The Girl On The Train by Paula Hawkes

This book was highly recommended to us by another all-female book group. Billed as a 'psychological thriller' this was a new genre for us as a group read and it got a unanimous, and enthusiastic, vote as our next read. 

So, did we enjoy it?  

It's clever (nothing is obvious and it twists and turns in unexpected directions) BUT it's drawn out and yes, we know she's an alcoholic and we didn't need constant reminding. 

The idea of the train and the view into the gardens is great. Most of us imagine we have been on the same train line and enjoyed the garden spotting opportunities it presents! And, the tiny bits of information that are just dropped in to make the reader 'wonder' are really clever. 

It's is a real page turner - even the slow readers among us found they read it in record time. 

We expected to get chilled by a thriller, to feel afraid of what would happen next, to be frightened when reading alone at night, and we didn't. That's the disappointing bit.

The characters - well they are all a bit far-fetched. 

The police are really badly portrayed. We would spoiler the book if we explained why but their behaviour is so questionable that we wondered if it would offend most self-respecting police. 

We loved Cathy - what a good friend. We wonder what happened to Cathy after. 

Megan's story is so sad. Tom, we were not surprised by. Scott is weak and questionable. Kamal is a genuinely nice bloke (we had to re-read the kiss, it caused great debate). Mac is unforgivable. 

But why are all the women portrayed as losers and victims? We are actually quite angry about that. It's so unnecessary to do that. 

We ended our discussion trying to work out why is this book so popular? Marketing, Richard & Judy, very readable, there's a film, the title is clever and one you can relate to.  It's hype. 

We won't recommend it (but you might want to give it a go anyway and see what you think!)

Our next read is a classic: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and we will meet to discuss that on Thursday 26th January 2017 at 8pm in The Hundred. 

Book Choices - November 2016

Our next meeting is at 8pm on Thursday 17th November at The Hundred of Ashendon. We will be discussing The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins. 

Here are choices for our next read: 

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Generally considered to be F. Scott Fitzgerald's finest novel, The Great Gatsby is a consummate summary of the "roaring twenties", and a devastating expose of the "Jazz Age".

Through the narration of Nick Carraway, the reader is taken into the superficially glittering world of the mansions which lined the Long Island shore in the 1920s, to encounter Nick's cousin Daisy, her brash but wealthy husband Tom Buchanan, Jay Gatsby and the mystery that surrounds him.

Crooked Heart by Lissa Evans

Eccentric, hilarious, and devilishly witty, this Wartime tale of an evacuee during the Blitz is like no other. Noel Bostock is a ten-year-old orphan sent, for safety, to live with 36-year-old Vera Sedge, in St Albans. Vera is a livewire, with money problems and a scheming mind – Noel provides the intelligence to her hair-brained ideas and together they make a great team. 

These explosive characters will have you in fits of laughter, as you fall head over heels for this book. All of which is less of a surprise when you learn that the author was a Former producer of Father Ted and a director of Have I Got News For You.

The Japanese Lover by Isabel Allende

In 1939, as Poland falls under the shadow of the Nazis and the world goes to war, young Alma Belasco's parents send her overseas to live with an aunt and uncle in their opulent San Francisco mansion. There she meets Ichimei Fukuda, the son of the family's Japanese gardener, and between them a tender love blossoms, but following Pearl Harbor the two are cruelly pulled apart. Throughout their lifetimes, Alma and Ichimei reunite again and again, but theirs is a love they are forever forced to hide from the world.

Decades later, Alma is nearing the end of her long and eventful life. Irina Bazili, a care worker struggling to reconcile her own troubled past, meets the older woman and her grandson, Seth, at Lark House nursing home. As Irina and Seth forge a friendship, they become intrigued by a series of mysterious gifts and letters sent to Alma, and learn about Ichimei and this extraordinary secret passion that has endured for nearly seventy years.

The Road to Little Dribbling by Bill Bryson

“I ‘lolled’” ”I enjoyed it “  “it was a good choice”

So that’s it, we did it again, we chose another successful read – but of course we have more to say.

