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.

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

Seven of our group met at The Hundred to discuss our Autumn read which got a massive thumbs up from everyone, including three absent members who sent their comments by email. So that’s a very satisfying 10 out of 10 for Delia Owens' debut novel.

Comments ranged from a simple “I loved it” through to a more reflective, yet positive: “this book had everything from romance to murder to nature”. 

It is, however, an incredibly (some felt horrendous) sad story of loneliness, love, loss, acceptance and resilience. It is an emotional story that brought most of us to tears.

Of the characters, we loved Jumpin’, Mabel, and the many incarnations of Big Red, for being so consistently kind, caring and loyal toward Kya. 

On the downside, some of us found the poetry a little odd, even after it had been put into perspective. One of our readers found the time-jumping hard work although the rest of us agreed it was necessary for the story that unfolded. We also felt it is completely unrealistic - just for the record! 

We wondered, what are grits? Well: Grits are made from ground corn, typically from less sweet, starchy varieties often referred to as dent corn. Grits can be made from either yellow or white corn and are often labelled accordingly. When cooked slowly in water, grits release their starch and make a creamy porridge that can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. There’s some confusion (and no agreement) about the actual difference between polenta and grits — some claim that grits are only made with white corn, and that polenta has a finer grind size.

Would we recommend this book? YES - this is the best book we have read in ages and we are left wondering “how can we top this?” 

Let’s hope our next book choice –  The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters – can live up to expectations! 

All will be revealed when we next meet on Thursday 20th January, 2022 at 8pm in The Hundred of Ashendon.

In the meantime here’s wishing you a warm-hearted Winter and a Christmas spent with family and friends. 

Book choices to see us into Winter

The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney

The novel opens with the discovery of the murder of a French trapper and trader named Laurent Jammet. Mrs Ross, the protagonist and first-person narrator of the novel, finds the mysterious trapper in his isolated cabin on the outskirts of a settlement called Dove River. Mrs Ross brings the murder to the attention of the town's magistrate, Andrew Knox, who then calls upon the Hudson's Bay Company to investigate the murder. This brings three men from the Company to Dove River: Mackinley, the leader, Donald Moody, an accountant, and Jacob, a native guide who works for the company and who has named himself Moody's personal protector. Mrs Ross’ son, Francis, also

goes missing on the day that Jammet is found.

News of Jammet's unfortunate end travels south as well, bringing it to the attention of Thomas Sturrock, a former journalist and retired searcher whose talents have endeared him to many Indian tribes. His interest in Jammet concerns not so much the man himself but what he possessed. Specifically, Jammet had a small bone tablet with unidentified markings on it in which Sturrock was extremely interested. Sturrock did not have the funds, at the time, to buy it from Jammet, who promised to keep the tablet safe until Sturrock could afford it. Once he hears of the murder, however, Sturrock sets off for Dove River, hoping to discover the fate of the tablet.

The mix of people concerned with the death further expands with the addition of William Parker, who is a half-Native American trapper. Initially, he is suspected of having committed the murder and subsequently detained. He is soon released, however, and then becomes Mrs Ross's guide in her quest to find her son.

Once all of these characters have been introduced, the novel then follows their respective journeys—and the discoveries they make along the way—through land gripped by winter.

The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters

London is tense. Ex-servicemen are disillusioned; the out-of-work and the hungry are demanding change. And in South London, in a genteel Camberwell villa—a large, silent house now bereft of brothers, husband, and even servants—life is about to be transformed, as impoverished widow Mrs Wray and her spinster daughter, Frances, are obliged to take in lodgers.

With the arrival of Lilian and Leonard Barber, a modern young couple of the “clerk class,” the routines of the house will be shaken up in unexpected ways. Little do the Wrays know just how profoundly their new tenants will alter the course of Frances’s life—or, as passions mount and frustration gathers, how far-reaching, and how devastating, the disturbances will be.

Star of The North by David B John

North Korea proves an enigmatic, startling stage for D.B. John’s assured tale of a CIA deep-cover agent, prepared to risk it all to find her missing twin.

