Fear of Flying by Erica Jong

It was interesting to see how this book divided the group - those for whom it had been a book that showed the way in the 70's, free love, women's rights, sexual liberation, and those of us who were reading it for the first time and thought it dated, boring and not good enough to finish!  The character was shallow, the descriptions blah and the story line laughable.  We actually decided that it might be a book that would fare better as a work to be discussed by students of 'Women's Studies'!

Isadora Wing, on a trip to Vienna to attend a psychoanalytic congress with her psychiatrist husband, she meets an uninhibited Laingian analyst who seems the embodiment of all her steamiest fantasies. He lures her away from her husband on an existential jaunt across Europe, sleeping by roadsides, changing partners with people met at camp-sites, re-evaluating her life in some painful and funny ways. But the trip proves to be a journey backward in time as well as a reshuffle of the present..We didn't see much of the humour but perhaps that is time and age?

Words used to describe it:  70's New York, psycho babble, Woody Allenish, 

Forgot to do the marks out of 10 - sorry folks. 

Next book

Jeff in Venice, Death in Varanasi by Geoff Dyer

Next Meeting

January 4 or 5th 2012 - venue to be confirmed.

Christmas Party

Friday 9th December (it does say on the post below 2 December, which I can't make, can people make the 9th?) - any suggestions for venue?  We may have to book near to Christmas.

The Waiting Years by Fumiko Enchi

Firstly, thank you to Jackie for delicious little eats - receipes for which will be put up on the blog later.  What a fabulous kitchen and we were very happy to christen it for you!

We did manage to discuss the book a bit!   The literal translation of the Japanese script of the title of this book is Woman Uphill - which we thought would better describe the struggle of Tomo's life.  None of the characters are particularly endearing, the claustrophobia of the life of a Japanese woman, the restrictions of the culture, the harshness and loneliness of her life.   Tomo's only control was the selection of the initial concubine for her husband.  There was a deep sadness and overwhelming feeling of defeat in the book.  It is hard for us to perhaps appreciate the pervasive feudalism and the paternalism of the type of society that Japan was and perhaps still is.  The book took the author 8 years to write.  She wanted to craft a carefully observed and skilfully written book.  The translation is good, but perhaps some of they lyricism of the phrasing is missing. Japanese life is carefully depicted and illustrated.  The suppressing of emotions and the saving of face apparent in everyone's actions. We found this an interesting and engaging book, even if not uplifting. 

Words used to describe it:   tragic, 'dump me in the water', Oriental, informative, subtle repression, different culture.  Marks out of 10 between 8 and one 10!!  So highly marked from all of us.

Next Book

Fear of Flying by Erica Jong (chosen by Chrissie)

Venue

73 Finaly St - Giles to chose the next book
Thursday 10th November

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games is set in some unspecified distopian future.  The world is dominated by a ruling cabal from city called the Capitol where they live in luxury.  The rest of the country live in 12 districts strictly cordoned off from the Capitol and each other.  Living, working and surviving in dismal conditions and not enough food (the Capitol controls the heaving masses - by restricting food).

Once a year each district submits two of it's children, selected by lottery, to the Hunger Games.  He/she who wins the games lives a life of luxury and celebrity and food for the whole district for a year.   The games are televised and take place within a large arena over weeks.  He/she who wins: is the last one standing - by fair means or foul.  Kill or be killed.  The main protagonist - Katniss, enters the games instead of her younger sister.  She has to kill whether she wants to or not.  The violence is explicit but 'fantastical' and therefore slightly unreal.  The book brings up interesting concepts of how far would you go to win, is it ethical to watch others kill for entertainment.  An easy read, but enjoyable was the consensus. 

Words used to describe it:  limited, interesting, absorbing, undemanding, interesting premise, quite enjoyable, harsh.

Marks out of 10 - between 5 - 7

Next Book

The Waiting Years by Fumiko Enchi

Next Meeting 

Thursday 13th October

at

115 Harbord St - Jackie

Date for the Diary 

 2nd December, Christmas Do, venue to be confirmed.

The Hare with Amber Eyes by Edmund de Waal

An elegant book. The ceramicist Edmund de Waal uses his Uncles collection of netsuki as an eccentric guide through the history of his family, wealthy Jewish bourgeoisies of many European capital cities. Their ostentatious homes, chattels and lives. This book divided those who read it - some loving the delicate descriptions and other hating the slightly clunky, slow and contrived narration.

There only a few of us at this meeting: but words used to describe the book: intricate, difficult but enjoyable, shoot me now and carefully constructed. Marks out of ten between 4 - 8

Next Book

Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The next meeting

8th September

Venue to be confirmed

Kiddnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson

A boys own adventure, told well, if at point overly long as it waded in wet heather being chased by red coats. Apparently the story is based on two well known and true events - the death of the Colin Campbel of Argyll (known as the Appin Murder - Alan Breck Stewart was tried and hanged for his murder, although protesting his innocence. And the kidnap and placing into indentured servitude of James Annesley by his Uncle. James eventually escaped from slavery in America made his way back to claim his estates off his Uncle - after a long court case he succeeded.

