Book Choices for Autumn

We will meet at 8pm, at The Hundred, on Thursday 27th October to discuss our current read: The Hound in the Left-Hand Corner by Giles Waterfield. The choices for our next read are below: 

Thunder God by Paul Watkins

In this time of violent change a young man, struck by lightning, is believed to be marked by the gods as a keeper of the Norse religion's greatest secret. 

To save the Norse faith and himself, he embarks upon a journey, where he must confront not only his own gods but the gods of a people yet more savage.

Every Day Is Mother’s Day by Hilary Mantel

A story of suburban mayhem and merciless, hilarious revenge.

Barricaded inside their house filled with festering rubbish, unhealthy smells and secrets, the Axon family baffle Isabel Field - the latest in a long line of social workers.

Isabel has other problems too: a randy, untrustworthy father and a slackly romantic lover, Colin Sidney, a history teacher to unresponsive yobs and father of a parcel of horrible children. With all this to worry about, how can Isabel begin to understand what is happening in the Axon household?

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Drawing on her life as an indigenous scientist, a mother, and a woman, Kimmerer shows how other living beings - asters and goldenrod, strawberries and squash, salamanders, algae, and sweetgrass - offer us gifts and lessons, even if we’ve forgotten how to hear their voices. 

In a rich braid of reflections ranging from Turtle Island's creation to the forces that threaten its flourishing today, she circles toward a central argument: that the awakening of a wider ecological consciousness requires the acknowledgement and celebration of our reciprocal relationship with the rest of the living world. 

Only when we can hear the languages of other beings will we be capable of understanding the earth's generosity, and learning to give our own gifts in return.

The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox - Maggie O'Farrell

8 of us met to discuss our feelings about this book.

Surprisingly most of us had read this book before, and not one of us had remembered much of the story told. Perhaps it is a subject that brains choose not to retain. it is, after all, heart-rending.

The mystery of how so many of us had read the book before was cleared when Hilary showed us her book -10 years ago, I shared this book when I was given World Book Day copies to distribute.: 

We really enjoyed reading this book and those who had read it before felt it was a different reading experience the second time read. Why? We couldn’t put into words. Are we more aware of mental health issues? did we focus on different aspects of the situation? does the second read come with more understanding? Whatever it was we felt it was not wasted time (even for those of us who rarely re-read books). 

We spent time discussing whether the action taken at the very end of the book was justified. Given the circumstances with which it came about, we mostly felt it probably was. 

Of the characters: 

Esme was quirky, spirited, traumatised, misunderstood (in a terrible way) and absolutely didn’t deserve what happened to her and how she was subsequently treated. We were left angry and horrified by her story. 

Iris was a wonderful woman put into a very difficult situation and we felt sorry for her for that, but we also felt ‘proud’ of her for the decision she made when faced with a very human dilemma. 

We loved the construct of the story – how it developed the characters, how it went back and forth to the past and how dementia was portrayed. There were surprises at every turn. 

The story showcases the cruelty of the past. We did question whether it really is in the past, or whether what happens today can be equally as cruel to people like Esme. One of our members recalled a Woman’s Hour guest telling the story of her son who, through no fault of hers, was in a similar (more modern) predicament to Esme and, she said, there is seemingly nothing she can do to get him out of the situation.

This led us on to the subject of the closure of institutions and how people have been treated in the past vs. today and the language and the attitudes toward people who just don’t fit with the social norm. Certainly, what happened in the past was often very wrong but, we wondered, is what happens now much better? 

Would we recommend this book? Most definitely we would, and suggest you read it twice!

Our next book was selected from three recommended by a friend. All three are books written by her author friends. It was a difficult choice so we decided to go for what we hope will be a ‘light-hearted’ good read: The Hound in the Left-Hand Corner by Giles Waterfield which we will discuss at 8pm at The Hundred on Thursday 27th October. 

Book Choices to Leave Summer Behind

We will meet on Thursday 18th August 2022 at 8pm in The Hundred of Ashendon to discuss The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O'Farrell. Then choose our next read from the following choices:

Thunderstone by Nancy Campbell

In the wake of a traumatic lockdown, Nancy Campbell buys an old caravan and drives it into a strip of neglected woodland between a canal and railway. It is the first home she has ever owned.

As summer begins, Nancy embraces the challenge of how to live well in a space in which possessions and emotions often threaten to tumble – clearing industrial junk from the soil to help wild beauty flourish. But when illness and uncertainty loom once more, it is this van anchored in the woods, and the unconventional friendships forged off-grid, that will bring her solace and hope.

An intimate journal across the space of a defining summer, Thunderstone is a celebration of the people and places that hold us when the storms gather; an invitation to approach life with imagination and to embrace change bravely.

