> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://meetingplace.bogbodiespress.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # the social life of (bog bodies) books - URL: https://meetingplace.bogbodiespress.com/the-social-life-of-bog-bodies-books/ - Published: 2024-02-22T15:48:12.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-21T13:29:19.000Z - Description: some thoughts on how dearly we hold events and why - Author: bog bodies press - Tags: Newsletter, #Migrated-1792589186246, #Import 2026-10-21 13:27 it was already dark out and the bar was softly lit, while the microphones we had attempted to link to the sound system screamed whenever we turned them on. it quickly became clear that they were doing us more harm than good. lilou switched theirs off. ‘can you hear me if i just speak like this?’ they asked to the people who had gathered, drinks in hand and sitting on one another’s laps or crouched on the floor. we didn’t need the microphones after all. we stood up and spoke about mnemotope and about our version of the bog and called up the first person to read, ducking back down behind the bar and listening - the whole room was quiet except for when laughter would spill over it, and we fell into the spell of the story as it came to life in the bar. some time later, we stood in front of a warm crowd on a cold dublin january night. [*kind ground, black butter*](https://bogbodiespress.com/kind-ground,-black-butter?ref=meetingplace.bogbodiespress.com) had just been freshly introduced and two poems from it were read by réiltín’s grandad tom and our great friend lucas. the crowd cheered and applauded, ready to get back to conversations mixed with laughter and to fall back into martin de porres wright’s bog art. in this moment, another martin, a man who happens to carry a flute with him wherever he goes, rushed in front of the everyone just before their attention had completely wandered off. ‘i have a tune i’d like to play, if that’s ok!!’. we clanged glasses together, bringing rare silence to the room once again. ‘this piece reminds me of seamus heaney’, he said, sharing some more (now blurry) details about the style of this specific trad song. he began to play it, all of our faces adorned with rosey cheeks and smiles - willingly mesmerised by the music. it introduced our first title better than words ever could have, in that moment. [events](https://bogbodiespress.com/events?ref=meetingplace.bogbodiespress.com) that hold times like these are one of our favourite parts of bog bodies press, and we believe them to be some of the most important things we do. in the time we’ve spent involved with publishing, we’ve come to realise, the value of bringing printed matter to life through gathering, reading and sharing. reading books in solitude is wonderful, but we very rarely experience reading as a social act. that’s often left in childhood, abandoned once we’ve properly learned how to do it alone. but there’s something warm and moving about knowing that a whole room full of people is hearing a story in the same voice as you are. with mnemotope specifically, the magazine seems to make the most sense at these launches - contributors and readers alike take part in the shared life of the publication, having lots of very different pieces read by lots of different people. mnemotope isn’t written by one person, nor is it made for one person. it exists for, and because of, the community or public that engages with it. the events are what make that tangible and palpable, outside of the printed pages. we started organising launches just over six months ago, and even in this short time we’ve come to see the importance of holding recurring events (in our case) around our publications. events take on a life of their own when they’re allowed space to do so over time. different people walk in and out of the rooms, different spaces hold different atmospheres but there is always a familiar feeling. (could the feeling be the event?) we only recognise it because we’ve allowed to repeatedly exist, and will continue to do so. we know that this can be done without a lot of resources, as we’ve organised these events from our bedroom floors with no budget or equipment. thanks to the collaboration and lovely support from our favourite bars and local businesses, we’ve been able to create these events together, which have always been really positive for everyone involved. if it isn’t clear by now, we’ve come to understand that these communal events are needed everywhere and as often as possible. we urge you (beg you?) to bring people together in any way you can, and to do so again and again. in the meantime, we hope to see you at [rile\* books](https://www.rile.space/?ref=meetingplace.bogbodiespress.com) in brussels for our next gathering on march 3rd, where we’ll bring issue 003 of mnemotope to life outside of itself. your bog bodies, lilou & réi ![](https://meetingplace.bogbodiespress.com/content/images/2026/10/bf239540-496e-4d6f-97ee-118543883090_688x384-jpeg-1.jpg) [Subscribe now](#/portal/signup)