We all enjoyed the book. It was a fast read, not difficult and a jolly good yarn. It was interesting to read about the connections of the clans, the politics and the differences between the low land Scot and up land Scot. The prejudices and rivalries that probably exist to this day. The history and well depicted harshness of life in the Highlands 250 years ago.

Words to describe the book: damp x 2, Scottish, Braw Nicht, educational, Jacobite Odyssey
Marked between - 6 & 9

Next Book
The Hare with the Amber Eyes by Edmund van de Waal

Next Meeting
On Thursday 7 July at Cindy Hanegraaf
130 Harbord St

One Day by David Nicholls

Firstly welcome to Ewa, hope you enjoy our book club!

The book: set on one day over twenty years, the history of a relationship in snap shot. An entertaining light weight read, chick lit, a fluffy romance. Many felt that the book was written with a film in mind. Some thought it formulaic although others like it and thought the description of Dexter's meteoric rise and then fall into media land shadows, with the drugs, alcohol and shallow wife, was very realistic. Critics who couldn't make it: Alison - hated it! The promised HEA never happened and she felt cheated! Cindy - thought it started well, but it became clichéd, fluffy and disappointing. It was an entertaining read, but that doesn't necessarily make it a good book club read.

Words to describe it: funfair goldfish, tale of our times, strangely familiar, predictable, easy read/light, chick lit/flick, non- committal, enthralling.

Marks out of 10 - between 3 - 9: so a book that split the group in it's enjoyment levels and didn't generate much discussion.

Next book

Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson

Next Meeting
Thursday 9th June
at
128 Harbord Street (Amanda & Peter's)

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

Not an easy read. This book with sparse, elegant prose drew out the touching and harsh relationship between a father and treasured son, in a post apocalyptic American countryside. The novel illustrates the degradation of the human in times of survival. Lord of the Flies with attitude! The novel made me think about how I would survive in the same situation? Would I want to survive and the resilience of the human as a being/animal in times of amazing difficulty. There was some talk of the resonance of the book while the effects of the tsunami and earthquake on Japan were fresh in our mind. Of those who read the book (or could finish it) they 'enjoyed' (if that is the right word) it.

Words used to describe it: breathtakingly throat slitting, beautiful language, frightening prospect, depressing, unrelenting gloom, harrowing, ashen.
Marks out of 10 - between 7 & 9, so highly rated! Yay!

Next Book
One Day by David Nicholls

Next Meeting
12th May 2011
at
117 Harbord Street - Mandy's

We have also sorted out the next few meetings:

June - Amanda/Peter
July - Cindy
August or Sept - Nikki
Oct - Jackie
Nov - Carolyn

Animal Farm by George Orwell

Wow - what a great evening. Delicious food and great discussions. We all had so much to say on this book that it ended up with small discussions going on around the table rather than a group wide debate. The story is well known, although the language is simple. The book still has the power to inform, move and confirm the cynicism in many of us. Re reading this book was interesting - most of us had read it in our idealistic youth and coming back to it in our cynical middle age was revealing - especially with the revolutionary fever in the North Africa/Middle East at the moment. How much will these revolutions mirror the events of Animal Farm? The cynics say a lot, the idealists hope not much! It was good to read this book again - thanks Alison.

Words used to describe it: iconic, nostalgic (for the rebel I was), relevant, enduring, timeless, poignant, thoroughly enjoyable, human nature, dated, slightly irrelevant, cynical.
Marks out of 10 - most voted 9 with a couple of 8's!

On another note - there is a newish website called Read It Swap It, see link to the right, where you can swap your books with other readers. No money involved. Have a look. It might help keep that ever increasing pile of paperbacks down!

Next book
The Road by Cormac McCarthy

Next Meeting

Wednesday 6th April

at
126 Harbord Street (Rowena's)

More Than Just Coincidence

Everyone enjoyed reading this book - although there were a few criticisms but that is the nature of a Book Club: the story of a teenage pregnancy, a child given for adoption, and the amazing series of coincidences that led to their meeting again. The early years of Julie's childhood were well drawn and interesting - the claustrophobic nature of living above your landlord and the tension of having to be quiet all the time, beholden to their good will of the people below. Julie's mother was a fascinating person whose character we would have liked to have known more. It was commented that Julie's life appears to have been on hold until she met her daughter again. Although she did things, travelled, studied, worked - she never settled into a mature relationship after that first one with her teenage boyfriend. The series of coincidences that led to her meeting with her daughter was amazing - but felt like it was meant to be. A happy ending.

Words to describe it: sincere, solid, story telling, pedestrian writing, interesting, easy read, loved it, engaging story, long winded, intriguing, impressive
Marks out of 10 - between 5 and 8 so quite high.

To read Julie's answers to some of the questions posed click on the link on the right. This should take you straight to the letter.

Also a link to the Christmas dinner pictures at 209 Munster Road - sorry they aren't very good! Must have been the alcohol!

Next Book

Animal Farm by George Orwell

Next Meeting
3 March 2011
At
Alison Davis - Downe House, 10 Dike St, London SW3 4JE