Reading Group Meeting  Wednesay 26^th January at The Old Punchbowl in Warwick

We have been reading two books, as we did not meet in December.  The first to be discussed was “The Snow Goose” by Paul Gallico.  This is a very moving short novel aimed at children as well as adults.  Set in East Anglia towards the end of the second World War, it is about a man, Philip Rhyader, who is shunned by society because of his strangeness and the way he looks.  He is an artist and lives the life of a recluse, but the local people know he is fond of animals and has a way with them.  Because of this, when a young girl from the village finds an injured sea bird, she does not hesitate to take it to Philip, fully expecting him to be able to nurse it back to health.

 As the bird recovers, a friendship grows between the girl, Fritha, and Philip.  The story is about difference, freedom, fulfilment and bravery and we were surprised to find that it was written in 1941, so the events described towards the end of the story were very recent and would have been fresh in the minds of Gallico’s readers.  Most of the group enjoyed the book, but cynical Frances found it a bit saccharine.  It is certainly a tear-jerker and well worth reading.

 The second book we chose was “The Thing Around your Neck” by  Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche (the author of “Half of a Yellow Sun”.)  This is a collection of short stories, about life for Nigerians in the USA, about being an outsider, about corruption, motherhood and love.  Some of the stories are set in Africa, others in the USA.  Some of the group found the book very enjoyable; Adiche is a wonderful writer and draws very clear pictures with few words.  She can change tone and place easily and smoothly, characters spring freshly from the page.  Others found the stories strangely unsatisfying, and for those who are not fond of short stories, this book did not convert them.

Our next two books have been chosen with author visits in mind.  We are going to read “Room” by Emma Donoghue .  Sophie Hannah’s new book “Lasting Damage” is not out yet & will not be in paperback for some time, so we have chosen “A Room Swept White” 

The meeting to discuss these two books will be on Wednesday  2^nd March at 6.0pm at the Old Punch Bowl.

On Wednesday 13^th April we will be discussing “Great Expectations” by Charles Dickens – a book that has influenced at least two of our previous choices. On Wednesday 18^th May we will be talking about Vikram Seth’s ”An Equal Music”.

Both these meetings will also be at the Old Punchbowl Inn in Warwick at just after 6.00pm

 Here’s my current top 10 books, all of which I recommend.

1. Human Planet.

‘Human Planet’ is a major natural history documentary series currently being broadcast on BBC1. It is the first to turn the camera on ourselves, the human species. It explores how humans have learnt to live in every habitat and follows the remarkable story of our relationship with nature. The book accompanies the eight episodes, and provides additional information alongside extraordinary and beautiful photographs.

2. Bluestocking, by Jane Robinson

In 1869, five women enrolled at university for the first time in British history. This was a period in which the average female brain was thought to be 150 grams lighter than a man’s. Doctors warned that if women studied too hard their wombs would wither and die. This book tells the story of defiance and determination, of colourful eccentricity and of self- discovery.

3. Italians, by Luigi Barzini.

‘Italians’ presents a guided tour through centuries of Italian history. The book examines Machiavelli and Casanova, Mussolini, Popes, pilgrims and prostitutes, clichés, conspiracies and the crippling power of the church. It also shows us a divided nation, injustice, ignorance, poverty and fear. Yet alongside this exuberance and spectacular display Luigi shows us the Italians’ love of life. This is an accessible, informative labour of love written by a true Italian, and  it will make you fall in and out of love with the country and her people.

4. Chocolate Wishes by Trisha Ashley.

Life is sweet in the picture perfect village of Sticklepond where confectioner Chloe dispenses inspirational sweet treats containing a prediction for each customer. If only her own life was as easy to forecast – perhaps Chloe could have foreseen being jilted at the altar, and having to put her life on hold to bring up her younger brother Jake. Luckily with the help of her tea-reading great aunt Zillah and her grandfather, who practises witchcraft, her little chocolate hobby is turning into a flourishing business. But just as things seem to be going well a new vicar arrives in the village and the rumour mill goes into overdrive. Not only is Raffy the charismatic ex-front man of a famous rock band he’s also Chloe’s first love and the man who breaks her heart. I really enjoyed this book which was light and totally absorbing. I must say that I only read this book over Christmas to do this review, chick flick books are not my usual cup of tea, but since then I have read all of Trisha Ashley’s books. I thoroughly recommend them with a cosy blanket, chocolates and wine!

5. A Winters Tale, by Trisha Ashley.

This is the perfect novel for curling up with on these long winter nights. It’s a romantic comedy about a hard-up single mum inheriting a stately home. But Sophy Winter is not your typical Lady of the Manor. When she unexpectedly inherits Winters End, a crumbling mansion in the beautiful Lancashire countryside, it seems like all her prayers have been answered. She eagerly swaps life as an impoverished housekeeper in favour of her own team of staff. But Sophy soon realises the challenges on her hands, the house is decrepit and its eccentric inhabitants are a nightmare. And once it is discovered that Winter’s End played host to a young Shakespeare, the entire village becomes curious about Sophy’s plans, especially charming Jack Lewis……luckily Sophy’s gorgeous head gardener, Seth, the strong and silent type, has a lot of history with Jack and can see right through his charms, but will Sophy?

