Bondi Literary Salon Book Club: The Names

Join the Bondi Literary Salon for our next book club, hosted by Rosie Finch and Hannah van Otterloo! In our gathering, we will be chatting about Florence Knapp's debut novel, The Names.

WHEN: Wednesday, 5th November 2025, at Gertrude & Alice Cafe Bookstore; please arrive at 6.45pm for a prompt 7pm start.

TICKETS: Admission: $25.00 (excluding external fees). Your ticket includes a drink on arrival and nibbles during the evening.

'The best debut novel in years' - Sunday Times

The Book:

It is 1987, and in the aftermath of a great storm, Cora sets out with her nine-year-old daughter to register the birth of her son. Her husband intends for her to follow a longstanding family tradition and call the baby after him. But when faced with the decision, Cora hesitates. Going against his wishes is a risk that will have consequences, but is it right for her child to inherit his name from generations of domineering men? The choice she makes in this moment will shape the course of their lives.

Seven years later, her son is Bear, a name chosen by his sister, and one that will prove as cataclysmic as the storm from which it emerged. Or he is Julian, the name his mother set her heart on, believing it will enable him to become his own person. Or he is Gordon, named after his father and raised in his cruel image - but is there still a chance to break the mould?

Powerfully moving and full of hope, this is the story of three names, three versions of a life, and the infinite possibilities that a single decision can spark. It is the story of one family, and love's endless capacity to endure, no matter what fate has in store.

The Author:

Florence Knapp has previously written a non-fiction book about a centuries-old method of quilt making, as well as contributing to a book for the V&A Museum. She lives just outside London with her husband and their dog. Their two children have now flown the nest. The Names is Florence's debut novel and will be translated into more than twenty languages.

Our Hosts:-

Rosie Finch
Rosie is a regular Gertrude and Alice customer, since moving into Bondi in 2022 with her husband and now dog Banjo, they say hi every morning and love the community Jane has created! 

An avid reader as a child, her sisters started teaching her to read before school and, like any good millennial, her first proper book was Harry Potter, which ignited her love of reading! After an early 20s hiatus, she has gotten back into reading the last few years via some chick lit palette cleansers and meatier non and historical fictions. She uses reading as joy to cure insomnia and escape the banality of her day job in spreadsheets. 

Notable favourites of late have been across fiction and non-fiction Irish authors - she can’t seem to escape them! 

She works in commercial property and infrastructure development and is currently on mat leave after having her first son Spencer! 

A Bondi Literary Salon dedicated attendee, is privileged to co-host with the lovely Hannah! 

Hannah van Otterloo

 Hannah loves escaping into books and will give any type of a book a go. An unputdownable novel or non-fiction is a type of meditation for Hannah, who in her day-to-day life is always on the go, very social and busy and Hannah needs books to calm-down and introvert. Fun fact she would rather read than watch TV! With an Australian mum and a Dutch dad, Hannah grew up in a bilingual household which was very much reflected in her book collection and reading – often reading books in both languages… Has anyone here read Harry Potter in another language? It’s like a whole new world! Her passion for reading in both languages was encouraged and celebrated by both her parents and even till this day she will aim to read Dutch books and treks them back in her luggage from Holland after trips “home”. One day she hopes to make reading her full-time job, so.. any and all tips are welcome!

The unforgettable debut novel that became an instant global sensation, The Names asks how a name can shape the course of a life and explores the single what-if moments that can overturn a person's fate.

About The Bondi Literary Salon

Bondi Literary Salon was established in 2018, it is the in-house book club of beloved Bondi institution, Gertrude & Alice. The Bondi Literary Salon endeavours to explore the vast world of literature each month, with a selection that reflects a focus on diverse writers and stories; delving into both classic and contemporary fiction, as well as non-fiction. 

Our philosophy has always been to use language and literature not only as a tool for connection and community, but as an insight into worlds we have not had the pleasure of visiting ourselves. We welcome all - young and old, those with a life-long love of literature, or whose relationship may be only beginning. Join us in the unmatched comfort of an after-hours bookstore, accompanied by wine and cheese, for an evening spent discussing books and building community.

About Gertrude & Alice Cafe Bookstore:

Rated as one of the top 10 bookstores in the world by National Geographic, Gertrude & Alice Cafe Bookstore is an oasis for writers, readers, and coffee lovers. Books overflow from the shelves of their store, featuring a mix of new, second-hand, antiquarian and rare books. Stay a while & enjoy some home made chai, and amazing coffee, and unearth a book treasure or two. Read more about the bookstore's story here, and about the real Gertrude & Alice here.