He’s a survivor, playing a poor hand with great skill. His weapons keep him safe from us. Hunger keeps him safe at home. His people think only of where their next meal is coming from, not of rebellion. And he’ll kill as many of them as it takes to stay in power. 

America and North Korea stand on the verge of war.

Enlisted by the CIA, Korean-African American academic Jenna Williams is sent undercover on a perilous mission to infiltrate a terrifying plot at the heart of the regime; a plot to kidnap and engineer home-grown assassins and spies to deploy in the west. For Jenna, it’s a mission that comes with a personal agenda and a heavy cost: that of her own kidnapped twin sister.

As Jenna begins a desperate and dangerous search, John interweaves parallel tales of an ordinary North Korean citizen and the country’s disgraced elite as the webs of deception grow ever-tighter.

Lauded by no less than Lee Child, D.B. John turns in a Frederick Forsyth-level performance with Star of the North. An impressively skilled double-hander, it manages the feat of being both a fast-paced and nerve-shredding thriller and a comprehensive window into life in a ruthless regime few have witnessed first-hand. That the author is one of those rare few only lends this book a greater authenticity - D.B. John is also the co-author of Hyeonseo Lee’s memoir of her own escape from North Korea, The Girl With Seven Names. Blended into high-octane fiction, the result is astonishing: an almost agonisingly tense portrait of a forbidden society and a honed machine of a thriller.

We will meet on Thursday 4th November at 8pm in The Hundred to discuss our current read: Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens and to choose our next book. 

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

The book blurb: “Nora’s life has been going from bad to worse. Then at the stroke of midnight on her last day on earth, she finds herself transported to a library. There she is given a chance to undo her regrets and try out each of the other lives she might have lived.

Which raises the ultimate question: with infinite choices, what is the best way to live?”

We were a small group (5 people) who met to talk about this book and the discussions were interesting, open and even sometimes animated.

So, what were our thoughts on this book?

First of all, it was mentioned that the theme of the book was not new and had already been seen in films such as “Bedazzled” with Liz Hurley and “Sliding Doors” with Gwyneth Paltrow.

Furthermore, Matt Haig is a busy author, has produced a series of self-help material and his particular book titled “Humans” (recommended read) contains similar themes as in “The Midnight Library”.

So, what were our thoughts on this particular work?

It was agreed that the book is an easy read, overall well-written and quirky BUT not a book which can be discussed in 5 minutes! Yes, the pages flow easily but they certainly make you think and raise the fundamental question: does a perfect life exist?

Nobody leads a perfect life despite the impressions that some people may give and post on social media, and leading from this, the pressure some people may put themselves under as they aspire to that impossible perfect goal.

The book was also found frustrating: it proposes all sorts of different lives, but none of which are developed properly and are given any depth. This lack of continuity was found annoying. Also, the tone of the book is sometimes preachy and the author may sometimes engage in too much navel-gazing. To top this, the different bubbles of life Nora is given to live, are fundamentally flawed: Nora is only introduced to material worlds where she has no human connections. In all these different lives, Nora is merely plonked into new situations without any personal connections, meaning that she has to Google her own name in order to find out about herself and she feels a total stranger with the people surrounding her. Strange and artificial lives, really… Furthermore, Nora’s choice of a “best” life appears disappointing; it is too obvious and too predictable (married with a child in a comfortable home in Cambridge suburbia where she feels slightly bored). Is this really the most exciting life Nora can strive for at the age of 30?

Matt Haig’s book is in the top 10 most popular books at the moment. The general press has given it mixed and in general “Marmite”- like reviews: either you love it or you hate it…As for our own book group, the reviews given by our absent members were in general positive and it seemed that people had enjoyed this read.

So, what would be the answer to a reader’s ultimate test question: would we want to read this book twice? Probably not was our answer, but despite its flaws, we enjoyed the read, its quirkiness and we were excited by certain topics and themes the book develops.

