language learning reading group

• Upcoming book clubs

• How to order books

Author Event / In Conversation with Adam Weymouth: Lone Wolf on Thursday 3 September @ 7pm

We're thrilled to kick off our Celebration Weekend with a very special guest: award-winning writer Adam Weymouth will join us on Thursday 3rd for a reading, conversation, and signing around his latest book, Lone Wolf.

In 2011, a young wolf named Slavc left Slovenia and walked a thousand miles through the Alps, arriving four months later on a plateau north of Verona, where wolves hadn't been seen in a century. There, he crossed paths with a female wolf on her own journey. More than a decade on, their descendants number over a hundred.

In Lone Wolf, Weymouth follows Slavc's route to explore a region in flux: rewilding against cultural preservation, nationalism against globalisation, a changing climate, and human migration alongside the wild kind.

Join us for a reading from the book, a conversation with Adam, and a book signing to follow. Copies of Lone Wolf (and Adam’s previous book, Kings of the Yukon) will be available on the night and in store before the event.

This is a free event, but seats are limited, so reserve yours via our website. Ensure you have “checked out” the cart to secure your place.

A Weekend to Celebrate

We opened our doors without much fuss, but we didn't want that to be the whole story. After Thursday's event with author Adam Weymouth, we're having a few events over the weekend to properly say hi and welcome all our lovely supporters and readers.

Friday 4 September, 18.00–20.00 — Aperitivo & Toast

Stop by for a drink and a browse and a chat. No reservation needed.

Saturday 5 September, 10.30–11.00 — Children's Storytime

A storytime morning for children up to 8 years of age. Space is limited, so please reserve your spot on our website.

Sunday 6 September, from opening — Brioche and Books

Bite-sized brioche, easy music, and a chair to sink into. Come read for a bit, no agenda required.

A note: we're a small space! If we're full, we'll happily direct you to one of our neighbouring cafes or bars to wait a little while.

English Language Learning Reading Groups

Unlike our monthly book clubs, these are structured, paid 8–12 week courses focused on building your English through reading and discussion (with optional writing). They are not a grammar class, but a space to read, talk, and express yourself with others at your level. Each week, attendees read assigned pages in advance, then use the session to build speaking confidence. Groups are capped at five, so everyone gets room to talk.

Starting in September, we're launching Intermediate (B1/B2) groups for adults, high schoolers, and middle schoolers, with Advanced (C1+) groups to follow in January.

Find details for the English classes and book on our website.

Interested in a future group with a different level, another language, or a different age range? Complete this short form and we'll keep you posted.

Upcoming Book Clubs 

Join by simply buying the book, or a €5 ticket if you already own the book. Going forward we'll be running three monthly book clubs (holidays permitting).

1. Small Publishers. Small presses take risks the big houses often won't, which makes for some more surprising, experimental reading. Expect names like Fitzcarraldo, CharcoPress, Héloïse, Foundry Editions, and more in the months ahead.

2. Originally Italian. Contemporary and modern classics in translation from Italian. A way of getting to know the country we live in, one book at a time.

3. Should I have read this by now? You know the one. The book everyone claims to have read except you. We'll look back, sometimes a decade, sometimes a century, to fill in the gaps.

Michelle hosts and picks the books (recommendations welcome), and reads for the first time right alongside everyone else.

Places are limited to 10. We'll take a few contact details to send a reminder. If you can no longer make it, please let us know so we can free up your spot. 

The next book clubs are:

Friday 25 September @7pm: Tangerinn by Emanuela Anechoum (translated by Lucy Rand)

A tender debut about migration and inheritance: when her Moroccan-born father dies, Mina returns to his old bar on the Calabrian coast and pieces together her own fractured sense of belonging.

Friday 9 October @7pm: The Mulai by Munir Hachemi (translated Julia Sanches)

A genre-bending sci-fi novel told as an archaeologist's log, decoding the language and customs of a lost space colony that echoes of Borges, Le Guin, and Calvino.

Books often appear in-store before we announce the next pick. Want us to reserve a copy and a seat? Email hello@nationofnowherebooks.com. First come, first served.

Ordering books with Nation of Nowhere

We put in orders every Sunday and receive books by the end of the following week. It may not be as speedy as ordering with some online platforms, but you can do so knowing that we are a small independent business that is aiming to bring good things to Trieste. Feel free to come into the store or email us to order a book and pay on collection.

Happy Reading from your Friendly Booksellers!

Maria and Michelle

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