Thorn By Michael Dean

THORN is a Rabelaisian tour through Amsterdam in the mid-17th Century and very, very funny.

In 1656, at the height of The Dutch Golden Age, two giants of European culture meet: philosopher Baruch Spinoza, a Jew of Portuguese descent, and Rembrandt Van Rijn, the greatest Dutch Master, find themselves inextricably linked through a failed mercantile venture and membership of the freethinking ‘Waterlanders’ which, in challenging the Calvinist doctrine of the day, pits them against the authorities in Amsterdam.

Rembrandt can’t keep himself out of the auction houses, despite the best efforts of his new friend; while the chief Rabbi has Spinoza followed and spied upon. Spinoza is thrown out of the Synagogue for his heretical writings and Rembrandt bankrupted for his less than flattering paintings of the city fathers.

~*~

To apply for the reading group please fill out the application form