We were compelled by the theme of chess and its symbolism; a person in our group remarked how important every single pawn is, because “all these pawns on a chessboard are all queens in waiting!"  

Then our discussions led to the theme of resilience, and how one can learn from famous people’s failures such as Einstein and Edison. In fact, it is good to be sometimes unhappy as it makes you appreciate the good things; the stress, the questioning makes one evolve and progress. Could it actually be one of the flaws of today’s generation as some demand instant gratification?

Certain other themes dealt with in the book such as “you live and then you learn” were found helpful and struck a chord. The theme of “how to deal with regrets” was also found thought-provoking. And in fact, this book gave us the ideal platform to talk more openly about mental health issues and strategies.

Did we think the book might be helpful to others? Overall, we felt it definitely would despite its occasional preachy tone.

Would we recommend this book? Yes, we would.

We learned some valuable things and there’s no harm in wishing to be a rock star… in another life!

For September/October we have chosen to read 'Where the Crawdads Sing' by Delia Owens and we will meet to discuss this book on Thursday, November 4th, 8pm at The Hundred of Ashendon. 

Autumn Reads 2021

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

For years, rumours of the "Marsh Girl" have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark, the so-called Marsh Girl. But Kya is not what they say.

Sensitive and intelligent, she has survived for years alone in the marsh that she calls home, finding friends in the gulls and lessons in the sand. Then the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. When two young men from town become intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new life - until the unthinkable happens.

Perfect for fans of Barbara Kingsolver and Celeste Ng, Where the Crawdads Sing is at once an exquisite ode to the natural world, a heartbreaking coming-of-age story, and a surprising tale of possible murder. Owens reminds us that we are forever shaped by the children we once were and that we are all subject to the beautiful and violent secrets that nature keeps.

Girl, Woman, Other by Bernadine Evaristo

Tracking the lives and loves of a dozen British women through generations and social classes, Girl, Woman, Other weaves a distinctive, illuminating tapestry of modern British life. Teeming with life and crackling with energy - a love song to modern Britain and black womanhood.

Girl, Woman, Other follows the lives and struggles of twelve very different characters. Mostly women, black and British, they tell the stories of their families, friends and lovers, across the country and through the years.

Joyfully polyphonic and vibrantly contemporary, this is a gloriously new kind of history, a novel of our times: celebratory, ever-dynamic and utterly irresistible.

The Gun Room by Georgina Harding

Dawn, mist clearing over the rice fields, a burning Vietnamese village, and a young war photographer gets the shot that might make his career. The image, of a staring soldier in the midst of mayhem, will become one of the great photographs of the war. But what he has seen in that village is more than he can bear, and he flees.

We will meet on Thursday 2nd September at 8pm to discuss our current read The Midnight Library by Matt Haig and to choose our next book. 

The Librarian by Salley Vickers and I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith

I have been remiss in not sharing our review of The Librarian so this is a 2 for 1. 

On 20th May, 10 of us discussed The Librarian by Salley Vickers on, what I hope will be our last, zoom meeting. Once we had debated the act of reading a book in the bath (for some a heinous crime, for others a risk worth taking and for the rest one of the greatest pleasures in life!) we knuckled down to, what turned out to be, a pretty damning review of a book we had all hoped to be so much more. 

The story is about the experience of a young librarian who, in 1958, lands the job to run the children's section in a small town library. This is an easy to read, enjoyable story that took most of us back to our childhood experiences of going to the library. Libraries (back in 'the day') were mostly staffed by strict, rigid librarians and woe betide you if you coughed, spoke or dropped a book. Still, we reflected on fond memories of going to the library and getting told off!

We also enjoyed how Salley captured many of the ways of the time. But as the book went on it felt as if she didn't know where to stop. One of our members observed that it was as if she had simply "chucked in a lot of things she could remember from those days". 

Our expectation was of so much more from Salley Vickers who has written some fine books, such as Mrs Garnet's Angel, over a long career. It is a harmless book but, in our collective opinion, it represents a massively missed opportunity of what it could have been. We were expecting something more philosophical on subjects such as selective education and missed things we should have done, but it led nowhere. Instead, it is a trite and shallow read. 

