February meeting - April book: The Theatre of War: What Ancient Greek tragedies can teach us today.

February meeting at Sue E's place was well attended. Only apologies were from Maggie - birthday celebration - Jane - Canberra for family obligation and Pat R - in the midst of house sales.

After last meeting, it was good to hear that everyone had read the book, Charlotte Wood's The Natural Way of Things, and generally declared it an interesting and well written book. Even Ros loved it, for the raw anger that poured out of it. We got straight into discussion and didn't stray too far away for hours! A book we will be recommending to friends and family.

There were several contenders considered for the April book and finally we decided on the well-reviewed The Theater of War: What ancient Greek tragedies can teach us today, by Bryan Doerries.
Stella will host the April book and Margaret has put up her hand for June. No decision yet for May.

January meeting - March book (The World without us by Mireille Juchau)

We met at Sue Wood's place, a good turn up to discuss the Booker Prize Winner, Marlon James' A Brief History of Seven Killings, except that not one of us - yes, that's right, nobody had read the book. The most anyone had read was 25% or a couple of hundred pages. Some like me didn't really make a start, after finding the first couple of pages impenetrable. We talked about criteria for Booker prizes, how they are judged, lots of things. We voted on the best and worst books of 2015. Best book was tied - The Children Act and Madame Bovary. I don't think there was a clear worst, maybe 'Only the Animals'. Some books were chosen as both best and worst by different people. Then we chose the new book after considering several options.  The March Book is The World without Us by Mireille Juchau and lets hope it pleases us better!

November meeting - A Spool of Blue Thread and February book - Charlotte Wood's The Natural Way of Thing

November book group was at my place and nice enough weather to sit outside.  Thanks to those who were able to come, and sorry that Margaret and Jane were detained by their choir commitments.

We marked a technical innovation with Sue E joining us by FaceTime from Melbourne.

It worked well and gave hope to Maggie who shared the news that she and Ken will be leaving Sydney for the Byron Bay area. She may be able to keep up with book group online.

Pat R joined us direct from the Climate Change rally. She is also consulting the real estate agent, with plans to say goodbye to Blackheath and locate herself in Potts Point.

We did take a while to get to the book - but then there was a lot of stuff to talk about. There was no shortage of things to say about A Spool of Blue Thread,  either. Some of us enjoyed it very much, for the family saga with character delineations over generations, surprises, wry comments, its riffing on the idea of the American Dream.

It is Tyler's 20th book, someone said. Was it nominated for the Booker as a legacy, based on her body of writing, or on this book? Some of us thought it rather ordinary, lightweight. Even those who liked it agreed that the central image of the blue thread was a bit strained. But there was plenty of talk about motivations and plot developments, until someone remarked we were talking about the characters as if they were real people. And is that a bad thing?

We took a while to get to the February book but finally decided to do the Australian writer Charlotte Wood's latest, The Natural Way of Things. See your library or bookstore, I don't think I am going to be providing a copy. Remember January book group meeting is at Sue W's place.

October meeting and January book: Marlon James - A Brief History of Seven Killings

I neglected to write up the blog in October, but I sent an email:

Hi all
We met at Ros’s place today - Moy and Stella, Ros and me, along with Maggie and her daughter Rachel. The good news is that Rachel has decided to stay with us, so the average age of our book group will tumble considerably. Maggie, please pass on to Rachel and let me know her contact details to add to the list.

Discussion of the book took the customary 30 mins to get started but was quite brisk and continued into cakes and tea. Most people enjoyed the read even if ‘reluctantly’ as in Ros’s case.
Flaws in characterisation, a bit plot driven, but a well planned structure, muscular and energetic writing, which certainly engaged us all.

Next month, November, will be the Christmas meeting which will be at my place - A Spool of Blue Thread, by Ann Tyler.

The January book will be the Booker Prize winner, A Brief History of Seven Killings, by Marlon James. It’s anything but brief, but we have two months to read it, with no book in December. 

So lets consider October written up and go on to November.

September meeting (The Lost Daughter) - November book (A Spool of Blue Thread)

September meeting was at Margaret's place. 8 of us were present - welcome back Moy, able to come for the first time this year, after illness. Pat R also present after 5 months travelling OS. Sue E, Maggie H, and Liz unable to attend this month. Thanks Margaret for a lovely afternoon, with yummy food and a wonderful sherry cake to end the feast.

