The Exchange Book Club: There Are Rivers in the Sky

For our second session focusing on the theme of our environment, we will be discussing There Are Rivers in the Sky, by Elif Shafak. This is the story of one lost poem, two great rivers, and three remarkable lives – all connected by a single drop of water.

Book synopsis:

“In Victorian London, an extraordinary child is born at the edge of the dirt-black Thames. When his brilliant memory earns him a spot as an apprentice at a printing press, the world opens up far beyond the slums and across the seas.

In 2014 in Turkey, Narin, a Yazidi girl living by the River Tigris, waits to be baptized. The ceremony is cruelly interrupted, and soon she and her grandmother must journey across war-torn lands in the hope of reaching the sacred valley of their people.

In 2018 in London, broken-hearted Zaleekhah, a hydrologist, moves to a houseboat on the Thames to escape the wreckage of her marriage – until an unexpected connection to her homeland changes everything.

A dazzling feat of storytelling from one of the greatest writers of our time, one that spans centuries and continents, this is the story of one lost poem, two great rivers and three remarkable lives – all connected by a single drop of water.”

Tickets

Tickets for this book club are £5 per person which includes entry to the session and a drink.

To make our book club as accessible as possible, we are also offering a limited number of free Solidarity Tickets. For more info on Solidarity tickets, go to our ticketing information page.

Buy the book!

Our official Booktober bookselling partner is The Heath Bookshop.

The Heath Bookshop is a vibrant, award-winning, independent bookshop in the heart of Kings Heath in Birmingham. The Heath Bookshop is for everyone and anyone, aiming to offer a safe community space with a diverse range of books, delicious hot and cold drinks, and a much beloved Kate Bush coffee table! The Heath Bookshop won Independent Bookshop of the Year 2025, which was announced at the British Book Awards in May of this year.

To place an order with The Heath Bookshop, head to Bookshop.org (https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/theheathbookshop) or contact them directly at [email protected].

Host or Publisher University of Birmingham Events Team