Speaker and Guest of Honour
Michael Pye - Speaker Annual Dinner 2023
We are excited to welcome Michael Pye, British journalist, broadcaster, novelist and historian, as our Speaker and Guest of Honour.
Michael will talk on the subject of: “Impossible History” – how to resist when history is being edited, adjusted and generally rewritten outside any kind of science." This covers his last two books and his next one.
Michael Pye ghost wrote his first book at school, a German textbook on the state of Britain, went off to be civilised at university in Perugia and then trained as a historian at Oxford.
He was a columnist and reporter in Edinburgh, London and New York, had his own TV current affairs show, made some documentaries and even wrote a thriller. He has been columnist, reporter and book critic on both sides of the Atlantic, covering American politics for years. He started on The Scotsman, moved to the Sunday Times in London in its glory days and later wrote for the New York Times and the Daily Telegraph among many other newspapers and magazines from Esquire to The Oldie, after which, he has made his living as a writer with a passion for history.
He ended his book on the history of the mediaeval "North Sea -- Edge of the World" in the streets of Antwerp: where the business of the whole known world was creating a new kind of city in the 16th century: "Antwerp: the Glory Years".
There were also novels, and he is proud of half of them, based on stories which the archives could not tell: the sagas of Gretje Reyniers, the first known prostitute of New Amsterdam (De waterkelder, The Drowning Room); the Zurich antique dealer who opened her business with the fine goods she had extorted from her Jewish friends in Nazi Berlin (De stukken uit Berlijn, The Pieces from Berlin); and a serial killer who once came over for drinks (Gestolen levens, Taking Lives), a story just about recognisable in the Hollywood movie version with Angelina Jolie.
He likes telling the stories that help explain who and how we are. He speaks English, French, Portuguese and with luck Italian. His books are translated into fifteen languages: Antwerp should soon be available in Chinese.
Michael will be pleased to sign your copies of his books you were to bring to the evening -- there are many!
Registration and Payment
We would like all members and their partners to feel they can attend (guests welcome, if space allows!). The Cercle Royal Gaulois has a limited capacity so we suggest that you register quickly to avoid any disappointment at this special event.
The ticket price for Full Members & their partners is €70 per person.
"Full Members" are Members of the Cambridge Society of Belgium who have paid their annual subscription, or "Honorary Members" of the Society, or Student Members (Cambridge alumni who are full-time students, see also "30 and under pricing"). For membership information please see here
We would like to offer some special concessions & other pricing:
- Firstly, a special price for Full Members who are 30 years old or younger of €45 per person. Partners of those in this category pay €70 per person (Full Member partner price);
- Secondly, guests of Full Members, members and their partners of our reciprocating sister alumni organisations at €85 per person (these sister organisations are: the Cambridge Alumni Societies of other countries, Oxford, Harvard, Stanford, Princeton and Yale -- other organisations please enquire).
- Lastly, the possibility of attendance subsidised by society funds if anyone should be in a position of genuine need (please confidentially contact isabelle@camsoc.be or our Hon. President, Steven);
Please confirm your attendance by preferably clicking here before midnight Friday, 21st April (or email isabelle@camsoc.be) and make your payment to the Cambridge Society bank account (BE26 0689 0251 7329 in the name of "Cambridge Society of Belgium”) mentioning "Annual Dinner 2023", your name (if it is not crystal clear from your bank account title), and how many persons at which pricing.
Your participation is confirmed once your payment has been received and accepted. Please no last minute requests.
Please note, that no refunds for cancellations can be made after midnight Friday, 21st April.
Some Event Photos