The Elena Ferrante book, The Lost Daughter stimulated lots of discussion, though some of us wondered if we had read the right book, or enough books, to sample Ferrante's work.  We would have liked to read one of the Neapolitan novels. But The Lost Daughter was billed as 'close to perfection' in the Andrew Reimer review and it certainly occupied us for a good hour. We found the narrator annoying but intensely interesting, fascinating, shocking even.

We look ages deciding on the next book, looking at several from the Booker shortlist, deciding finally on the Anne Tyler book, A Spool of Blue Thread, which will be at my place in November - the Christmas meeting.

Ros has offered to host the October meeting, so we will all meet at Bellamy Street for the Bill Clegg book, Did you ever have a family?

August meeting - October book is 'Did you ever have a family?' by Bill Clegg

Reporting in after our August meeting at Stella's place, where we discussed 'All the light we cannot see' by Anthony Doerr, recent winner of the Pulitzer Prize. We had a smaller group - Maggie, Sue W, Jane, Stella and me. Ros and Margaret L are travelling, Liz has a weekend away, and Sue E wasn't quite up to attending, still recovering from her surgery.

The book got a positive review from all present, with some reservations. Stella, our host, really liked the book. Ros had reported in from her travels that it was a bit 'Boy's Own' for her taste, and indeed, we agreed it was plot-driven, an old-style genre book, packed with events, multiple themes. Some worried that the 'stone' plot device didn't work well, though it did hook in to the Nazi treasure hunter. The blindness metaphor worked on a number of levels.

Sue W provided book club questions - one used an Alexander Solzhenitsyn quote: 'The line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every living being' - this started us talking about good and evil in the book. Also pointed us to the two epigraphs, one (Goebbels) about the power of radio for the Nazis - the book goes on to consider the internet in the modern day.

Discussion of the structure - jumps about in different time zones.  Would it have been a better book if chronologically told? Perhaps not, the forecasting of plot in front of being told would be lost. Through strong on plot, not over told - holds back detail, yet you know exactly what happened - for example in the rape scene. A well written book, and an old-fashioned good read.

Over a delicious pear upside down cake, baked by Rosie, (many thanks), we deliberated on the October book, without a clear standout. In the end, we chose a book from the Booker long list - 'Did you ever have a family?' by Bill Clegg. September book is 'The Lost Daughter' at Margarets, October book group is at Sue Wood's.

June meeting - August book - All the light

Thanks Maggie for hosting us so beautifully, when just back from a busy visit to family in Perth.

Sue W, Margaret L, Stella O, Ros M and I were able to attend. A few of us had travel and family commitments and weren't able to come.

We took more than half an hour to get to the book - and then agreed that everyone had liked it - or 'almost' liked it (in Ros's case!).  We talked about how it set up to debate the conflict of life/family and art, but then didn't really get to that discussion. However, it did show that the artists pretty spectacularly neglected the children, even taking into account the difference in times and customs.

However it was one of those books that was enjoyable to read, but didn't stimulate much of discussion. It's won the Stella prize - and we talked a bit about prizes, and specifically, a women's prize and do we really need this? We thought the more the merrier in the way of prizes, in the end.

We got to the next book (for August) and decided on  All the light we cannot see by Anthony Doerr. It has recently won the Pulitzer Prize and was shortlisted for the Man Booker, one of the first of the American entries, since the eligibility rules changed.  The August meeting will be held at Stella's place.

Remember the July meeting is at my place and we are reading H is for Hawk for that one, and I want a big roll up please

31 May meeting (The Ghost Estate)- July book is H is for Hawk by Helen MacDonald

May meeting - The Ghost Estate
In a first for the book group, John Connell the writer of our book (aged 29) came to book group. It was wonderful to have such a charming, accomplished and respectful visitor to join us for the afternoon discussion. He talked most generously about the book and his writing process and seemed to enjoy his time with us. We have a richer understanding of his book and look forward to seeing his upcoming book, Avalon, not yet published. Thanks Sue for organising and suggesting the book and Jane for hosting - beautiful spread with gorgeous baked cheesecake to follow.

June meeting is at Maggie's place - we will talk about The Strays by Emily Bitto (winner of the Stella Prize).


July meeting is at my place (can't compete with today). Book is H is for Hawk by Helen MacDonald.

Good reading! Happy travels to Pat. Get well and strong Moy.

April meeting: June book is The Strays by Emily Bitto

April 26 meeting so Anzac Day acknowledged with Laminations and Anzac Biscuit. Thanks Ros.

