Amazingly warm May day - can't believe we had a fire on a month ago! What's happened to the autumn chills?
I'm modelling the meeting where we took ages to talk about the book - 3.15pm indeed, before we left our talk of the budget behind us. When we did, it was a round-table. Sue W, Sue E, Jane and Pat R were all apologies. Liz hadn't managed to get the book - but now she will.
Stella read it with an interruption in the middle - but her interest didn't flag, even when reading about the most awful content - she has recommended the book to many people. She's sure it will be her book of the year. Superb descriptions.
I admired the writing, and found myself highlighting sentences and thoughts that pleased me right throughout. Loved the fact it tried to get into the heads of the Japanese guards, with some understanding of their belief systems. But I thought that the attempt to tie up the story at the ends was unnecessary, with too many coincidences weakening the narrative. An important book.
Maggie found the diggers realistic, showing their weakness as well as their cameraderie. She had heard Richard Flanagan's address at the Writers Festival on the radio. Margaret attended his session there and was interested in the link with Weary Dunlop - Flanagan claimed it was not modelled on him, that there were 12 other doctors like him. Flanagan relied on his father's reminiscences. Margaret was squeamish about some passages, eg the amputation scene, which Flanagan was asked to read at the festival.
Moy found it a great book but not a good romance, agreed the coincidences were unnecessary.
Ros thought it a complex book but with flaws. Flanagan didn't write women well - only the war bits worked. Plot lines like the bushfire were extraneous, Amy was cliched, but this didn't ruin the book.
Strong book, good discussion.
July book - Harvest by Jim Crace, shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize last year.
Readers Guide is here. We will be meeting at Maggie's house.
Remember that in June we meet at Pat Rayner's Kings Cross studio apartment, to look at The Signature of all things.
