Austen – Northanger Abbey

Jane Austen was not everyone’s favourite author, and we all agreed it wasn’t her best work – which we concluded was probably why she had such difficulty publishing it and was a tiny bit bitter towards the printers and booksellers at the beginning of the novel. However, it was a fairly enjoyable read – though missing some of the usual Austen characters, such as Mr Right. Instead the main character was confronted the ‘Gay Best Friend’ (Tilney) and the eighteenth-century’s version of Jeremy Clarkson (Thorpe). Overall, we had a brilliant discussion involving lots of laughter and jokes.

I’m very much looking forward to seeing everyone on 16th August for Zoe Heller’s Notes on a Scandal – a very different book in comparison to this month’s read. A big ‘Welcome’ to those who are new joining us this month and next month, we hope you’ll enjoy your time with our group!

For those curious about the scores, I’ll be putting them up on our Previous Reads page.

Leanne

PS In case you weren’t able to make it this month, we are considering having a Christmas party instead of a book club meet (on 13th December, not the 20th).

Change to December/January read!

Hello all,

I’ve been meaning to change this for some time. Margaret Atwood’s The Year of the Flood is now the read for 17th January, not the 20th December. At the moment, we aren’t sure what will happen about meeting in December as the 20th is the Monday before Christmas, therefore the University buildings won’t be open – also we’re not sure how many people will be able to make a meeting in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Nearer the time, we shall put it to a vote.

I hope you’re all enjoying the lovely sunny weather!

Leanne

Disgrace – J M Coetzee

A big thank you to Janie and Sue for running for the discussion on Monday! Coetzee’s Disgrace turned out as a very thought-provoking, and often frustrating, read. The book from David’s point of view meant we had less insight to what the other characters felt and thought, especially the women, Melanie and Lucy in particular. The main conclusion was that, though it was a good read – no one found it hard to get through – we’re not sure that ‘enjoyable’ is the right term for it at all as the situations and theme were very uncomfortable; a sign of how well written the book was. It was very concise, never drifted from the point and kept us all hooked.

I believe there are still copies of Austen’s ‘Northanger Abbey’ that can be picked up from the Peninsula Arts box office. See you all on 19th July for our next read!

PS If you would like to send either me or Joan your scores out of ten for the book, feel free!

21st June

Hello all! I have put up the new ‘Questions on Current Read’.

Just to remind you all, we will be in the Careers room nextdoor to where we usually are. Look for the large glass doors at the opposite end of that wall.

Also Sarah Chapman will be in charge of the library copies of Disgrace (please return them to the Peninsula Arts box office), and has left the copies of Northanger Abbey in the Peninsula Arts box office (RLB).

Janie Paice and Sue Matheron have kindly offered to lead the group discussion on Joan’s behalf as she will be away on Monday.

See you all very soon!

Leanne

Metroland – Julian Barnes

Hello all, I hope you had a good discussion on Monday. I’m sorry I wasn’t there but I didn’t want to pass on my flu!

Joan has sent me the following feedback:

“A number of people emailed me who were not able to attend the meeting last night to discuss Barnes’ Metroland’.  The views were (as ever) very diverse and I have summarised some of them below:

*
funny account of what happens to pretentious young men (thought to be grammar school boys) as they age.
*
witty writing …poking fun at character who so often gets it wrong
*
thoroughly irritated by the French  …but part of the character
*
no affection of the characters (insufferable boys/men) makes it hard to enjoy the book
*
a number of readers did not complete the read as could not engage with the book and others thought it a good read
*
school reunion ties to beginning of the book to the end ….and Chris is still not understanding others/nature of the real world
*
seemed to be in France in the summer of discontent without having any contact with it
*
non-plussed by the pragmatic Marion both at their meeting in Paris and the final scene of the book
*
attempt at/delusions of suburban rebellion ….ends with the statement ‘pay your bills’ (p212) but again its an Auden ….does he have thoughts that are his own ?
*
the sinking back to being part of the respectable middle classes is also confirmed in the link between his mother’s organge coat at the begging and the orange light on his pyjamas at the end.”

See you next month (21st June) for Disgrace!