Not a word about the book till well after 3pm.  But once we started, it proved a lively discussion. A novella, a fairly light piece, but well written. Plenty to talk about. Sue (and the Random House questions) had issues with the title of the book, The Children Act, putting too much emphasis on this point of law. Others thought the title to be appropriate. Different opinions about the relationship with Jack, who seemed to be taken back too early after his adventure. Unusual of McEwan to allow a happy ending, with the couple reunited at the end, without irony. Despite some quibble, all enjoyed the book and would recommend to others. It was a small group with Sue E and Stella in Melbourne, Margaret L in Canberra, Pat R in New York (we looked at her travels on the Queen Victoria). Liz and Moy were unable to attend.

Jane took the notes. She will be the host for the May book, The Ghost Estate, which  I am loving.

The June book will be The Strays by Emily Bitto, The Stella Prize Winner 2015.

Kindle edition $8.29 from AMAZON or check with the library. I won't be likely to get a digital edition.

Patricia

March meeting - May book

March meeting discussed Only the Animals by Ceriden Dovey. Beautiful autumn day at
Margaret's place. New rule- start discussing the book by 3 pm.
Bit of reluctance about the discussion. Yes, she can form a sentence. Some of the animal stories worked, eg the mussels channeling Jack Kerouac. Her research was thorough, eg the elephant behaviour. However the concept was ambitious, telling key moments of history not only in animal voices but in reference to famous writers.
When it didn't work it was annoying. It then seemed pretentious. It had a serious moral message,about humans relationship with animals. This could be very disturbing. Quote on p 179 suggested that only the animals know what it is to be human.
An interesting if not entirely successful book that at least some of us will pass on to others.

April meeting is at Ros's place on Anzac weekend. Ros wants us dressed appropriately, she says. Book is The Children Act.

May meeting at Jane's. The new book is The Ghost Estate by John Connell, an Irish writer who was mentored by David Malouf. You are going to have to buy or borrow the book, I don't have a copy to share.

Regards
Patricia

February meeting, April book: The Children Act by Ian McEwan

Madame Bovary was a very satisfactory book group selection as it prompted much discussion, which enriched our experience of reading the book - which is the point of a reading group, I think. Moy wasn't able to attend because she is recovering from surgery (best wishes Moy), Pat R / Margaret/ Liz not able to be there because of other commitments. Not everyone enjoyed the book per se. Some found Madame B a bit boring. Some worried about Emma's motivations. But most did admire the writing and the characterisation. We compared translations and found distinct differences.  Did a bit of research and found that Madame B is considered the beginning of the modern novel. We compared it with Dickens and 19th C contemporaries, and we tended to agree. Characters not likeable, a distance in the viewpoint of the author that wasn't there in Dickens. Not to write the whole discussion out here - have a look at the notes, ably taken by Sue E.

Thanks Sue for hosting and for the traditional Pappa's Pasticceria ricotta cake.

Next book didn't come easily and we've decided to repeat one of our old favourite writers. We will be doing 'The Children Act' by Ian McEwan in April. Note change of venues. March 29th meeting (Animals, Ceridwen Dovey) will be at Margaret Lackenby's place, while Ros will host on 26th April, when Anzac biscuits have been requested.

January meeting & March Book - Only the Animals by Ceridwen Dovey

Hi
We met at Stella's - Sue E and Sue W, Pat R and Pat S, Maggie and Ros attended.

Stella and Pat particularly liked The Railwayman's Wife, and found it dealt well with the issue of grief.  Others generally liked the book well enough, but not always well enough to recommend to others. Trying a bit too hard?  Sue took copious notes, I didn't so better have a look in the book!

Next month (Feb) is early in the month - 22 Feb, so hurry up with your reading of Madame Bovary. We will be meeting at Sue W's.

We decided to do Ceridwen Dovey's book, Only the Animals in March. Ros will host. Thanks Ros.

Patricia

November meeting, February book - Madame Bovary

November meeting, February book

I'm writing this us way beyond the time, just to make the blog complete. We met at Moy's place for a delicious lunch -  thanks to Moy for making such creamy lovely quiches, served with salad. The traditional cheesecake I can still remember months later. Most liked the Kate Atkinson book, Life after Life. We decided it is time for the classic, so we will be reading Madame Bovary by Flaubert for the February book.

Cheers
Patricia

October meeting - January book - The Railwayman's Wife

Once again I missed the meeting - I'd really hoped to attend, but didn't get round the 7 Bridges walk in time. And was totally wrecked after the walk. However, apparently there was lively discussion re A Girl is a Half Formed Thing with a divided group. Look forward to reading the report.

