Some Notes from 2023
January 2023 — 2023. We got off to a start at Susan's house, discussing some of our reading in the past year, as well as engaging in the usual chit-chat.Our numbers continued to decline due to illness, busy-ness, and ageing. We read some cracking books.
Some Notes from 2022
May 2022 — we are finding people prefer meeting on Mondays, so I have changed the Dates, Books, Hosts page to reflect Monday meetings for at least the next couple of meetings. If I hear from any of you that we should go back to the Tuesday time, we will revisit that.Our meeting today was just three of us, but we all enjoyed the short-ish book, The Angel Gate.
Please note that for June there has been a change of book as well as the change of meeting day and time (back to Monday, 10:30) from what is on your Christmas card listing. Our book for June will be The Metal Heart by Caroline Lea, with Deanna leading/hosting. Deanna mentioned that she may have parking issues at her house then as she will be having her garden dug up and redone. Susan kindly offered to permit us to park at her house and walk with her if we would like. More details closer to the day. I am hoping to see you there!
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During this unpredictable COVID lockdown period we are winging it. Dates for when we are reading what are shown on the "Dates, Books, Hosts" page. When COVID demands it, we will meet on Zoom on the dates shown. Celia or someone else will try to organise this in advance and send you an email or what'sApp invitation shortly before the event.
Some Notes from 2021 The Crazy Time Continues . . .
During this unpredictable COVID lockdown period we are winging it. Dates for when we are reading what are shown on the "Dates, Books, Hosts" page (with remaining books listed at the bottom of this page, below the monthly notes). When lockdown is over, we may actually meet at the host's house or garden, but for now we are meeting online for 40/80 minutes on zoom or WhatsApp at 10:30 on the dates shown. Celia or someone else will try to organise this in advance and send you an email invitation shortly before the event.
February notes: Only half of us made it online for the zoom, but it was a pleasant meeting for folks who did make it. Those who have weighed in mostly liked The Rosie Project — found it a light and enjoyable read. Deanna, however, said she couldn't get into it, but may have another go. Rumor has it that the book is being made into a movie, so that's an option for catching up eventually… Otherwise, everyone seems to be okay and crawling through lockdown as best they can. Several members have had their first COVID vaccine jabs, which is brilliant. Only one had any flu-like symptoms after the jab (but is fine now). Stay well everyone!
March notes: Where the Crawdads Sing proved to be extremely popular—so much so that all but one of us read it and liked it! Avril was hesitant at first, based on some unenticing reviews, but came around. The surprise ending was especially of interest/debate. Some of our members were ailing or in recovery today… Susie from cataract surgery; Celia from atrial fibrillation; Pauline from long COVID. But things are looking up and fingers are crossed for a May return to in-person meetings in Penny's then Susan's gardens. In other good news, we have all had our first dose of a COVID vaccine! Susan has switched her June book choice, as noted below. I have added a very simple but cheering recipe to the recipe page here. Do let me know if you would like to contribute to that page.
July notes: Goodness it's been awhile since I updated! Hope everyone is doing well. April's "Bluest Eye" —as well as "Diary of a Bookseller" and "Olive Kitteridge" sparked interesting conversations. It was lovely to see one another in person in Penny and Susan's gardens. With all the heat, it's a good time to sit in the shade and read, so that's what I am about to do. I did spot a meme that I thought would amuse some of you as much as it did me… Look forward to seeing you in August at Anthea's — unless we hear otherwise. Still offering to send/bring my copy of the November book to whoever wants it next. It's set in Florida, so the current weather is very atmospheric for the book! The 'cool' pictures from the Christmas card (further below) may help us think of days when it wasn't so hot.
October notes: A small group of us met at Deanna's to discuss Peter May's Lockdown. It was interesting to compare his imagined lockdown in London, to the lockdown that actually occurred years after he wrote the book which, sadly, did not prove to be terribly well loved by the assembled company. For our November meeting (on Zoom), please consult your email and have available:
1) Days when you generally could/could not attend a meeting if we move the day or time
2) Several possible months when you could host next year
3) The title and author of the book you would like us to read, and a possible back-up if you think it’s possible others will also be nominating your first-choice book
4) Thoughts on a December gathering
5) Any changes that need to be made in your details on the official book group directory (see list below on your emailed Zoom invitation). Please be sure your preferred phone number is there (the one where we’re most likely to reach you)
December notes: We met for a lovely bring-and-share lunch at Susie's house. It was a lovely start to the holidays. Many thanks to Susie!