To sum it up here are our individual conclusions: "I put it down and stopped reading because life is too short." "Watching paint dry." "A book going nowhere." "Terrible." "Poorly written". "She got a contract to write 3 books and banged this one out as the last!". "Was it a children's book?". 

We did enjoy the focus on literature for young people and discussing the authors, and books, we had read and loved as children. Our lovely French lady was excited to learn about the books that British children were reading at that time, many of which she had never heard of and is now keen to read for herself e.g. Tom's Midnight Garden. 

In fact, it was Salley Vickers' continual references to I Capture the Castle that inspired the choice of our next read...

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith was the focus of our meeting on 15th July when 7 of us were lucky enough to enjoy a warm and sunny evening at our local pub, discussing a very satisfactory reading experience. 

This story is jam-packed with odd, eccentric characters, set in 1930's Suffolk with occasional visits to London. 

The book is exceptionally well written. Originally written for adults in 1948 it now crosses the divide between childrens' and adult literature and is now considered appropriate for today's young teens. In 1958 the thought of allowing a teenager to read such a book was the focus of Salley Vickers' scandal in The Librarian. 

In comparison to The Librarian (although there should be no comparison) we found ourselves involved with the characters, we could almost smell the castle and we laughed out loud, shed tears and fell in love with these people, their homes and their lives. 

The situations led us into the philosophical conversations we so enjoy at book group and it is a unanimous YES to the question: would we recommend this book? 

Our next read is The Midnight Library by Matt Haig and we plan to meet once again at The Hundred of Ashendon on Thursday 2nd September at 8pm, to discuss this currently chart-topping novel. Have a lovely Summer.

Summer Reads 2021

Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson

In 1954 a fisherman is found dead in the nets of his boat, and a local Japanese-American man is charged with his murder. In the course of his trial, it becomes clear that what is at stake is more than one man's guilt. For on San Piedro, memories grow as thickly as cedar trees and the fields of ripe strawberries - memories of a charmed love affair between a white boy and a Japanese girl; memories of land desired paid for and lost. Above all, San Piedro is haunted by the memory of what happened to its Japanese residents during World War II, when an entire community was sent into exile while its neighbours watched.

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

Ranked as one of the top dystopian novels of all time, the top 100 greatest novels of all time, and the novel was listed at number 87 on The Big Read survey by the BBC, the Brave New World is often considered a masterpiece in its genre. The plot revolves around an attempt to classify population based on their intelligence whereby the wombs are altered to produce super-intelligent species and the world thereof. The book has since been adapted in various dramatic, television, and movie adaptation

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

Between life and death, there is a library, and within that library, the shelves go on forever. Every book provides a chance to try another life you could have lived. To see how things would be if you had made other choices . . . Would you have done anything differently, if you had the chance to undo your regrets?

A dazzling novel about all the choices that go into a life well-lived, from the internationally bestselling author of Reasons to Stay Alive and How To Stop Time.

Somewhere out beyond the edge of the universe, there is a library that contains an infinite number of books, each one the story of another reality. One tells the story of your life as it is, along with another book for the other life you could have lived if you had made a different choice at any point in your life. While we all wonder how our lives might have been, what if you had the chance to go to the library and see for yourself? Would any of these other lives truly be better?

In The Midnight Library, Matt Haig’s enchanting new novel, Nora Seed finds herself faced with this decision. Faced with the possibility of changing her life for a new one, following a different career, undoing old breakups, realizing her dreams of becoming a glaciologist; she must search within herself as she travels through the Midnight Library to decide what is truly fulfilling in life, and what makes it worth living in the first place. 

We will meet to discuss our current book I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith in the garden at The Hundred of Ashendon at 8pm on Thursday 15th July. If the weather is against us then the backup plan is Zoom for which I'll send a link by 7pm that day if it has to be brought into play, but I so hope we can all meet up for a long-overdue social evening.