Let’s start with The Bryson Line. What a great idea, Mr Bryson decided to find a line and follow it. Only, we don’t think he did. We think Mr Bryson is a little self-centred and just wanted to get his name on the map AND that he may have already written the book before he put the line in. The Bryson Line was a big disappointment.  But, we still enjoyed the book.

It’s quite educational. We learned a lot. Things like the categorisation of roads in Britain. Who’d have thought it?

And, it’s true to life: people are rude in shops and having read this book we are now so much more aware of the issue. Though in Cuddington Stores they are not rude, they are lovely, so go there.

Swearing doesn’t really add any interest to a book like this. Why does an author feel the need to choose swear words and use them badly? There isn’t really a good variety of words – just a few – and he doesn’t really use them well. While we are at it, we didn’t like the tendency of an old man to muse either. On the other hand, Bill is an author who can poke fun at himself and his own country and that we enjoyed.

So, the honest truth here is that we enjoyed the book overall BUT it annoyed us too. In fact, the start is quite boring and hard to get into. If this hadn’t been a book group book it may have been put down and not picked up again. Because it was a book group read we persevered and the perseverance paid off – it got better!

For a start you find yourself realising you have been there: “Devon Torcross is where we used to go with the children every year”;  “Wittenham Woods are a Sunday favourite” , “Aberystwyth is  actually a lovely place and he over rates Crickhowell”. Just one thing though: It's The Isles of Scilly (please: they are NOT The Scilly Isles they are The Isles of Scilly. You can say Scilly but The Scillies is incorrect too - just saying).  

That said, thank you for sharing so many new places to visit and new books to read (one by Gilbert White sounds fascinating) - we need to plan some book group outings.

In conclusion we thought this book was an exceptional read packed full of things we take for granted in Britain like: nature, countryside and walks with rights of way. It took a foreigner to point this out and he’s right. Not many countries offer the same access to the open land. Even in Ireland you need to take a piece of pipe on walks so that you can put it over barbed wire fences when walking,

Would we recommend this book? Yes!

Our next read is The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins, which we will discuss on Thursday 17^th November at The Hundred of Ashendon.

Quick Ad Break: don’t miss the Literary Festival in Thame over the weekend of 15^th October. 

Book Choices - September 2016

Our next meeting will be on Thursday 22^nd September when we will be discussing The Road to Little Dribbling by Bill Bryson – see you at 8pm in The Hundred.

Isalda has kindly grabbed the baton and her suggestions for our next book choice are here:

Sweet Caress by William Boyd

Amory's first memory is of her father doing a handstand. She has memories of him returning on leave during the First World War. But his absences, both actual and emotional, are what she chiefly remembers. It is her photographer uncle Greville who supplies the emotional bond she needs, and, when he gives her a camera and some rudimentary lessons in photography, unleashes a passion that will irrevocably shape her future.

A spell at boarding school ends abruptly and Amory begins an apprenticeship with Greville in London, living in his flat in Kensington, earning two pounds a week photographing socialites for fashionable magazines. But Amory is hungry for more and her search for life, love and artistic expression will take her to the demi monde of Berlin of the late 1920s, to New York of the 1930s, to the Blackshirt riots in London and to France in the Second World War where she becomes one of the first women war photographers. Her desire for experience will lead Amory to further wars, to lovers, husbands and children as she continues to pursue her dreams and battle her demons.

In this enthralling story of a life fully lived, William Boyd has created a sweeping panorama of some of the most defining moments of modern history, told through the camera lens of one unforgettable woman, Amory Clay. It is his greatest achievement to date.

The Girl On The Train by Paula Hawkins

Rachel catches the same commuter train every morning. She knows it will wait at the same signal each time, overlooking a row of back gardens. She’s even started to feel like she knows the people who live in one of the houses. ‘Jess and Jason’, she calls them. Their life – as she sees it – is perfect. If only Rachel could be that happy.

And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. 

Now everything’s changed. Now Rachel has a chance to become a part of the lives she’s only watched from afar.

Now they’ll see; she’s much more than just the girl on the train…

Do No Harm by Henry Marsh

What is it like to be a brain surgeon?

How does it feel to hold someone's life in your hands, to cut through the stuff that creates thought, feeling and reason?

How do you live with the consequences when it all goes wrong?