WHAT HAPPENED TO 2020???
Not a clue. Sorry. My Rapid Weaver program has grown old and flakey!Some Notes from 2019
I apologise for being slow off the blocks posting news from the group. I am having to learn a new system for creating these web pages.
The January meeting, I am told, featured an animated discussion of The Aftermath. Three members of the group came from family members involved in post-war Germany, like the characters in the book. I was sorry to miss the meeting due to illness.
February took us to Penny's for A House Unlocked, which was a hit with the group once people got over the fact that they weren't going to get "a story" per se. Some googling led Pauline to realtors' pages that actually showed the house featured in the book. Susie proposed that we all keep track of our non-bookgroup reading and have a discussion of same at the end of the year.
In March we met at my place for our first-ever discussion of poetry, namely the poetry of the recently-deceased Mary Oliver. An interesting discussion revealed that poetry is not popular with the group and, depending on which poems people read, very different views of Oliver's poetry and attitudes emerged. What people liked best was the close observation of nature. What people were most put off by was a dark streak that appeared in some poems.
April took us to Karis's for a lively discussion of Gasthof Engel, written by Jill L.M. Birk, a local author who is married to one of the (child) characters in the WWII-era book set in Bavaria.
In May we discussed Anthea's choice—Nutshell by Ian McEwan, which drew mixed reviews. Some members disliked it so much that they didn't read more than a chapter or two. Others read most or all and found interesting, evocative writing, humour, and cleverness. All agreed it was written from a most unusual perspective.
The June meeting was small and intimate as we discussed Hothouse Flower by Lucinda Riley. This was Nancy's choice, but hosting had been moved to Susan's and Nancy was poorly and couldn't make it. Other members had appointments or were travelling, etc. The folks in attendance were generally in agreement that this was a good summer read. Anthea's experience ordering "Hothouse Flower" at the library suggested that one should be sure to include the author's name when doing so, or risk getting a very different book with the same title. After perusing a few pages, she couldn't believe that particular book would have been Nancy's choice, shall we say…
July's book, The Road Home by Rose Tremain, drew very mixed responses. Two members were disinclined to read much of the book due to the sex and foul language of some of the characters. Other members very much admired the writing, the story, the nuanced characters and their development, and felt it had changed their perception of the economic migrant experience in the UK.
After our summer break, we discussed the companionable Wood of One's Own in September. October's meeting clashed with a wedding in the States, so I missed that, unfortunately, and didn't get any spies' reports on The Witch Finder's Sister.
November's meeting saw a rarity — a unanimous, but, sadly, negative verdict from the whole group. We found Murder at the Book Club unconvincing and poorly written, with too many poorly drawn characters. The group was truly on a roll, however — everyone was present and brought their book choices for next year. We arrived at a consensus on the Christmas lunch and on the calendar for next year in record time!
Our plan is to have our Christmas Lunch at the Black Swan in Langport at 12:30 on Tuesday, December 3rd. Susie will confirm with us all via e-mail. And yes, I do mean all — Nancy now has email!!!
Some Notes from 2018
December
A lovely Christmas lunch... and it’s on to 2019! I will be revising the website and posting that here soon. In the mean time, the new schedule has been given to everyone (with one small omission of the last book we will be reading, Murder at the Book Club by Betsy Reavley.)
Happy holidays, everyone!
November
Thesis is done and -- the good news: I passed!!! Graduation in July... and final overall course grades not until later in November.
As usual, the marching orders for November are a bit lengthy, so I will summarise first:
1. Book group is at Avril’s new place on Monday at 10:30. Address: 4 Manor Court, Market Place, Somerton TA11 7NB. Parking is tight; please ride-share.