The Hound in the Left-Hand Corner by Giles Waterfield

In this brilliantly witty satire a prestigious British museum launches an ambitious new exhibit...which quickly becomes a seasonal nightmare. Think that a day in the life of a London museum director is cold, quiet, and austere? Think again. Giles Waterfield brings a combination of intellectual comedy and knockabout farce to the subject in this story of one long day in a museum full of scandals, screw-ups, and more than a few scalawags. At the beginning of The Hound in the Left-hand Corner, Auberon, the brilliant but troubled director of the Museum of British History, is preparing one midsummer's day for the opening of the most spectacular exhibition his museum has ever staged. The centrepiece is a painting of the intriguing Lady St. John strikingly attired as Puck, which hasn't been shown in London in a hundred years. As the day passes, the portrait arouses disquieting questions, jealousies, rivalries -- and more than a few strange affections -- in the minds of the museum staff. As guests and employees pour in, the tension rises -- and Auberon himself has the hilariously ridiculous task of keeping the peace, without losing his own sense of reality as well. For everyone who loves the farce of David Lodge and Michael Frayn, or even the Antiques Roadshow, the fast-paced, hilarious satire of The Hound in the Left-hand Corner is sure to delight and entertain.

Black Mamba Boy by Nadifa Mohamed

WINNER OF THE BETTY TRASK AWARD LONGLISTED FOR THE ORANGE PRIZE GRANTA BEST OF YOUNG BRITISH NOVELISTS 2013 

For fans of Half of a Yellow Sun, a stunning novel set in 1930s Somalia spanning a decade of war and upheaval, all seen through the eyes of a small boy alone in the world. Aden,1935; a city vibrant, alive, and full of hidden dangers. And home to Jama, a ten-year-old boy. But then his mother dies unexpectedly and he finds himself alone in the world. Jama is forced home to his native Somalia, the land of his nomadic ancestors. 

War is on the horizon and the fascist Italian forces who control parts of East Africa are preparing for battle. Yet Jama cannot rest until he discovers whether his father, who has been absent from his life since he was a baby, is alive somewhere. This story of one boy's long walk to freedom is also the story of how the Second World War affected Africa and its people; a story of displacement and family.

The Kindness of Enemies – Leila Aboulela

A select five of us discussed this book on June 9th.

To say there were mixed feelings is not putting it too strongly!

However, there was general agreement that we all enjoyed the historical part of the story, especially as it is based on factual events running parallel with the Crimean War. None of us had realised that Russia had been fighting on two fronts during this time. It was interesting to learn about the history of Dagestan and Chechnia.

Imam Shamil lived until 1871 and is still revered as a learned and spiritual leader.

The governess Anna Drancy did indeed write her memoirs after being released and her description of the kidnapping tallies with the book. Apparently, other family members and house guests were also kidnapped.

Anna Chavchavadze went on to have nine children with David, who sadly never managed to raise the funds in his lifetime to take back their estate,  having mortgaged it as part of the ransom money.

There was disagreement over the style of writing. Some of us had trouble relating to the current-day characters and found the writing very ‘flat’. There wasn’t enough background to understand what drove Natasha, Malak and Oz. Others were very much enjoying the read and had a clearer picture in their heads!

The whole identity issue reminded us of the previous book, The Vanishing Half. Many of the characters struggled to find their real ‘home’, especially  Natasha, torn between her Sudanese and Russian roots,  and Jamaledin who found he preferred the ‘civilisation’ of St Petersburg to that of his homeland in the mountains. We never really got to the bottom of Oz’s issues.

No surprise that much of our conversation revolved around the current situation in Russia/Ukraine and how history (sadly) continues to repeat itself.

Would we recommend it?

Even if only for the interesting history, yes.

The next book is The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O’Farrell and we shall meet on August 18th at 20:00  hours in The Hundred.

Book Choices for Summer 2022

We will meet on Thursday 9th June 2022 at 8pm in The Hundred of Ashendon to discuss The Kindness of Enemies by Leila Aboulela. Then choose our next read from the following choices:

The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O'Farrell

Maggie O’Farrell takes readers on a journey to the darker places of the human heart, where desires struggle with the imposition of social mores. This haunting story explores the seedy past of Victorian asylums, the oppression of family secrets, and the way truth can change everything.

In the middle of tending to the everyday business at her vintage clothing shop and sidestepping her married boyfriend’s attempts at commitment, Iris Lockhart receives a stunning phone call: Her great-aunt Esme, whom she never knew existed, is being released from Cauldstone Hospital - where she has been locked away for over sixty years. Iris’s grandmother Kitty always claimed to be an only child. But Esme’s papers prove she is Kitty’s sister, and Iris can see the shadow of her dead father on Esme’s face. Esme has been labelled harmless - sane enough to coexist with the rest of the world. But Esme’s still basically a stranger, a family member never mentioned by the family, and one who is sure to bring life-altering secrets with her when she leaves the ward. If Iris takes her in, what dangerous truths might she inherit?