DO NO HARM offers an unforgettable insight into the highs and lows of a life dedicated to operating on the human brain, in all its exquisite complexity. With astonishing candour and compassion, Henry Marsh reveals the exhilarating drama of surgery, the chaos and confusion of a busy modern hospital, and above all the need for hope when faced with life's most agonising decisions.

Clochemerle by Gabriel Chevallier

This is a vintage classic book, first published in Great Britain in 1936. It was originally written in French. It has been continually in print since 1936. Though not quite on par with Lady Chatterley's lover it is quite 'racy' and 'base' at times and surprisingly so for its time.

The story is of a French village in the Beaujolais wine region and complexity of living the simple life in a community centred around wine production!

Some of us enjoyed the Windmill Players stage performance of the story of Clochemerle and were quite surprised at the depth of the story in the book. In fact most of our group felt the book had taken longer to read then anticipated. The sentences are long, convoluted and very 'rich'. This is a book to read in small chunks and to be savoured. Our French member confirmed that this is the same in the French language version.

The underlying tone is satirical. We have a Frenchman poking fun at his fellow countrymen, and it is brilliantly witty and very funny. The outrageous behaviours of the church, the administration, the wartime military, the 'aristocracy' are carefully interlaced with the culture and traditions of ordinary small town/big village country folk.

We (inevitably as an all female group) got on to the subject of feminism and quickly concluded that we actually really enjoyed the scandalous way Gabriel wrote about the women of the village. This is irony, it's not supposed to be 'politically' correct!

So of the characters, the behaviour of two 'neighbourly' priests was, we felt, a 'hoot' and the stand off between the Contessa and Taridot is a perfect example of the way the author ridicules the establishment (in this example the class divide). The story is so full of brilliantly observed characterisation that it is impossible to single out any one person or incident.

We briefly considered whether English life at the same time bore any similarities. Yes, of course it probably compares on a rural community lifestyle perspective but the revolutionary undertones of the French culture has a style all of its own - when it comes to deference, the English do it and the French do not!

Would we recommend it? Yes, it's hard work but it's a very worthwhile read. We should challenge ourselves more often with our reading and so, we were pleased this book was suggested. So, on that basis we will 'suggest' it to others.

Our next book is The Road to Little Dribbling by Bill Bryson and we will discuss that when we next meet in The Hundred of Ashendon on Thursday 22nd September. 

Next book

Sorry I didn't get the last group review done and I don't have notes with me. The next book is Bill Bryson Road to Little Dribbling - I'll sort the rest when I'm back from my holidays w.c 25th July 

Book Choices - July 2016

I totally admit it has crept up on me and it's tomorrow that we will be meeting to discuss Clochemerle AND (if you have manged it) Clochemerle Babylon, by Gabriel Chevallier. We are meeting at 8pm in Sue's garden (or conservatory) to discuss these books and celebrate the Summer.

Our book choices for the next great read are below:

The Road to Little Dribbling by Bill Bryson

Twenty years ago, Bill Bryson went on a trip around Britain to celebrate the green and kindly island that had become his adopted country. The hilarious book that resulted: Notes from a Small Island, was taken to the nation's heart and became the bestselling travel book ever, and was also voted in a BBC poll the book that best represents Britain. 

To mark the twentieth anniversary of that modern classic, Bryson makes a brand-new journey round Britain to see what has changed. Following (but not too closely) a route he dubs the Bryson Line, from Bognor Regis to Cape Wrath, by way of places that many people never get to at all, Bryson sets out to rediscover the wondrously beautiful, magnificently eccentric, endearingly unique country that he thought he knew but doesn't altogether recognize any more. Yet, despite Britain's occasional failings and more or less eternal bewilderments, Bill Bryson is still pleased to call our rainy island - Home. And not just because of the cream teas, a noble history, and an extra day off at Christmas. Once again, with his matchless homing instinct for the funniest and quirkiest, his unerring eye for the idiotic, the endearing, the ridiculous and the scandalous, Bryson gives us an acute and perceptive insight into all that is best and worst about Britain today.

Look Who's Back by Timur Vermes and Jamie Bulloch

Berlin, Summer 2011. Adolf Hitler wakes up on a patch of open ground, alive and well. Things have changed - no Eva Braun, no Nazi party, no war. Hitler barely recognises his beloved Fatherland, filled with immigrants and run by a woman.