2. Please bring your calendar for scheduling, your book title and author for next year, and any information that you might need to confirm your address, phone number (s), and email for next year’s program.
3. Please bring your food choices and payment for the Christmas lunch: £20.95 for two courses and £23.95 for three courses. This includes a £2 tip. Details on food etc. below
4. And yes, we will be discussing a book: Bill Bryson’s “Road to Little Dribbling” (I will be leading the discussion)
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The fine details:
1 — To get to Avril’s new place, she writes, “Drive between the TSB bank and Parish rooms — on the left is a courtyard and my house is directly in front. There is only room for 2 cars, unless I can get a favour from my next door neighbours who are usually out at work all day, anyway I’ll email you nearer the day. “ I will send along any further information about parking etc. I have Avril’s Mobile number as:
07581 814 646
2— Self-explanatory? Book, author, and we’ll pick hosting/discussion-leading dates. Please try at least to figure out months when you cannot host the group.
3— Christmas do will be 12:15 (for 12:45 seating) at the The Crown and Victoria Inn, Tintinhull [01935 823341 e-mail info@thecrownandvictoria.co.uk] . Christmas Party Menu 2018 follows and is: £21.95 per person for three courses; £18.95 per person for two courses
Food choices:
Starters:
Roasted butternut squash and ginger soup with cheese and herb croutons
Trio of mini tartlets, smoked salmon and cream cheese; prawn marie rose; crab and onion aioli
Potted chicken liver pate and toast
Baked camembert with cranberry, orange and port sauce and bread sticks
Mains
Turkey with chestnut and orange stuffing, pigs in blankets, roast potatoes, gravy, cranberry, orange and port sauce and fresh vegetables
Posh fish and chips (lobster tails) with a medley of wild garlic mushrooms
Roast sirloin of beef with Yorkshire pudding, fresh vegetables and roast potatoes
Portobello mushroom stuffed with blue cheese, chestnuts and a cranberry and port sauce served with chips and salad
Mild vegetable curry served with naan bread and mango chutney
Sweets
Christmas pudding served with brandy sauce
Warm chocolate fudge cake served with cream
Lemon posset with homemade shortbread
Mixed fruit pavlova
A selection of cheeses with biscuits and chutney--(£2.50 surcharge)
Susie has kindly paid the deposit and will be putting the entire costs on her card on the day, so please bring the above sum for two or three courses, plus tip, to give to Susie on Monday, 5 November.
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October
Goodness! October is upon us. We will, hopefully, be meeting at Avril’s to discuss Deanna’s book (Red Lotus). It’s probably time that we started thinking about our December plans and next year. If you’d like, bring a luncheon-venue and possible book titles for our consideration for December and next year.
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I’ve been a bit slow off the starting blocks updating the website for this year -- for the usual reasons (thesis)... But here goes. We’ve had a bit of a reshuffle on locations as Avril has been supervising the finishing off of her new digs. Look forward to seeing the new place later this year!
Meanwhile, we got off to a reasonable start with three popular books (or book categories): The Road from Coorain by Jill Ker Conway, which was Karis’ choice; The Dry by Jane Harper (Avril’s choice); and Diary Day, Penny’s genre choice. Unfortunately widespread illness kept us from gathering at Karis’s, but from the reports I had from several folks, the book was good, and offered an interesting comparison with Avril’s choice in February. For March we had some interesting choices of diaries from varied lives and times and excellent discussion!
I have added an interesting new link to the Links & Resources page, this one on recommended books to read before you visit (22) different countries. These were the nominations of the embassies (in America) of the respective countries. The list includes mostly fiction, but also the odd book of essays or poetry. Might prove a good source for ideas for books for next year (or if you are planning to visit any of the 22 countries).
Some Notes from 2017
October:
Another lively meeting, this time at Deanna’s. A Time to Say Goodbye provoked fairly strong reactions, and these were all over the place—from “I really liked the book” to “I wouldn’t recommend it.” I think everyone found it to be a quick/compelling/page-turning read, if only to see how things turned out. Some found elements of the plot a bit too contrived or thought the central child in the book seemed a bit mature for her age. The book prompted several members of the group to recall their chilling encounters with ghosts or seemingly other-worldly, inexplicable phenomena. The discussion reminded at least one member of the group why book groups are great—to get a range of perspectives besides one's own.