Leanne

The Otherside of the Bridge

Hello all!

Fantastic discussion on Monday – everyone seemed to have enjoyed the book immensely. In fact, I believe everyone struggled to think of anything that grated about the book or just didn’t work. For most, it brought back a great sense of nostalgia. Though, for some, the nostalgia seemed a little suffocating! It was a beautiful story, though very sad. I think the majority of us will be looking out for more of Mary Lawson’s work in future and getting hold of her debut novel (I think some already have).

I hope everyone’s enjoying Metroland! I look forward to seeing you all in May.

Leanne

Reads from 19th July onwards

Hello all!

I’m assuming you have all received the message from Joan that the next reads have been arranged! But just to make sure, they are as follows:

19th July ~ Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen (L)

16th Aug ~ Notes on a Scandal by Zoe Heller (L)

20th Sept ~ Restless by William Boyd (L)

18th Oct ~ Tortilla Flat by John Steinbeck (L)

15th Nov ~ John the Revelator by Peter Murphy

17th Dec ~ The Year of the Flood by Margaret Attwood

21st Feb ~ Two Caravans by Marina Lewcyka (L)

21st Mar ~ Small Crimes in an Age of Abundance by Matthew Neale (L)

18th April ~ The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom

16th May ~ The Good Mayor by Andrew Nichol

(L) – indicates the library set books.

Looks like a fantastic line-up to me! If anyone wants to get books in advance, I know that Zoe Heller’s Notes on a Scandal is on 3for2 in Waterstone’s! And I imagine Northanger Abbey is, too, as the Oxford World’s Classics editions are often on 3for2.

Leanne

Comments

Hello all! It was lovely to see everyone last night.

If anyone has any comments they want to put into the blog post on the Lawson book, whether they were there last night or couldn’t make it, could you please forward them to me by Sunday?

In the mean time, enjoy Metroland!
Thank you

Leanne

Questions and Choices, Choices, Choices!

Hello all!

I hope you’ve all had a fantastic Easter and plenty of chocolate!

I have put up the questions for Lawson’s The Ohter Side of the Bridge from Joan on the questions page.

I hope you have all received the following email from Joan:

“Dear all,

I hope you are all well ….and who knows we may soon be able to move from reading our books indoors to reading them outside …roll on a warm spring/summer.

We have chosen books up to July and think we should look beyond and line up some more choices.

Firstly it would be good to read books recommended by members of the group.  Here I have picked a selection from what you have already sent me to reflect different genres:

*
The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom
*
The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood
*
John the Revelator by Peter Murphy
*
The Good Mayor by Andrew Nichol

Secondly I have looked through the list of sets held by the library and I think an interesting selection would be:

*  Restless by William Boyd ….a ripping yarn in which a woman finds out her mother is ‘James Bond’ and what happens next
*  Two Caravans by Marina Lewcyka  ….dark (grey edging to black) comedy about E European friut/veg pickers in E Anglia.
*  Small Crimes in an Age of Abundance by Matthew Neale  …..short stories with ironic twists from previous Whitbread prize winner
*  Tortilla Flat by John Steinbeck  ….vintage down-beat America with Hispanic overtones from nobel prize-winner.

If you agree I think we should line up the books from the library and interperse them with your choices.  Please get back to me if you think you could do something else in our planning.

Meanwhile ….  a number of people have sent me their choices but we have had new people join the group since we started.  If you have not already done so, please send me what you think would be a good read for the group.  I hope to get round to everybody’s in due course.

Also …. if there is something special in the library sets perhaps you could suggest this.

Looking forward to seeing you on the 19th and hearing your take on The Other Side of the Bridge.”

See you all on 19th April!

Leanne

Book choices!

Hello all,

Just a quick note for all those who were not at the meeting on Monday, Joan is going to be compiling a list of choices in the near future for voting so that we can choose our next books (for July onwards). Keep an eye on the blog and email!

Leanne

P.s. Welcome to all our new members! There have been quite a few recently. We are open to receiving new members whenever they wish to join – email me or Joan so that you can be added to the Mailing List and to ask any questions you need answering. Our contact details are under ‘More Information’ along with meeting dates/times and our reads.