People certainly recognise him, albeit as a flawless impersonator who refuses to break character. The unthinkable, the inevitable happens, and the ranting Hitler goes viral, becomes a YouTube star, gets his own T.V. show, and people begin to listen. But the Führer has another programme with even greater ambition - to set the country he finds a shambles back to rights.

Look Who's Back stunned and then thrilled 1.5 million German readers with its fearless approach to the most taboo of subjects. Naive yet insightful, repellent yet strangely sympathetic, the revived Hitler unquestionably has a spring in his step.

The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

The Victorian language of flowers was used to express emotions: honeysuckle for devotion, azaleas for passion, and red roses for love. But for Victoria Jones, it has been more useful in communicating feelings like grief, mistrust and solitude. After a childhood spent in the foster care system, she is unable to get close to anybody, and her only connection to the world is through flowers and their meanings.

Now eighteen, Victoria has nowhere to go, and sleeps in a public park, where she plants a small garden of her own. When her talent is discovered by a local florist, she discovers her gift for helping others through the flowers she chooses for them. But it takes meeting a mysterious vendor at the flower market for her to realise what's been missing in her own life, and as she starts to fall for him, she's forced to confront a painful secret from her past, and decide whether it's worth risking everything for a second chance at happiness.

The Language of Flowers is a heartbreaking and redemptive novel from author Vanessa Diffenbaugh, about the meaning of flowers, the meaning of family, and the meaning of love.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Six of us enjoyed a surprisingly extended chat about a novel that tells the story of African-American maids in white households during the 1960's. Day to day these ladies went about their work with a professional pride. By night they took the opportunity to quietly tell their stories in a book crafted by a young white journalist who had herself known and loved her childhood maid. The book is set at the time of Civil Rights activism that helped to shape a different future for women like Aibileen, Minny, Yule Mae and their families. 

The book had to work hard for our affections. Not everyone found it an easy read, some of us were able to put it down, we hadn't all got to the end in time for book group. For others it was a page turner. So the comments bounced around between us. 

"I loved the different voices" "I felt like an outsider" "I read for hours and hours, I couldn't put it down" "I wasn't absorbed by it" and so on. All that said, everyone found this a very good book and an exceptional story. 

The white women were pretty awful, but times were changing and characters like Skeeter (the determined young white journalist) and Celia (a troubled, innocent,  'white trash' social misfit) were able to make things a little bit different. We loved them for it. 

Of the characters, we thought Hilly was particularly despicable whereas Jonny and Celia were lovely. Skeeter was before her time and definately her father's daughter. 

Our conversation moved on to the real names that feature in the book - Emmett Till and Medgar Evers - who were part of the story of the Civil Rights journey in Mississippi. Oh and today was Malcolm X day so he got a mention too.

Inevitably one of our other recent reads - Fried Green Tomatoes - was compared to The Help (they both focus on Civil Rights). The Help we thought was more political and reflected on 'the time' rather than being 'in the time.'

We enjoyed being able to 'hear' the accents as we read. We loved the relationship between Aibileen and Minny who were women of different ages and mutually supportive of each others' hard circumstances. We disliked the small mindedness and snobbery of the middle classed women. 

The most memorable line in the book simultaneously recalled by two of us "I know how to stop the teapot lid from rattling". 

As we continued deep into the evening picking up on bits of the story, lines, characters, occurrences it became clear that this book had left its mark on us all. We did all enjoy it, we do all recommend it. So, despite the mixed response this was in fact an enjoyable, thought provoking, read that we all liked very much. 

For the next couple of months we will be reading Clochemerle AND Clochemerle Babylon, both by Gabriel Chevallier and we will meet on MONDAY 11th July at 8pm in Sue's garden (or conservatory) to discuss these books and celebrate the Summer. Let's hope its a sunny evening and a date we can all make. 

Book Choices - May 2016

Our next meeting will be on Thursday 19^th May 2016 at 8pm in The Hundred of Ashendon when we will be discussing The Help by Kathryn Stockett. 