Next month (November) we will be at my place. I will send a message shortly before the meeting to let you know the status of the Aller road closure. I am hopeful that the road will at least be accessible to local traffic from both ends by then. I believe everyone has or will have a chance to peruse Lab Girl now, one way or t’other.
Deanna kindly did some legwork finding a venue for a Christmas luncheon, even bringing a menu for The Black Swan in Langport. (I have typed in the menu on the Christmas 2017 page. Two courses @£15.95; three @£19.95.) We have agreed a date — Tuesday, Dec. 5 -- and will meet at 12:30. Please bring £5 to the November meeting for the deposit, along with your menu choices.
Finally, some members of the group have started thinking about books for next year. These ideas aren’t set in stone — we will finalise the list and hosting dates in November. Penny has proposed a “Diary Day” in which everyone reads a diary of their choice (including possibly from a list she might suggest). Susan has offered The Blind Assassin (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Blind_Assassin) by Margaret Atwood. Nancy has offered Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline. Deanna is considering Red Lotus by Pai Kit Fa. Pauline is thinking of Legacy of Elizabeth Pringle by Kirsty Wark. I’m still dithering… but a book of poetry might be in the offing. Susie, Karis, Anthea, and Avril, are considering possibilities… Also in November, I will ask everyone to check their contact details..
August: A good gathering yesterday, even if we were fewer in numbers. Lots of interesting news, from Pauline’s adventure guiding a helicopter to a safe landing in her field, to Avril’s moving plans and the dramatic presentation of a Milk Tray to Anthea for her 70th birthday. Hopes and warm thoughts surrounding Karis as she awaits the results of her ear scan and as others go for medical appointments for themselves or spouses.
The Illusionists had a mixed reception, but there seemed to be consensus that Rosie Thomas has very strong descriptive writing skills. Various members of the group found her characters interesting, but were divided on whether that was good-interesting or not-so-good-interesting. We discovered that at least two members of our group are not keen on stage magic. A slightly vaporous ending to the book presages a sequel…
Next month we take our summer break, and then on October 2nd we are at Deanna’s to discuss Time to Say Goodbye by S. D. Robertson.
Wishing you all a pleasant August and September, whether you are headed to the far corners of the earth or staying put in our fair corner of this sceptred isle.
May: We had a special meeting today, thanks to all of you, especially Susan. We discussed Avril's book for April, Susan's book for May, had gorgeous, tasty sandwiches and cake, and finished off with a talk about mindfulness (from yours truly). Many thanks to all of you for being tremendous first-ever students for my foray into teaching/talking about mindfulness.
Book discussion today was very lively! While Margaret Drabble (The Dark Flood Rises) presented some rather sad characters in her book, several of us thought it was reflective, well-written, and touched on everyday experiences for those of us of a certain age.... It certainly prompted a lot of discussion about ageing, including some profound observations about what gives our lives meaning and joy; about family and friends; creative and social activities, travel, novelty, and pursuing our passions, vs. the things that sap our interest and energy as we age (and how perhaps at this stage in life we don't need to 'go through the motions' for the sake of appearances when it comes to those draining things).
A Fort of Nine Towers by Qais Akbar Omar gave us some perspective on our “First World Problems” which seem like nothing compared to the struggles of the author and his family in Afghanistan. Many of us thought the book was beautifully written, evocative, and offered us an inspirational central character of, well, character. Discussion turned to the amazing compassion and hospitality shown by some of the people who sheltered and fed the author and his family — as well as the horrendous behaviour of the Mujaheddin and Taliban and the dark side of tribalism.
Looking ahead, we're with Penny next month, followed by Nancy and Anthea (as per the schedule.) I am a little worried that my book (Lab Girl) may be a challenge to get hold of, so that may be one you will want to arrange for earlier rather than later. Once I’m done with my assignments and back from France, I should be able to share my copy … probably late July. It’s a pretty quick read, so we might be able to circulate that copy to three people or so if the library is short.