6.Baking Made Easy, by Lorraine Pascale

Lorraine Pascale the model turned baker has brought out this lovely baking book to accompany her new TV series, Baking Made Easy. Patisserie is her passion; she has gained experience working in Harrods and the Hummingbird bakery, and has since opened her own cupcakery in Covent Garden. This is a straightforward, no airs and graces, cookbook great for beginners or even the most experienced cook. My daughter Megan and her boyfriend James made the Cookies and Cream Fudge brownies last weekend and I can thoroughly recommend them with vanilla ice cream. Yummy.

7.Stranger in the Mirror by Jane Shilling

“ I looked in the mirror one morning, and saw the face of a stranger. Who was she, this haggard, bun-faced woman with the softening jaw line, the down turned mouth, the world weary air of a woman who hasn’t had what she wanted from life, and knows she isn’t going to get it now. Why, it was no one else but me, myself and I”

Middle age took Jane Shilling by surprise. She hadn’t seen it coming, and she certainly wasn’t ready for it. The result is a very personal meditation about what it’s like to be at the mid-point, looking both backwards and forwards. It definitely won’t reverse the signs of ageing or hold them at bay, but it will make you laugh, it will make you think and it could just make you look at yourself in the mirror in a slightly different way.

8.The Hand that Fist Held Mine. By Maggie O’Farrell

A gorgeously written story of love and motherhood, this is a tour de force from one of our best-loved novelists. When the sophisticated Innes Kent turns up on her doorstep, Lexie Sinclair realises she cannot wait any longer for her life to begin, and leaves for London. There, at the heart of the 1950s Soho art scene, she carves out a new life.

In the present day, Elina and Ted are reeling from the difficult birth of their first child. Elina struggles to reconcile the demands of motherhood with the sense of herself as an artist, and Ted is disturbed by memories of his own childhood that don’t tally with his parents version of events. As Ted begins to search for answers, an extraordinary portrait of two women is revealed, separated by fifty years, but connected in ways that neither could have ever expected.

9. Birthday Letters by Ted Hughes

A literary landmark when published, ‘Birthday Letters’ marked the first time Ted Hughes had publicly articulated his feelings about his late wife Sylvia Plath, their relationship and her suicide. This publication was made all the more poignant by the poet laureate’s own death in October 1998. The poems, written over a period of more than 25 years, take the form of an intimate and candid narrative the tone of which varies between anger, guilt and happiness. ‘Birthday Letters’ is a very intense, moving read, which sheds light on one of the most turbulent, yet productive literary relationships of our time. If you enjoy this, there is a huge canon of Plath and Hughes material to plunder including the more recent work of their daughter Frieda Hughes, their only surviving child. And just to mention that, if you’re in that kind of mood, this years Costa Prize Winner is the poet Jo Shapcott with her book on poetry called ‘Of Mutability’.

10. Jerusalem by Simon Sebag Montefiore.

The epic story of Jerusalem, told through the lives of the men and women who created, ruled and inhabited it. In the course of its history Jerusalem has been destroyed twice, besieged 23 times, attacked 52 times, and captured and recaptured 44 times. It’s been Arab, Persian, Jewish, Roman, Greek, Babylonian, Turkish, Mameluke, British, Byzantine, Crusader and Ottoman. Jerusalem is the universal city, the capital of two peoples, the shrine of three faiths; it is the prize of empires, the site of Judgement Day and the battlefield of today’s clash of civilisations.

Montefiore illuminates the mysteries of the city, its identity and empire, in a unique story of the place that many believe will be the setting for the Apocalypse. This is how Jerusalem became Jerusalem: the only city that exists twice – in heaven and on earth.

lulu

The BBC has revealed the full programme for its “Year of Books 2011″, including details of its World Book Night programming, upcoming adaptations and a Dickens season to mark the author’s bicentenary.

At an event in central London last night [24th January] the broadcaster revealed that the live, late Friday night show “Newsnight Review” is to devote one programme a month entirely to coverage of books and authors. The strand will begin in the late summer.

It also divulged more details on the Anne Robinson-fronted daytime show “My Life in Books”, which will run for two weeks leading up to World Book Night, with two celebrities discussing the books which have affected them each day.  BBC Radio 3 will run a week of “The Essay” on “The Book that Changed Me”, starting with journalist Alan Johnston on George Orwell’s Homage to Catalonia.

BBC2’s night of programming on World Book Night on 5th March will include three “Culture Show” specials: one will focus on the scheme, while a second “New Novelists: Twelve of the Best” will concentrate on a dozen debut authors, as-yet unnamed. The final show will be a special on “the books we really read” fronted by comedian Sue Perkins, featuring Agatha Christie, Dick and Felix Francis, Lee Child and Anthony Horowitz.

World Book Night will also be accompanied by programming on BBC Radio 4, BBC Radio 7 and online, including a selection of interviews with the 25 WBN authors.

BBC1 will also host a two-part “Imagine” documentary on “The Trouble with Tolstoy” plus a BBC2 “Culture Show” special on Man Booker-winner Hilary Mantel. Children’s author Michael Morpurgo is also to deliver the Richard Dimbleby Lecture.

The year will be rounded off with a Dickens season including BBC2 documentary “Armando Iannucci on Dickens”, a BBC Four Arena special, a BBC1 adaptation of “Great Expectations” and a BBC4 production of “Edwin Drood” which will complete Dickens’ famously unfinished novel.

Further dramas lined up for this year include a two-part BBC1 adaptation of Sebastian Faulks’ Birdsong; a six-part BBC1 version of Kate Atkinson’s Case Histories, Women in Love for BBC Four plus showings of BBC Films’ “Brideshead Revisited” and Dylan Thomas biopic “The Edge of Love”.

The year will kick off with Sebastian Faulks’ much-anticipated “Faulks on Fiction” with tie-in from BBC Books.

Blitzcat by Robert Westall

This was a book that everyone enjoyed but no one raved about! It got scores in the 7-9/10 range and I think we were all agreed that it was very well written, as you might expect from such a long-standing, award-winning writer. Some of you reading this will remember Westall’s brilliant classic ‘The Machine Gunners’. ‘Blitzcat’ was not such an immediately appealing read as that – it lacked the cast of endearing, varied and strong children and the sympathetic portrayal of the injured German airman, Rudi – but it is still a very good book. I think we all struggled to some extent with the central character being an aloof cat. The book is picaresque in style, tracking the cat’s journey to find her owner and relating her adventures on the way. She meets a range of different characters, some of whom we warmed to and some of whom we didn’t like at all. In each case, she has a transformational effect so in one sense, it was a bit like reading a fairy story but set against the devastating backdrop of WW2, a backdrop so convincingly drawn that some of us felt we learned a lot and others had difficulty comprehending aspects such as the jargon used. We enjoyed it – but it did feel a bit more like a series of short stories than a novel – and some of us felt the lack of a central, unifying character with whom we could really engage. It was hard to engage with an aloof cat who didn’t seem to care about the people whose lives she transformed – quite right too – she was, after all, a cat – but it did make it a slightly remote read. Afterwards we wondered if the cat had had nine brushes with death and survived – that would have been a clever structure, we thought – but we couldn’t be bothered to check which says quite a lot really! However, it is a very accomplished book and it you want to read a very powerful and moving description of the Coventry blitz, then get it just for that. It is quite heart-breaking.

Our next meeting will be on Feb 23rd at 4.15 – 5.15 pm and our choice of book is ‘Inside’ by Julia Jarman. It is quite a hard-hitting read so it’s a good time for teenagers to join us!

Thanks, Meg Harper

The first 2010 meeting of the ‘Warwick Books’ Book Club was on Wednesday 20^th January at 6.15 at the bookshop.  Frances was rather late arriving from Kenilworth, so profuse apologies.

We had read “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” by Stieg Larsson.  This book has had rave reviews, and caused a sensation in Sweden and around the world. It is the first of a trilogy about a disgraced journalist, Mikael Blomkvist, who is asked by the elderly Henrik Vanger to investigate the disappearance 40 years earlier of his favourite niece, Harriet.  Henrik is convinced that Harriet was murdered all those years ago and has collected a huge dossier on the case.  The disappearance also haunts the police officer in charge at the time, Detective Superintendent Morell.  Blumkvist is helped in the investigation by the strange and enigmatic, Lisbeth Salander (the girl with the dragon tattoo of the title).

Sadly, the author, Stieg Larsson, an investigative journalist himself, died in rather mysterious circumstances of heart failure in 2004, before any of the books in the trilogy were published.

There was a mixed response from the group. Most people felt the book was too long, but even those people who don’t like particularly crime novels found it quite interesting.  The point was made that although it is a “who-dun-it”, it is not a police story.  Maureen & Frances are definitely
going to read the rest of the trilogy, Sue & Rob probably aren’t & Elinor isn’t sure(!)

Our next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday 24th Feb and we have agreed to meet up at the Punch Bowl at about 6.00 – a much warmer and congenial environment.  Thanks to Angie for inviting us.  We are continuing our theme of  foreign crime novels with “The Paris Enigma” by Pablo de Santis.  We then have one more novel following this theme, but need to plan ahead, so if you are coming to the meeting, please bring along some ideas for the next few books.