Life and Death in Shanghai by Nien Chang

A first-hand account of China's cultural revolution. Nien Cheng, an anglophile and fluent English-speaker who worked for Shell in Shanghai under Mao, was put under house arrest by Red Guards in 1966 and subsequently jailed. All attempts to make her confess to the charges of being a British spy failed; all efforts to indoctrinate her were met by a steadfast and fearless refusal to accept the terms offered by her interrogators. When she was released from prison she was told that her daughter had committed suicide. In fact Meiping had been beaten to death by Maoist revolutionaries

Clochemerle by Gabriel Chevallier 

Gabriel Chevallier's delightful novel Clochemerle satirizes the titanic confrontation of secular and religious forces in a small wine-growing village in Beaujolais. The eruption begins when the socialist mayor decides that he wants to leave behind a monument to his administration's achievements. He takes as his model the ancient Romans, who were famous for two things: hygiene and noble edifices. Thus, he decides to unite the two concepts...by constructing a public urinal in the centre of town. There is one problem, however. The chosen locale is next to the village church, and this outrages the ecclesiastical party.

Alternative/Optional Follow on: Clochemerle-Babylon

Ignorant of the outside world, the Clochemerlins had only one wish, to sell their wine and to sell it at a fair price. Was that an unreasonable demand? The thing to do was to find out what the big shots, those in power, had to say about it. Not being in office, the Opposition parties were ready to promise you the earth. They could offer to share out the moon in slices, it cost them nothing. The Socialist theory, founded on equal shares in all wealth, attracted numerous Clochemerlins. Not that they were disposed to share what they had. On the contrary they hoped, when the great share-out took place, to receive more from those who had more than themselves.

 

The Ghost Road by Pat Barker

1918, the closing months of the war. Army psychiatrist William Rivers is increasingly concerned for the men who have been in his care - particularly Billy Prior, who is about to return to combat in France with young poet Wilfred Owen. As Rivers tries to make sense of what, if anything, he has done to help these injured men, Prior and Owen await the final battles in a war that has decimated a generation ... The Ghost Road is the Booker Prize-winning account of the devastating final months of the First World War.

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

10 members or our group met to discuss this book and the conversation flowed as we unwrapped layer after layer of this wonderful story. 

For the first time in a long time we were unanimous - we loved this book. It was easy to read with short chapters and it was brought up to date at the end which gave us a kind of 'closure'. This is a beautifully written GOOD BOOK with an atmosphere that draws in the reader.

The story is a cleverly presented account of the German occupation of France in WW2. It is told through the parallel lives of two young people: Marie-Laure and Werner whose lives were connected despite their being on opposing sides.

Werner: In Nazi Germany, a young orphan boy who lives in a sparse children’s home with his young sister. He is exceptionally bright and curious with a knack for fixing radios. He fixes one old radio and becomes spellbound by a nightly science program broadcast from France. His talents in maths and science win him a coveted spot in a Hitler Youth Academy. This is his only chance of escape from a grim life working in the same deadly coal mines that killed his father.

Marie-Laure: In Paris, France,  a shy, freckled redhead. She is intuitive, clever and sensitive. She lives with her locksmith father who works at a museum. When she goes blind from a degenerative disease at the age of six, her father builds a detailed miniature model of their neighbourhood, so she can memorise every street, building and corner by tracing the model with her nimble fingers. When the Germans attack Paris she and her father must flee to the coastal town of Saint-Malo to live with a great-uncle who lives in a tall house next to a sea wall.

There were some surprising turns in terms of timing and outcomes. Things you expect to happen do so, but not when you most expect them to.

The obvious brain-washing of the Hitler Youth was well described and we felt the book could be set anywhere at any time as the same things are still going on today. The plight of the ordinary German people during WW2 was also well represented and we imagine it was probably worse for them than for the UK as they were suppressed and controlled by their own leaders as well as coming under the attack by their enemies. 

We warmed to most of the characters including Marie-Laure's father Daniel, her uncle Etienne, the museum porters and academics, the people of Saint-Malo, Frederick, Frederick's mother and so on. It was Marie-Laure we loved most and she was also loved by those around her in her life. She was gentle, often frightened yet determined enough to make the right decisions. 