All in all, an excellent, very talkative meeting!
January: Secretary Celia couldn't make it today, but Pauline, the meeting host, provided this excellent report:
The group meeting went really well this morning although the coffee was rubbish. ( I can say that because I made it ... I promise not to let that happen again.)
My book choice as you are aware was Sunrise by Victoria Hislop. The reason for this choice was that I went to a talk by Victoria Hislop at the Octagon during the Yeovil Literary Festival last October. She is fluent in Greek and has a second home in Greece, spending time there every month. She explained that her research includes gathering stories from local people, in a particular area, about their experiences, and then joining them up to form the basis for a novel.
Although she was mainly promoting her latest novel Postcards from Greece, she did talk a little about each of her other books--including Sunrise--telling us that she was particularly moved by what she had been told by residents in Varosha, a district adjacent to the old town of Famagusta in Cyprus. My father was stationed in Cyprus during the first EOKA uprising in 1954 and we actually lived in Varosha, hence my interest in choosing this and not her latest book.
During our discussion on the book it turned out that I was not the only one with a connection to this part of Cyprus. Susie was stationed there in the 70's. Susan also had a connection to the area.
Nearly everyone had managed to read the book and I think that we all agreed that it was a good read. It was obvious that Hislop had spent many hours on research but that the flow of the book just was not always there. The book started quite slowly which Susan felt was to establish the characters and location, but then gathered speed--even becoming a page turner. We all felt that through this book we learned a great deal about the history of this island, leading up to the conflict between the Greek and Turkish Cypriots. Even today, with the division, things are not that harmonious, with bitterness on both sides. Varosha still remains, as it was left in the 60's, a ghost town within a perimeter fence still guarded by Turkish troops without movement in or out. So very sad for what was once a lovely place.
Note from Celia: There was this report of a new peace deal on the BBC this evening: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b042jn7d How timely!
Some Notes from 2016
December
A lovely lunch today at the Rose and Portcullis. We missed Susie and Nancy-- look forward to seeing them in January. You should all have your Christmas card from me (which doubles as the annual list of reading, hosts, and venues--Nancy and Susie should have had theirs in the post by now). Hope to get some of the new pictures up in the new year to replace the two-year-old pix above. Will be sending out some possible times to meet for a guinea-pig's introduction to mindfulness after the new year. (For Nancy and Susie's benefit, I asked folks at the lunch today if anyone would be interested in a mindfulness taster/introduction session with me. I am taking a teaching course in my mindfulness program at Bangor and need to practice teach on some willing "guinea pigs." Several folks said they would be interested and of course the invitation extends to you both as well.) We all wished each other happy holidays, and so, again to everyone, a lovely, warm holiday season to us all.
November
Penny’s quirky choice of “Diary of a Nobody” was well received. We were impressed by the contemporary qualities of the book (“About nothing and everything," said Penny), its gentle humour, the marital fondness of the Pooters and the wayward Lupin.
All book choices for 2017 are in — well done, everyone! See the Proposed Books page, which includes links to reviews of the books. Deanna has offered us two possibilities. Please have a look and let me know your preference as soon as possible.
Attached below is the Christmas lunch offerings. Please let Avril know your choices by November 27.
Please review my current list of members and contact details (sent via e-mail). PLEASE let me know if there are any changes.
October
The Book of Strange New Things proved a surprising and interesting read for the group. There was agreement by many that this is not a book we would have chosen, but we were glad that Avril did. Several of us found it interesting, even "a page-turner," as we felt quite compelled to find out how things worked out. A couple of people, including discussion leader Avril, felt disappointed by the ending. As sci-fi goes, this book seemed like sci-fi lite to Celia as it skips over the specific details of space travel and the aliens' anatomy and physiology. Susan felt the sci-fi aspects were really just a vehicle for exploring the themes and issues of the book.
