A Young Doctor’s Notebook by Mikhail Bulgakov

The Notebook has seven short stories based on the notes of a young Russian doctor (Bulgakov) and then a second book ‘Morphine’ describes the experience of another young (though we believe fictitious) doctor yet possibly based on Bulgakov’s own experience.

Some of our group were initially concerned about the subject thinking it might be full of the blood, guts and gore of the operating theatre. Their fears turned out to be unfounded and the book was, in fact, an excellent account of life in rural Russia at the start of the last century.

Bulgakov uses plain language to great descriptive effect. He makes excellent, often humorous, descriptions that are genuine and authentic.  He shares his own concerns in an honest, straight-forward style and leaves the reader a little more able to imagine what life must have been like for Russian peasants. Particularly striking are his descriptions of the harsh winter weather and blizzard conditions a doctor would have to travel in to make emergency calls.

Morphine is more haunting than the Notebook and some of the group found it quite boring as it ‘goes on a bit’.

Because each member of our group sources their own copy of each book we read we can have quite an array of different editions when a classic book is chosen. For this book we had two different translated versions. The original translation (A Country Doctor's Notebook) was much straighter in its language than The Young Doctor's Notebook so, for example: The Embroidered Towel became The Towel with the Cockerel Motif.

Despite the differences both versions of the book leave the reader feeling that Mikhail Bulgakov was a conscientious, compassionate man who had a great willingness to learn and was humble and intelligent enough to know when to take advice from others in his team who had more experience.  

Would we recommend this book? Yes, definitely although possibly not for a book group choice as it doesn't lead to extensive discussion.

Our next book and meeting are: Pure by Andrew Miller which we will be discussing on at 8.15pm on Tuesday 9th July. We hope to meet at Gatehangers as usual but that will depend on the new landlords. Sian will host and we will confirm venue with the next book choice. 

May 2013 Book Choices

 Pure by Andrew Miller

A year of bones, of grave-dirt, relentless work. Of mummified corpses and chanting priests. A year of rape, suicide, sudden death. Of friendship too. Of desire. Of love... A year unlike any other he has lived.

Deep in the heart of Paris, its oldest cemetery is, by 1785, overflowing, tainting the very breath of those who live nearby. Into their midst comes Jean-Baptiste Baratte, a young, provincial engineer charged by the king with demolishing it. At first Baratte sees this as a chance to clear the burden of history, a fitting task for a modern man of reason. But before long, he begins to suspect that the destruction of the cemetery might be a prelude to his own.

Children of Eve by Deirdre Purcell

Eve Moraghan broke one of the great taboos when she abandoned her children as toddlers. Now adults, Arabella, Willow and Rowan have heard nothing of their mother since the day she walked out the door, headed no one knows where. Why she went, they just don't know. But now, it seems, they're about to find out. Their mother's been in an accident, and she's sent word that she wants to see her children. The first reaction is to tell her to forget it. She gave up on them - why should they jump when she says so? And yet somehow they each find themselves on that plane, making the journey that will tell them what their past was all about - and open new doors into the future.

 

 

 

Salt by Jeremy Page

“The mud swelled and shrank round the house, dislodging the tiles on the roof and knocking the chimneypot on the huh, as they say in Norfolk. Inside, the floor buckled on imaginary tree roots.” This is the house in which Goose lives, in which her daughter, Lil’, is born, and which Pip, the narrator of Jeremy Page’s novel Salt, comes to know when he runs away from his father. Built on uncertain ground, it is a fitting home for this family of marsh folk. “It ain’t right,” says a friend much later in the novel, “livin’ on land that ain’t really land at all.”

Pip tells the story of three generations of his family, but the telling is itself an uncertain enterprise, connected as it is to the land on which it takes place, a salt marsh on the North Sea coast of England and covering events he did not witness. He must rely on the stories of others, especially his grandmother Goose, with whom the tale begins—but how much is story? How much is fact? How much is true?

 

Hope to see you at our next meeting when we will choose our next book - Tuesday 14th May, 8.15pm at Gatehangars.

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

It’s fair to say the group was split.

“I liked it” came a defiant cry from the corner as our group sat down to discuss this book.

“Why?” asked the less than impressed.

So, with gloves off, our discussion began.

Those who enjoyed this book cited their enjoyment of the subject matter. Those who didn't get what was so great about it felt life is too short!

“I expected to be irritated by the third person present tense.” Said one member of our group – “I was” said Felicity. We all agreed it is written in a confusing style.

One suggestion was to read this book in big chunks because it is very get ‘in-to-able’ – I couldn't get ‘in-to-it at all’ was the 'no' team retort.

After the initial dispute we got into some serious chat around the story. We agreed it is in an interesting subject tackled from an interesting angle. It was a good picture of life at the time and gave insight into aspects of life such as the annual plague.

Thomas, an impressively self-made man, seemed to be a good family man and got on with most people, despite his harsh start in life and it didn't feel like his loyalty to others was for his own gain or for his family to climb the ladder. Unlike (for example) the Boleyn family.

But, there were far too many Thomas’ in the story. Oh and Marys’ and Henrys’ but I don’t think we can hold that against the author as they were all real people.

“There are some funny bits and some humour” – that was the only positive comment one member could make.

Of our group (of nine) two had finished the book and two intended to do so. It is an acquired taste. It’s not a page turner and most of us won’t bother reading another Hilary Mantel book.

Enough said I think. Our next meeting is on 14th May when we will be discussing A Young Doctor's Note Book by Mikhail Bulgakov.