DABF25 X Queer Book Club | Robert Glück, ‘About Ed’

Queer Book Club selected this month’s pick, About Ed by Robert Glück, from the nominated title section of DABF. Nominated by writer, researcher and editor Nathan O’Donnell, he describes it as: “a book written over decades, About Ed is a sort of morphing, often delirious portrait, told through several lenses, of the author’s ex, Ed, who died of AIDS-related complications in 1994. Opening with a deeply affective portrait of a widowed neighbour in San Francisco, the book spins out into an ecstatic account of affection and grief, art-making, sex, writing; recounting Ed’s illness, antagonism, eventual dementia, and death, that articulates both unbearable loss and hallucinatory, cosmic love. About Ed is both a monument and a fragmented mess that ends in a cloud of dreams.” Nathan O'Donnell was invited by DABF Guest Curator Dr. Selina Guinness to nominate a selection of titles which respond this year's Fair theme: Flock.

The book club will start with a brief introduction to DABF led by Sadbh O'Brien of TBG+S. Eric Patrick Byrne and Dónal Talbot of Queer Book Club will then lead the book club with some refreshments.

Queer Book Club Dublin is a community-led book club run by Dónal Talbot and Eric Patrick Byrne. The club was established in March 2023 and operates through its Instagram profile @queer.books.dublin. The group meets monthly to discuss queer literature, focusing on a different novel every month, either written by a queer writer or dealing with queer themes. It is open to everyone and anyone that wants to engage with queer literature, regardless of their own identity. Using queer-friendly spaces in Dublin as a base, the club usually meets at Love Tempo, but have also hosted events at Street 66, All My Friends and the International Literature Festival.

Event location Information: This event will take place on the first floor accessible via lift and stairs. Seating will be theatre style. For further accessibility information please contact Learning + Public Engagement Curator Órla Goodwin.

Dublin Art Book Fair (4–14 December 2025) is a centre for contemporary artist books offering a wide selection of artist publications and titles from creative, small and independent publishers, both Irish or international, to browse or buy. In conjunction with the Fair, DABF presents an event programme of book launches, publishers talks, and workshops offering ways to engage and gain insight into contemporary independent and arts publishing.

DABF25 is proudly sponsored by Henry J Lyons and supported by Dublin UNESCO City of Literature and RTÉ Supporting The Arts.