November's meeting will be at Celia's house, with Penny leading the discussion of Diary of a Nobody. In addition we will be finalising the books and dates for 2017. Yes, it's that time already! So far, Celia is proposing Lab Girl by Hope Jahren; Susan is offering A Fort of Nine Towers by Qais Akbar Omar; Althea is eyeing The Illusionists by Rosie Thomas; and Avril is exploring books by Anthony Trollope (that could be our "classic" for the list). Don't forget to bring your book nomination and your diary to the November meeting so we can set hosting dates.
Avril had a wee directory of restaurants offering Christmas lunches, and we have tentatively decided to check out The Rose and Portcullis in Butleigh for Dec. 5th. Their Christmas lunch offers a two-course meal for £19 and three courses for £24. Details to follow as Avril checks this out further.
February
A good meeting. Discussion leader Karis told us she chose My House in Damascus because she had attended an interesting lecture by the author (Diana Darke) with a Syrian friend of hers. Said friend can’t bring herself to read the book because she finds its bias too anti-government.
The book drew decidedly mixed opinions. Anthea was especially taken with the book and spoke very eloquently about the things she enjoyed (architecture, politics, religion). Less popular aspects were the discussions of philosophy and several members didn't get on with the book. For next month we will have A Spool of Blue Thread, and Susie will be leading our discussion. I circulated a Christmas card and letter from Jane, our group's founder, and we were all astonished to see how grown-up her grandchildren look -- some of whom were not born when the book group started. We were also excited to read about her new place in Spain and we expect she will be enjoying her holidays there.
We had lots of delicious food discussion, so I've added a new recipes page here!
I enjoyed this article suggested by a member of my elder sister's book group: http://www.bustle.com/articles/138281-11-reasons-every-woman-should-join-a-book-club
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Some Notes from 2015
November: A Cuppa Tea and an Aspirin was Pauline's selection for the month. The group was struck by the dismal conditions of life for the protagonist and her large brood in Liverpool. We completed our selections of books and scheduling for 2016, and it's now posted on the Meeting Dates and Discussion Books and Leaders pages. We will be meeting at noon on December 1 at the Kingston Inn for our Christmas Lunch.
June: Ian McEwan's The Children Act received unanimous plaudits from the group this month. We liked the spare storytelling, the interesting discussion of legal cases, and the understanding and portrayal of the characters' challenges. Susan, who led the discussion, felt the book conveyed some of the agonising challenges of family law -- with the lead character exhibiting an unusually high level of wisdom in the field. Deanna said the book held her interest from the start -- she couldn't put it down. There was less consensus about the ending...with some feeling they wanted more and others thinking the ending was about right.
March: Many members of the group rose to the challenge of this month's book (The Righteous Mind by Jonathan Haidt) and the discussion was excellent. Several in the group stressed that this is not a book for bedtime reading, but I think there was a consensus that it was valuable. Of course my view may be somewhat biased, as I chose the book and am a fan! Members of the group that took the morals assessment {here, if you would like to have a go:
http://www.yourmorals.org/?grp=d6ebfef47cbb72cba589ba9739460740 } showed that our members value loyalty and caring at levels well above what you would expect for conservatives or progressives. On to The Plague next month as we welcome Anthea back from S. Africa.
February: Penny's book choice, The Night Rainbow, was enjoyed by all and was a good follow-on to last month's book, which was also about childhood and parent-struggles. Many in the group, myself included, didn't expect to like the book from the outset, for various reasons. But a few chapters in, this view turned around and several members said they couldn't put the novel down. The book was admired for its writing, unique, clever approach, and appealing central character. It brought back memories of childhood adventures for Pauline, including imaginary friends.
Some Notes from 2014
December: We had the whole group present for our 2014 Christmas Do at the Market Cafe -- and had a lovely meal, with much laughter and a good bit of commiseration and empathy for those going through challenging times. We enjoyed a newsy card from the group's founder, Jane Baker, and send her our greetings! We are mostly looking forward to Christmas with friends and families and a happy New Year of reading. Secretary Celia will be with her sister's reading group in the States in January, but will be thinking of you all meeting at Susie's for "We are All Completely Beside Ourselves." The 2015 schedule was distributed in its usual Christmas card form (and is posted on the Discussion Dates and Leaders page.) Once again, a very Happy Christmas and Merry New Year to you all!
