Learn with us! Denis Horan's Talks on Literature & war

Stories from the battlefield have long captured the attention of readers across the world—not because they glorify war, but because they expose its raw truths. Literature has the unique power to humanize conflict, to bring history closer, and to help us reflect on the cost of violence, not only in geopolitical terms but in personal, human dimensions. In this space, where fact meets fiction and history meets memory, literature becomes a vital lens through which we can examine the past and, perhaps, understand the present a little better.

This new series of literary discussions, coordinated by Denis Horan, will explore how war is represented in fiction and non-fiction alike, offering students and readers a unique opportunity to engage with historical events through a literary lens.

Literary dispatches from the War zone

Question to consider:

Does literary horror beat real life? We will use novels and non-fiction narratives as well to tease out this question. Descriptions in war literature -both fiction and otherwise- are bare, spare and unflinching. And provide first-person perspectives of major historical events as seen by ordinary soldiers, reporters, workers, etc. as well as imaginary reconstructions by creative writers of the thoughts/feelings of participants in said events, thus achieving an ideal balance between information obtained by consideration of primary and secondary sources. Can we sort out the explanans from the explanandum in explaining away war, its causes and development, the depths of depravity to which humans descend, and its afterlife in global history? We will also explore points of similarity and dissimilarity across countries, armies, economic organisation, especially Western democratic as opposed to Soviet, Nazi and other forms of people’s and authoritarian governments. Ideal for students writing essays for IGCSE and AS/A LEVEL History and Literature exams, as well as intellectually curious persons in general

Book of the month: Question 7 by Richard Flanagan (Japan, Pacific Theatre of World War II, Atom bomb) 

We invite students, teachers, and all literature enthusiasts to join us in this exploration of how the written word continues to shed light on the darkest chapters of human history. These sessions, coordinated by Denis Horan, aim to encourage critical thinking and meaningful discussion around the enduring questions posed by war literature.

Sessions will be held at KEL Belgrano on the third Thursday of each month (except in June, when we’ll meet on Thursday 26). Doors will open at 5:15 p.m., with the talk beginning at 5:30 p.m. and concluding at 7:00 p.m.

At the end of each month, we will announce the book for the upcoming session, so those interested can purchase it in advance.

Admission is free and open to all, but registration is required. Please complete this form to secure your spot.