Maggie O’Farrell’s intricate tale of family secrets lost lives, and the freedom brought by truth will haunt readers long past its final page.

Snap by Belinda Bauer 

On a stifling summer's day, eleven-year-old Jack and his two sisters sit in their broken-down car, waiting for their mother to come back and rescue them. Jack's in charge, she said. I won't be long.

But she doesn't come back. She never comes back. And life as the children know it is changed forever.

Three years later, mum-to-be Catherine wakes to find a knife beside her bed and a note that says: I could have killed you.

Meanwhile, Jack is still in charge - of his sisters, of supporting them all, of making sure nobody knows they're alone in the house, and - quite suddenly - of finding out the truth about what happened to his mother.

But the truth can be a dangerous thing...

Germinal by Émile Zola, Roger Pearson (Translator)

This is the thirteenth novel in Émile Zola’s great Rougon-Macquart sequence, Germinal expresses outrage at the exploitation of the many by the few, but also shows humanity’s capacity for compassion and hope.

Etienne Lantier, an unemployed railway worker, is a clever but uneducated young man with a dangerous temper. Forced to take a back-breaking job at Le Voreux mine when he cannot get other work, he discovers that his fellow miners are ill, hungry, in debt, and unable to feed and clothe their families. When conditions in the mining community deteriorate even further, Lantier finds himself leading a strike that could mean starvation or salvation for all.

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

We met to discuss this book, but first some exciting news. Three of our group were lucky enough to meet Anna McNuff, the author of The Pants of Perspective, a book we read exactly a year before. So let me tell you a little about that first. 

Anna was invited to visit a local school by a headteacher who was told about her by one of her teachers (who happens to be in our group!). The offer to come along to visit the school and listen to Anna talking to the children was extended to our group which was (for me) an opportunity too good to miss. Anna is a lovely, warm and very genuine person who can connect with people of all ages - her reveal of her Pants of Perspective (see them below) was particularly entertaining and the children loved it. I loved meeting her. In her books she talks about her close friends and, having met her, it's easy to see why she has so many.

"Gosh, I wish I could look as cool as Anna!"

Anyway, a year on from reading Anna McNuff, we were discussing a very different read indeed. A book about the Vignes twins - 2 sisters - who grew up in a small, black community, in the 'Deep South' habituated by fair-skinned African Americans, who neither accept their African heritage nor fit into the white American dream. Aged 16 the sisters escape their home town, determined to make it in the big wide world. From here their relationship and their lives changed beyond expectation.

Our discussion centred mainly around how this book makes the reader think, and feel, about being black or white. 

We kicked off with a big question: what is white? These girls had the choice to be themselves or to live their lives as white, or as black. The question raised many more questions: are you white because you are white or does your heritage define your colour/race? And why does it matter? When you look white but believe things happen "because you are black" how does that shape who you want to be? what do you choose to tell other people? and how does all this shape the decisions you make, that may not be possible to undo? Is white 'safer'? does white mean freedom? 

This book contains some shocking scenes that challenge the reader to consider the decisions each of the twins made.

This is not a book about race or racism, it is about attitudes and perspectives. It's a book that makes you think hard. As one of our group said: "I'm white, straight and white, I'm boring!"

There is a nice selection of supporting characters that add further food for thought. 

Would we recommend it? - yes, it's a powerful read.

Our next book is The Kindness of Enemies by Leila Aboulela and we will meet at 8pm on 9th June 2022 in The Hundred. 

 

Book choices for Spring into Summer

A Rising Man by Amir Mukherjee

India, 1919. Desperate for a fresh start, Captain Sam Wyndham arrives to take up an important post in Calcutta's police force. He is soon called to the scene of a horrifying murder. The victim was a senior official, and a note in his mouth warns the British to leave India – or else.

Klara and The Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro

'The Sun always has ways to reach us.'

From her place in the store, Klara, an Artificial Friend with outstanding observational qualities, watches
carefully the behaviour of those who come in to browse, and of those who pass in the street outside. She remains hopeful a customer will soon choose her, but when the possibility emerges that her circumstances may change forever, Klara is warned not to invest too much in the promises of humans.

In Klara and The Sun, Kazuo Ishiguro looks at our rapidly changing world through the eyes of an unforgettable narrator to explore a fundamental question: what does it mean to love?

The Kindness of Enemies by Leila Aboulela

Natasha Wilson knows how difficult it is to fit in. Born to a Russian mother and a Muslim father, she feels adrift in Scotland and longs for a place that really feels like home.

Then she meets Oz, a charismatic and passionate student at the university where Natasha teaches. As their bond deepens, stories from Natasha's research come to life - tales of forbidden love and intrigue in the court of the Tsar.