November: A very lively and noisy discussion today -- some of it even pertained to the thriller, 61 Hours, by Lee Child! We all agreed it was a fast-paced page-turner. I can't say more until I know Penny and Nancy are finished with it ...
The 2015 schedule and preparation for our Christmas lunch at The Market House (at noon on 8 December) in Somerton are coming together.
I've posted the draft schedule for next year on the Discussion Books and Leaders page. I did move two Monday meetings in the spring, as they appeared to fall on bank holidays. I've tentatively moved them to the following Monday in both cases. One of them is my date in April, so I can confirm that should be fine. Karis should have a think about her May date. Let me know if the calendar looks okay from your perspective. You know how I am with the confusing English calendar.
I didn't get to complete the announcement of my family's good news -- which is the reason I might not be able to be able to do the July date. My stepson, Rob, will be getting married to his lovely girlfriend, Lauren. We are utterly delighted! They haven't finalised a date yet, but it looks likely to be in late June or early July in Derbyshire, where Lauren's family farm.
I look forward to seeing you all at the December lunch (will ask Penny to contact Avril soon about her food preference).
October: A good discussion today of The Secret Keeper, the second Kate Morton novel we’ve read. Like The Secret Garden, this book was admired for its clever construction, interweaving the WW II-based story of the mother, with the current-day story of the children. I think we agreed it held our interest. A mixed verdict on the predictability of the ending... Susan guessed it, but others did not. Some thought it was gimmicky and unbelievable; some thought it was just too long, but all-in-all it was ranked as a good read. I think I was the only one who hadn’t finished it, pleading that my course work for The Science of Happiness course (free online course that you can sign up for here) and poor Dave having back problems at the end of our holiday in Port Isaac.
Onward ho! Next month we will either be at Deanna’s, if her family has made their planned move, or back with Pauline, who will be leading us in a discussion of 61 Hours by Lee Child. I will send out an e-mail alert on the finalised venue for November as and when. In the mean time, Avril will be scoping out The Market House in Somerton as a possible venue for our Christmas lunch -- we hope on 8th December (1st December if the 8th is not possible).
We made good progress on book nominations for next year! Well done ladies! So far I have:
Deanna’s nomination: Empress Orchid by Anchee Min
Susan’s nomination: The Children Act by Ian McEwan
Pauline’s nomination: A Cuppa Tea and an Aspirin by Helen Forrester
Susie’s nomination: We are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler
Avril’s nomination: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Althea’s nomination: The Plague by Albert Camus
Nancy’s nomination: Joseph Knight by James Robertson
Penny’s nomination: The Night Rainbow by Claire King
Karis’s nomination: The Honoured Society, by Norman Lewis
. . . . . . . .
Celia’s nominations: Then We Came to the End by Joshua Ferris (comedy)
or Murder Must Advertise by Dorothy Sayers (classic detective fiction)
or The Righteous Mind by Jonathan Haidt (non-fiction, moral psychology)
or All the Light we Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (WW-II fiction)
or The Magus of Hay by Phil Rickman (detective fiction set in Hay-on-Wye) or The Fabric of Sin (ghosts in the Prince’s property!) or To Dream of the Dead (local politics) in same series, which my husband enjoys (but I’ve not yet tried). I would appreciate some help in narrowing down my list of possibilities, if any of you would care to weigh in!
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June
Another fine discussion of a well-written page-turner, Sycamore Row, by John Grisham. Nancy led our discussion--will someone please convey our thanks and this message to her?
Nancy felt the book wasn’t as good as Grisham’s A Time to Kill. But those of us new to Grisham were impressed with the writing, the plotting, the characters, the sense of place and time that was conveyed... We detected signs that racism persisted in even the contemporary South and even in the ‘good’ characters in the book (including Jake, who'd never had a black person to his house before). Susan didn’t think the good judge was quite as good as he might have been. There was some disappointment with the outcome -- Deanna felt they shouldn’t have settled and Letty should have had the whole enchilada. Celia felt that it was a pragmatic outcome, the best that could be had. But it might have been nice if Letty had got the entire inheritance and had a chance to return the gratitude and grace shown by the forgiving parents of the boys killed by Letty’s husband... She could have personally chosen to give a million or two to the kids who were written out of the will, rather than condescendingly? having it all worked out for her by the judge. In this way the two-faced offspring would have had more than their just desserts, but their lawyers... nada. But I guess that's a fairytale ending.
