We seem to have given ourselves plenty of time between books of late so there is only one good read to report on. 'The Historian' by Elizabeth Kostovo was perhaps a difficult book to get into and the narrative demanded extreme concentration, however once gripped the reader was swept up in a detective story that led from Amsterdam to Istanbul and on to Eastern Europe and France pursuing the legend of Dracula. The story wound its way through a labyrinth of historical accuracy and fiction leaving an uncomfortable question mark in the air. A good book for Halloween!

Our next books are:-

'My Sister's Keeper'
Jodi Picault Thurs 6th November

Poetry Evening
Weds 3rd December

'The Time Torn Man'
Claire Tomalin Weds 28th January

For further information please contact Heather - 812118 or Maggie - 812621

All agreed that John Steinbeck's ' East of Eden ' was a powerful read and we spent some time discussing the characters and how they contributed to the strong almost Biblical message of good and evil in the story. Virginia Wolf's ' Mrs Dalloway ' attracted a large turn out. Although it is quite a short book in pages, the depth and layers of meaning within the story definitely merit a second read (-if you have time!).

Our next books are:-

The Historian
Elizabeth Kostovo Tues 23rd September

My Sister’s Keeper
Jodi Picault Tues 4th November

For further information please contact Heather - 812118 or Maggie - 812621

Our February and April books were actually both 'thrillers' but could not have been more different in style and setting. The first - 'The Meaning of Night' by Michael Cox was a haunting, dark Victorian novel with tremendous feeling for the ill-lit alleyways and shady 'goings on' in London, coupled with equally dark woods and mansions of the countryside. In contrast, 'The Whaleboat House' by Mark Mills was set near wide vistas of sea and sky and was not without humour. The dark plot was revealed amid superb descriptions of man's struggle with the beautiful yet cruel sea and it nicely portrayed the contrast between the rich New Yorkers and the local folks in post-war Long Island.

Our next books are:-

East of Eden John Steinbeck Weds 21 May
Mrs. Dalloway Virginia Wolf Mon 30 June
The Historian Eliz Kostovo Tues 23 Sept

For further information please contact Heather - 812118 or Maggie - 812621

How refreshing to be forced to read some poetry! (Something you always intend but somehow never get around to.) Our Christmas meeting featuring a wonderful mix of poems, old and new, was both fun and thought provoking. The first book of 2008 - 'Saturday' by Ian McEwan - was enjoyed by all. The skill in describing thoughts and deeds encompassing less than 24 hours, set against a back drop of events we could all remember was fully appreciated and led to meaty discussion. Later in the year we shall be able to compare the same genre when we tackle Virginia Woolf's 'Mrs Dalloway'.

Forthcoming books are:-

'The Meaning of Night’, Michael Cox
Tues 26 February

'The Whaleboat House', Mark Wills
Tues 8 April

‘Mrs Dalloway’, Virginia Woolf
Weds 14 May

For further information please contact Heather - 812118 or Maggie - 812621

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Last updated: 20 December 2008