The January book will be The Railwayman's Wife by Ashley Hay. Enjoy!

September meeting - November book - Life after Life by Kate Atkinson

In September we met at Sue E's and talked about Stoner, which I have subsequently recommended to lots of friends. I wasn't at the meeting so will have to catch up on discussion. But I do know that finally (after rejecting it several times) we are reading Kate Atkinson's Life after Life for the November meeting at Moy's.

August meeting, October book: A girl is a half formed thing

Seven of us met at Jane's place today, to consider The Night Guest by Fiona McFarlane. It was generally well received, in spite of material that was a bit close to the bone for some of us. Would a bank really allow the transfer of $700,000 by a frail elderly customer? - well, it happened in our street, this month! And what's elderly? Anyway, Fiona M can certainly write a sentence, we said. Sue E, Liz, Pat R and Moy were missed. They missed a great spread and stupendously rich chocolate cake. Thanks Jane!

We decided on the October book: The girl is a half formed thing, by Eimear McBride.in October we'll be at Ros's house (not at Moy's). I made a mistake last month, Moy is hosting us in November.

The September book is Stoner and is at Sue Ellyard's. I will be in Japan but have a great meeting.

July meeting - September book: Stoner by John Williams

Thanks to Maggie for her hospitality on Sunday. A particularly yummy slice went down very well. Recipe please? Congratulations to the Ellyards who are grandparents again, with another little girl, Grace, born to son Sam and his wife Caroline.

We talked with animation but without consensus about Harvest by Jim Crace. It stimulated lots of ideas. But Sue W, we needed your classroom management skills!  I hope the birthday party went well.


Discussion re next book was also quite lively. In the end we chose Stoner by John Williams.

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/dec/13/stoner-john-williams-julian-barnes

Julian Barnes says in this review that Stoner was his unexpected best book of 2013 and that's high praise from him! Colum McCann and many others were also effusive in praise.  Moy has given it a try and found it a bit of tough going, so be warned; but we trust it repays the effort.


The August meeting will be at Jane's home. Then in September, we are at Sue Ellyard's and October is at Ros's place. November we will visit Moy ( yes, I've corrected this).
Cheers
Patricia

June meeting - August book - The Night Guest by Fiona McFarlane

Hi - Thanks to Pat R for her hospitality on Sunday, when we were a select group of 5 at her Kings Cross residence. Jane, Sue W, Stella and I were the visitors, with Pat making up the group. Nasty weather caused troubles of various kinds for some of us.

We had plenty to talk about with The Signature of All Things. Ros had controversially called it a 'souped up Mills and Boon' - she excused herself to attend a Philosophy weekend (enough said).
Margaret Lackenby loved it - she excused herself with an OS trip. Pat and Stella loved it too, unreservedly. Pat had done some thinking on how the characters were cast to demonstrate survival and adaptation - interesting. Sue W started off liking it, but felt it did soup up after the cupboard orgasm - and the sex in the cave. So though Sue was positive, she had her reservations. Me too.

Next book is another Miles Franklin Award short-lister - The Night Guest by Fiona McFarlane. Sue W saw here at the Writers Festival and was impressed. People are going well with Harvest so if you haven't read it yet, get cracking ready for Maggie's place at the end of July. The August meeting will be held at Jane's place.

Congratulations to Sue Ellyard who has baby news - will be emailed.

Regards from Patricia S.

May meeting (The Narrow Road to the Deep North), July book: (Harvest by Jim Crace)

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.

April meeting: All the birds, singing by Evie Wyld; June book: The signature of all things by Elizabeth Gilbert

Hi to everyone after a lovely afternoon at my place with the first fire of the season. It was also the first meeting after Clare's death so we spent a bit of time talking about Clare, her funeral, her voice, her life and so on. We shared round some of her books that her son Jonathan gave us for the book group. We have some set aside for you, Maggie and Jane. Missed you and Liz. We had a good roll up though on a wintry afternoon.

There was a lively discussion about the book, All the Birds, Singing which was liked by most people (I was  a dissenting voice - I was annoyed to the point of fury by small factual inaccuracies!). Stella and Ros weren't wild about the book either, though both found much to admire in the writing. Thanks to Sue W for drawing the book to our attention.

The May book, as you know, is the Richard Flanagan, The Long Road to the Deep North, at Stella's place.

The June book is The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert. We will be meeting at Pat R's town residence in Kings Cross.