J.K. Rowling Writes a Love Letter to the EU

A Love Letter to Europe, the collection of essays by famous British authors and artists dedicated to their appreciation of the European Union, comes out today, October 31. On Saturday, the Guardian published a selection of these essays, or “love letters,” starting with the one written by J.K. Rowling.

Rowling frames her discussion of what the EU means to her around her own experiences traveling throughout Europe as a young woman. She describes the importance of “the frictionless travel the EU gave us” between member countries, travel, she says, that those generations coming of age post-Brexit will no longer be allowed to experience.

We all have shining memories of our youth, made poignant because they’re freighted with knowledge of what happened later to companions, and what lay ahead for ourselves. Back then we were allowed to roam freely across Europe in a way that shaped and enriched us, while benefiting from the longest uninterrupted spell of peace this continent has ever known.

Rowling and other contributors to the collection stress their love for Europe in direct opposition to the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the EU. The collection’s publication date coincides with the date that Prime Minister Boris Johnson intended for Brexit to occur. However, on Monday, the EU granted the UK a three-month extension in order to avoid a no-deal crash exit.

A Love Letter to Europe is available from publisher Hodder & Stoughton. Will you be reading it?