But when Oz is suspected of radicalism, Natasha's own work and background suddenly come under the spotlight. As suspicions grow around her, and friends and colleagues back away, Natasha stands to lose the life she has fought to build.

We will meet on Thursday 31st March, 2022 at 8pm in The Hundred of Ashendon to discuss our reading experience of The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters.

The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters

I am more than a little embarrassed for the time it has taken to summarise our thoughts on this book. In all honesty, I struggled to put pen to paper because I did not enjoy this read AND I failed to finish the book. Usually, when I feel that way, other members of our group offer points of view that help me to find a way to represent the thoughts and feelings of us all and to offer a balanced review of our discussion. I just couldn't find a way to do that, this time. 

So here is a list of the comments made at our meeting back in January in which nine of us sat down to a (short) chat about this read.

What did we feel about this book? "It wasn't doing anything for me." "I stopped reading, it was a waste of my time." "I kept going and I did enjoy it in the end." "I had to force myself to read it." "It could have been 100 pages shorter."

What about the story? "A weak and predictable plot." "It was unrealistic, I lost the plot." "I went up and down those stairs too many times!" "I didn't think it was authentic."

Which characters did we like? "I didn't care about any of the characters."

Any redeeming features? "I was a social commentary, the breakdown of class after WW1, the fall of the 'gentile woman' BUT then it turned into a costume drama!", "A well-bred woman was doing the work of a 'char'." "The elderly Victorian gentry were having to change." "Lodgers were paying guests without rules - that's how the upper-class could justify their fall from grace." "It was well written." "We have read worse!"

That's it - sorry Sarah Waters, of Tipping the Velvet fame, you didn't add much value to our lives with this book. 

On the bright side, we can shut the door on that book and move on to our next read The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett and look forward to discussing that on Thursday 31st March, 8pm at The Hundred. 

Book choices to kick off 2022

The Vanishing Half by Britt Bennett

The Vignes twin sisters will always be identical. But after growing up together in a small, southern black community and running away at age sixteen, it's not just the shape of their daily lives that is different as adults, it's everything: their families, their communities, their racial identities. Many years later, one sister lives with her black daughter in the same southern town she once tried to escape. The other passes for white, and her white husband knows nothing of her past. Still, even separated by so many miles and just as many lies, the fates of the twins remain intertwined. What will happen to the next generation, when their own daughters' storylines intersect?

Weaving together multiple strands and generations of this family, from the Deep South to California, from the 1950s to the 1990s, Brit Bennett produces a story that is at once a riveting, emotional family story and a brilliant exploration of the American history of passing. Looking well beyond issues of race, The Vanishing Half considers the lasting influence of the past as it shapes a person's decisions, desires, and expectations, and explores some of the multiple reasons and realms in which people sometimes feel pulled to live as something other than their origins.

Educated by Tara Westover

Tara Westover was 17 the first time she set foot in a classroom. Born to survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, she prepared for the end of the world by stockpiling home-canned peaches and sleeping with her "head-for-the-hills bag". In the summer she stewed herbs for her mother, a midwife and healer, and in the winter she salvaged in her father's junkyard.

Her father forbade hospitals, so Tara never saw a doctor or nurse. Gashes and concussions, even burns from explosions, were all treated at home with herbalism. The family was so isolated from mainstream society that there was no one to ensure the children received an education and no one to intervene when one of Tara's older brothers became violent.

Then, lacking any formal education, Tara began to educate herself. She taught herself enough mathematics and grammar to be admitted to Brigham Young University, where she studied history, learning for the first time about important world events like the Holocaust and the civil rights movement. Her quest for knowledge transformed her, taking her over oceans and across continents, to Harvard and to Cambridge. Only then would she wonder if she'd traveled too far, if there was still a way home.

The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi

Vivid and compelling in its portrait of one woman’s struggle for fulfillment in a society pivoting between the traditional and the modern, The Henna Artist opens a door into a world that is at once lush and fascinating, stark and cruel.

Escaping from an abusive marriage, seventeen-year-old Lakshmi makes her way alone to the vibrant 1950s pink city of Jaipur. There she becomes the most highly requested henna artist—and confidante—to the wealthy women of the upper class. But trusted with the secrets of the wealthy, she can never reveal her own…

Known for her original designs and sage advice, Lakshmi must tread carefully to avoid the jealous gossips who could ruin her reputation and her livelihood. As she pursues her dream of an independent life, she is startled one day when she is confronted by her husband, who has tracked her down these many years later with a high-spirited young girl in tow—a sister Lakshmi never knew she had. Suddenly the caution that she has carefully cultivated as protection is threatened. Still she perseveres, applying her talents and lifting up those that surround her as she does.

We will meet on Thursday 20th January, 2022 at 8pm in The Hundred of Ashendon to discuss our reading experience of The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters.