Summer Reading

Alison  hosted the April meeting and it was well attended by 8 of us. 

Once again we had interesting debates on a wide variety of topics, somewhere in amongst it all we did discuss books.

The success of the book swop at christmas, meant  we had no recommended shared read. Everyone either reviewed books swopped  or added into  the mix titles read since we last met.

 

The coffee table and floor were soon littered. It made it difficult to get to the cakes and biscuits. Which got soaked up with suitable beverages

 

Alison recommended a Radio 4 programme she has listened to, about a Ladies book club in the Twickeham /Teddington area.  It generated a lot of laughter, but we agreed to keep our format.

 

Chanel 4 Book Club  - recommendation as good reads  'Before I go to Sleep'  'The report'   10 books in all and the club had most of them between them. 

 

Everyone agreed  during the last year, we had introduced a varied number of genre and authors. We all remembered the  Alan Bennett month and our struggles to finish Charels Dickens 'Old Curiosity Shop'. Whilst everyone has different reading tastes, a club recommendation is always  well receieved,  we all listen to other opinions.  Each of us look forward to the feedback on choices. 

This format has encouraged many of the club to expand their reading material and seek out  linked topics briefly touched upon.

 

After much debate, we agreed to read for  July Book Club

 

Saving CeeCee Honeycutt  by Beth Hoffman

 

Next Meeting is a Elaine's on July 11th @19.30.  See you all there

Books and Cinema - February Book Club

At the last meeting of the Book Club on 8^th February “The Kashmir Shawl” by Rosie Thomas was voted a success.  Most of us had finished reading (all 468 pages) and agreed it was quite a journey.  An epic tale, taking the reader, along with staunch missionaries from Wales, to an India of bygone days (1929). 

This book has it all, the enduring friendship of three remarkable women, love, adventure and family secrets - the impact of war and the devastating effect on the lives of the British who lived on the beautiful wooden carved house boats, which are beside the lake in Srinagar today. 

A Passage to India was mentioned and we touched upon the similarities of the two stories (sagas).  India is a great inspiration for storytellers, both past and present, so we decided to prolong our Indian exploration and planned trip, not to the lakeside city of Srinagar unfortunately, but to the cinema (possibly Lakeside) so as to really immerse ourselves in the Indian philosophy – and of course have a good time.  So in the evening on Thursday 1^st March we will be going to see “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” and anyone wishing to join us is of course welcome.  Details still to be finalised – but please do email or watch the WI website. 

The next book club meeting will be on April 25^th at Alison’s house (again details at WI) when no doubt we will talk some more of the wonderful and hugely varied “Secret Santa” books we exchanged in December – read and exchanged again.  Definitely something for everyone: a thriller, a book about a Vietnam veteran, the diary of somebody contemplating suicide – and also several very funny books. 

Phew!   We really are a motley crew.

Books and Spices

The Cashmere Shawl (by Rosie Thomas) – “An epic story of wartime, family secrets and forbidden love, set against the stunning exotic backdrop of 1940s Kashmir.”  

In December the Book Club met amidst the spicy aromas of exquisitely prepared Indian dishes at the exotic Bengal Lancer – deep in the heart of Barking.  An amazing menu and, perhaps inspired by the spicy Dopiaza and delicious Biriyani, from the Mogul courts of India no less, we just had to proceed with a passage to India and the Cashmere Shawl was chosen as our first read for 2012.

Our November book by Cecelia Ahern – The Time of My Life – was discussed and we thought it was a book that  did make us look at our own lives and – well, to be honest it wasn’t a deep full on analysis as the Papadums and chutneys were arriving and also it was Christmas ……. We all had our secret Santa books presented, which was truly exciting.  Real anticipation and speculation - who reads a book like this?  Guaranteed something for everyone at the February meeting, an assortment of books – but then what an assortment of book club members!  (Numbers growing all the time)

To date we’ve shared Alan Bennett – A Life Like Other People’s, Catherine O’Flynn – The News Where you Are, Rosamund Lupton – Afterwards, Charles Dickens – The Old Curiosity Shop, Cecelia Ahern – The Time of My Life.  In addition to these titles we have exchanged and recommended other books we have particularly enjoyed. Our Book Club is Fun – we love a good read but also like to listen and respect each others opinions. 

Details of the next gathering will be on the WI Web.  In the meantime – Happy New Year – Life is An Open Book – so, keep the pages turning.  New members very welcome. 

Happy and Healthy 2012 for everyone.