Onward to July... when we will visit Penny’s for the first time. As promised, Penny’s details: Penny Bates, Lion House, Aller, TA10 0RA -- Tel. 01458 253977, Email--ralpenlion@btinternet.com. Penny’s drive is on the opposite side of the road, and opposite end of the village from my house. She is on the “levels” (low) side of Aller High St. and at the Othery end of town. If you are coming from Othery/Seven Bends, Penny is the drive to the right just past the little shop that sells bottled gas, eggs, plants (Matraver’s). If you are coming from Langport, you should drive past the Pound pub and past Cobwebs house on the left--the next left is Penny's drive. There are several houses on Penny’s drive. Pass Ilex Trees on the right and go straight to the bottom, right fork of the drive. Voila! You are at Penny’s! We will be discussing Josephine Tey’s Daughter of Time.
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April: I was remiss in not updating the website last month and not getting an email out to you all after our April meeting at Avril’s. Discussion of Sue Townsend’s The Woman Who Went to Bed for a Year was lively, and I think folks generally found it funny, with some of the characters quite detestable, unlikely, long-suffering, insufferable... Was there a lesson in all that? Maybe that over the long haul, we are all mutually dependent, and it won’t do either to always be the giver or always be the taker? I also wonder if ours was the last book group to discuss Ms. Townsend’s writing -- she died 3 days after our meeting. Next month we are at Susan’s to discuss The House by the Sea by Santa Montefiore. Don’t forget -- we will be gathering on May 6: TUESDAY -- this month only--due to the holiday on Monday.
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February: Painter of Silence was uniformly admired for its excellent writing and depiction of Romania before and after the revolution. Some found it slow-going, at least at first. I found it graceful and admired the way the author was able to write a portrait of a man without us ever hearing his words or voice. Penny (who was excused for grandmotherly duties) thought it was very clever and really conveyed a clear sense of both the countryside and cities of Eastern Europe. The biggest disappointment seemed to be the ending. Susan felt the appearance of Tinu's father was a bit unbelievable and too convenient, like the Greek deus ex machina.
We're in Aller (my place) next month, with David Sedaris' Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls.
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January: Excellent discussion of "Stoner" in January. Opinion ranged from "wouldn't read it" to "excellent" and "want to read it." Susan, Celia, and Avril were especially taken by the book. Susan felt it explored a number of interesting themes beautifully for its comparatively few pages. Avril thought so much of it that she gave it to her daughter for Christmas. Celia thought it was a timely portrayal of stoicism, exploring what makes people truly happy; the transmission and permutation of family dysfunction; reverse discrimination; and "third way" responses to insult and unfair treatment. Penny liked the vivid pictures conveyed by the spare writing and simplicity. Those who liked it less found it sad or slow-going (even the enthusiasts concurred -- slow-starting, but there is a point in the book where you can't put it down, Avril felt.)
We welcomed Penny Bates into the group this month and it looks like Penny enjoyed the group as much as the group enjoyed Penny. Looking forward to introducing Penny to Pauline and Nancy next month, we hope. Rumour has it that Pauline is fighting off bronchitis and Nancy had an appointment.
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2013
December: --Pictures from our Christmas lunch at The Retreat (in Ashcott) on Dec 2, 2013. Top left, Deanna and Avril. Top Right, Susan and Karis; Middle left, Pauline and Deanna. Middle Right, Karis and Susie. Bottom Left, Celia, Bottom Right, Susie, Anthea, and Pauline.
Please check the list of dates to be sure we haven't scheduled you to host / lead discussion on a date that is impossible for you.
We look forward to welcoming Penny Bates (from Aller) to our group in 2014.