Werner was the other favourite. He was a lovely lad in a situation where he had no real option but to comply (as the fate of his academy friend, Frederick, proved). Werner did try to stand up to orders but this led to his early departure from the academy. Eventually though, at the point where he could finally take control, he made a right decision thanks to his gentle giant friend and colleague Frank Volkheimer who quietly turned a blind eye. Jutta, Werner's sister, was a strong character who may well have challenged the 'status quo' had she been in Werner's shoes (probably to her own detriment). 

Frau Elena the German housekeeper and Madame Manec the French housekeeper were both strong characters who cared deeply for the people they looked after. Both went far beyond expectations to keep their 'charges' safe. 

We most disliked Sargeant Major Von Rumpel who stood out as an individual seemingly operating for his own interest.

Would we recommend this book? Yes, highly!

As an end note, we are lucky enough to have a Parisienne in our group who took the time to illustrate and share her very local knowledge of the area in and around the Jardin des Plantes. This is where Marie-Laure and her father lived  and where he worked at the Natural History museum. The botanical garden looks exceptionally beautiful and has been added to our list of Book Group places to visit when in Paris.

Our next meeting will be on Thursday 19^th May 2016 at 8pm in The Hundred of Ashendon when we will be discussing The Help by Kathryn Stockett. 

Free Online Course - Gabriel Garcia Marquez

For anyone who is not aware, there is an organisation called Future Learn who offer a diverse selection of online courses to anyone who registers, and they are free.

I have completed a number of these courses, which are authored by leading academic institutions throughout the world. Thanks to Future Learn my knowledge now spans an eclectic mix of subjects including World Food Poverty, Hadrian's Wall, Renewable Energy and World War 1 Heroism.

Imagine my delight when one of the authors we have recently enjoyed popped up on the list of courses available. I have signed up for the course, which starts on 30th May, and thought I would share, and encourage, my fellow Book Group members to join up if interested.

Click Here to find out more about the Gabriel Garcia Marquez online learning opportunity.

Book Choices - March 2016

Our next meeting is THURSDAY 24th March 8pm at The Hundred of Ashendon. We will be discussing All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr.

Book choices for our next read are as follows - please email me (Sian) if you can't make the meeting and have a preference.

The Art of Being Brilliant by Andy Cope and Andy Whittaker

This short, small, highly illustrated book will fill you to the brim with happiness, positivity, wellbeing and, most importantly, success! Andy Cope and Andy Whittaker are experts in the art of happiness and positive psychology and The Art of Being Brilliant is crammed full of good advice, instructive case studies, inspiring quotes, some funny stuff and important questions to make you think about your work, relationships and life.

You see being brilliant, successful and happy isn t about dramatic change, it s about finding out what really works for you and doing more of it! The authors lay down their six common–sense principles that will ensure you focus on what you re good at and become super brilliant both at work and at home.

A richly illustrated, 2 colour, small book full of humour, inspiring quotes and solid advice.

A great read with a serious underlying message how to foster positivity and bring about success in every aspect of your life

Outlines six common–sense principles that will help you ensure you are the best you can be.

Friday's Child by Georgette Heyer

Rejected by the incomparable Miss Milborne for his unsteadiness of character, wild Lord Sheringham is bent on avenging Fate and coming into his fortune. But the very first woman he should see is Hero Wantage, the young and charmingly unsophisticated chit, who has loved him since childhood ...

Friday's Child is a typically sweeping historical romance by the queen of the genre, who for fifty years won the hearts of readers worldwide and has found a new devoted readership in the twenty-first century.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

A phenomenal international bestseller (that inspired the Oscar nominated film) by Kathryn Stockett.

Enter a vanished and unjust world: Jackson, Mississippi, 1962. Where black maids raise white children, but aren't trusted not to steal the silver . . .

There's Aibileen, raising her seventeenth white child and nursing the hurt caused by her own son's tragic death; Minny, whose cooking is nearly as sassy as her tongue; and white Miss Skeeter, home from College, who wants to know why her beloved maid has disappeared.

Skeeter, Aibileen and Minny. No one would believe they'd be friends; fewer still would tolerate it. But as each woman finds the courage to cross boundaries, they come to depend and rely upon one another. Each is in a search of a truth. And together they have an extraordinary story to tell...

Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel García Márquez

8 members of our group met to discuss this very short book.  Because I struggled to find anything about the book that inspired conversation I expected we would have an equally short meeting. I should have known better as the shared experience of reading rarely leads to predictable discussion and this meeting was 'book group' at its very best.

The opening comment: "I hated the Glass Castle BUT I thought this book was really good!" met with a howl of (dismissive) laughter from the far corner BUT then a conversation began to flow that turned out to be significantly longer, and to a greater depth, than I thought possible.

The story is of the short period of time surrounding an event that occurred in a small (Columbian) village. It is, apparently, loosely, based on a real event that took place in the 1950's and yet is more akin to Mediaeval times!

A narrator who did not witness the event tells the story. Through research and interview (he) pulls many threads together so that, eventually, he can claim 'I saw it in my memory'.

There is an of illusion simplicity. The book isn't long and it's certainly no mystery. The reader knows the ending from the outset. It is though, we concluded, extremely clever to write a book having disclosed the ending and yet, keep the reader unaware of what happens.

There is no scene painting and no real background provided of the characters. We couldn't name a favourite character as we didn't get to know any of them. We were not supposed to get to know them, we were 'simply' supposed to know the story of an event that lasted about an hour and a half. Readers can draw their own conclusions about what happened and think about 'why?' it was allowed to happen. This story is richer on reflection. It is not as it appears, a simple piece of writing.

The story is a brilliant illustration of community failing to take responsibility. It is gory. Some of the group found it 'boring' and others of us (including me) just didn't 'get it' until...we talked it through. My failing was that I read it in short bursts, a few pages at a time. This is a book to read in one or two 'sittings'.  I felt I was going two steps forward and three steps back as I continually re-read sections in order to remind myself of who was who - It is easy to lose track. I will one day give it another go on a holiday 'readathon'!

After a long and enlightening conversation the perfectly put closing comment was: 'I'm glad it wasn't longer - it was exactly enough!'

Would we recommend this book? yes - to friends that we think would 'get it' and enjoy it.

Our next meeting is THURSDAY 24th March 8pm at The Hundred of Ashendon. We will be discussing All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. 

Book Choices - January 2016

We are meeting at 8pm in The Hundred of Ashendon on Thursday 21st January and will be discussing A Chronicle of Death Foretold by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. 

Book choices for our next read are as follows - please email me (sian) if you can't make the meeting and have a preference. 

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

A beautiful, stunningly ambitious novel about a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in occupied France as both try to survive the devastation of World War II

Open your eyes and see what you can with them before they close forever.’

For Marie-Laure, blind since the age of six, the world is full of mazes. The miniature of a Paris neighbourhood, made by her father to teach her the way home. The microscopic layers within the invaluable diamond that her father guards in the Museum of Natural History. The walled city by the sea, where father and daughter take refuge when the Nazis invade Paris. And a future which draws her ever closer to Werner, a German orphan, destined to labour in the mines until a broken radio fills his life with possibility and brings him to the notice of the Hitler Youth.

In this magnificent, deeply moving novel, the stories of Marie-Laure and Werner illuminate the ways, against all odds, people try to be good to one another.

The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton

Widely regarded as one of Edith Wharton's greatest achievements, The Age of Innocence is not only subtly satirical, but also a sometimes dark and disturbing comedy of manners in its exploration of the 'eternal triangle' of love. Set against the backdrop of upper-class New York society during the 1870s, the author's combination of powerful prose combined with a thoroughly researched and meticulous evocation of the manners and style of the period, has delighted readers since the novel's first publication in 1920. 

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou's seven volumes of autobiography are a testament to the talents and resilience of this extraordinary writer. This is arguably her best. Loving the world, she also knows its cruelty. As a Black woman she has known discrimination and extreme poverty, but also hope, joy, achievement and celebration. In this first volume of her autobiography, Maya Angelou beautifully evokes her childhood with her grandmother in the American south of the 1930s. She learns the power of the white folks at the other end of town and suffers the terrible trauma of rape by her mother's lover.

'I write about being a Black American woman, however, I am always talking about what it's like to be a human being. This is how we are, what makes us laugh, and this is how we fall and how we somehow, amazingly, stand up again' Maya Angelou